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Atlantic Coast Line R-1 class

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Atlantic Coast Line R-1 class
Atlantic Coast Line 1805 photographed at Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1938
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderBaldwin Locomotive Works
Serial number62174-62185
Build dateMarch–May 1938
Total produced12
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-8-4
 • UIC2′D2′ h2
Gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Driver dia.80 in (2,032 mm)
Wheelbase97 ft 11 in (29.85 m)
Height16 ft (4,877 mm)
Axle load65,792 lb (29,843 kg; 29.371 long tons)
Adhesive weight263,127 lb (119,352 kg; 117.467 long tons)
Loco weight460,270 lb (208,770 kg; 205.48 long tons)
Tender weight435,500 lb (197,500 kg; 194.4 long tons)
Total weight895,770 lb (406,310 kg; 399.90 long tons)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity27 short tons (24 t)
Water cap.24,000 US gal (91,000 L; 20,000 imp gal)
Firebox:​
 • Grate area97.75 sq ft (9.081 m2)
Boiler86+3⁄16 in (2,189 mm)
Boiler pressure275 lbf/in2 (1.90 MPa)
Heating surface:​
 • Firebox568 sq ft (52.8 m2)
 • Total surface4,749 sq ft (441.2 m2)
Superheater:
​
 • TypeType 'A'
 • Heating area1,497 sq ft (139.1 m2)
CylindersTwo
Cylinder size27 in × 30 in (686 mm × 762 mm)
Valve gearWalschaert
Performance figures
Maximum speed100 mph (160 km/h)
Tractive effort63,900 lbf (284.24 kN)
Factor of adh.4.12
Career
OperatorsAtlantic Coast Line
ClassR-1
Numbers1800–1811
Retired1951-1952
DispositionAll scrapped

The Atlantic Coast Line R-1 was a class of 12 4-8-4 Northern type steam locomotives built by Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) in 1938 and operated by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad until the early 1950s. They were immediately assigned to passenger service but eventually saw service pulling freight.

History

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During the mid-1930s, the Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) Railroad's P-5-A class 4-6-2 Pacifics could not handle more than 12 passenger cars and would require double-heading due to an increase in passenger business. In 1938, ACL ordered twelve R-1 4-8-4 Northerns from Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) to handle the heavier passenger trains, eliminating the need for double-heading and ran extra sections of many of the Richmond, Virginia to Jacksonville, Florida passenger trains. While they were more powerful than the P-5-As as well as being faster, running as fast as 90 mph and probably 100 mph without much trouble reaching such speeds. However, the R-1s had poor counterbalancing and were returned to Baldwin to solve the problem. When delivered, they had a bad dynamic augment. Even after the rebuild with new disk driving wheels, they still had unacceptable amounts of dynamic augment at high speeds, as their counterbalancing weights were too high, which led to the locomotive's drivers pounding at high speeds and was said that the main drivers actually left the rails and repeatedly slammed back down, kinking rails and damaging track alignment for miles.

Despite their flaws, they were capable pullers. No. 1800 accelerated a 20-car, 1500-ton passenger train from a dead stop to 70 miles per hour in 11+1⁄2 minutes and 11 miles in a test. The class also ran as many as 18,000 miles a month in passenger service. R-1s Nos. 1800, 1801, 1806, 1807, 1808 and 1809 ran even more smoothly once they were fitted with lightweight pistons by Timken, piston rods, cross heads, and, probably most important, tapered main rods with roller bearing wrist pins. The class is rated at 6,200 tons on the Richmond to Jacksonville mainline.[1] With dieselization taking effect, the locomotives were put in freight service. Retirement started in 1951 and by 1952, all have been retired.[2]

Tenders

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The R-1 class were equipped with very large tenders holding 24,000 US gallons (91,000 L; 20,000 imp gal) of water and 27 short tons (24 long tons) of coal. They were mounted on a pair of eight-wheel trucks. The weight of the tender, fully loaded was 217 short tons (194 long tons)[3] In 1953, ten of the R-1 tenders were sold to the Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W), where they were paired with their Y4 class 2-8-8-2 compound mallets, until they were all scrapped in 1958.[4]

Disposition

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None of the R-1s have been preserved, as all were scrapped by 1952 and the remaining ten tenders lasted on the N&W until 1958.[1]

Roster

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Number Baldwin serial number Date built Disposition Notes
1800 62174 March 1938 Scrapped on December 20, 1951.[5]
1801 62175 March 1938 Scrapped on June 20, 1952.[5]
1802 62176 March 1938 Scrapped on June 20, 1952.[5]
1803 62177 March 1938 Scrapped on December 20, 1951.[5][6]
1804 62178 March 1938 Scrapped on December 20, 1951.[5]
1805 62179 March 1938 Scrapped on December 20, 1951.[5]
1806 62180 May 1938 Scrapped on December 31, 1952.[5]
1807 62181 May 1938 Scrapped on December 31, 1952.[5]
1808 62182 May 1938 Scrapped on June 20, 1952.[5]
1809 62183 May 1938 Scrapped on December 20, 1951.[5]
1810 62184 May 1938 Scrapped on December 31, 1952.[5]
1811 62185 May 1938 Scrapped on June 20, 1952.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Atlantic Coast Line 4-8-4s". www.trainweb.org.
  2. ^ "Atlantic Coast Line 4-8-4 "Northern" Locomotives in the USA". steamlocomotive.com.
  3. ^ Reed, Brian (1983). Loco Profile 20: The American 4-8-4. Windsor, Berkshire: Profile Publications Limited. p. 6.
  4. ^ Dixon, Thomas W. Jr.; Parker, Karen; Huddleston, Gene (2009). Norfolk & Western's Y-Class Articulated Steam Locomotives. TLC Publishing. pp. 61–63.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Prince (1966), p. 224.
  6. ^ Tillotson Jr. (2000), p. 91.

Bibliography

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Further reading

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  • Griffin Jr., William E. (2001). Atlantic Coast Line: The Standard Railroad of the South (1st ed.). TLC Publishing. ISBN 978-1-883089-62-7.
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