Norfolk and Western 2300

Baldwin 6-6-6-6-4500/1-TE “Jawn Henry”
Norfolk and Western Railway 2300 "Jawn Henry"
Type and origin Power type Steam turbine electric Builder Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton Corporation Serial number Baldwin 75911 Model Baldwin 6-6-6-6-4500/1-TE Build date May 1954 Total produced 1
Specifications Configuration: ​  •  Whyte 0-6-6-0+0-6-6-0TE  •  AAR C+C-C+C  •  UIC Co′Co′-Co′Co′GTurb Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. 42 in (1,067 mm) Length Locomotive: 111 ft 7+1⁄2 in (34.02 m) Loco and tender: 161 ft 1+1⁄2 in (49.11 m) Tender weight 364,100 lb (165,200 kg) (when loaded) Total weight 1,182,100 lb (536,200 kg) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 20 short tons (18.1 t; 17.9 long tons) Water cap. 22,000 US gal (83,000 L; 18,000 imp gal) Boiler pressure 600 lbf/in2 (4.1 MPa)
Performance figures Power output 4,500 hp (3,400 kW) Tractive effort 144,000 lbf (640.54 kN) (at 9 mph (14 km/h))
Career Operators Norfolk and Western Railway Class TE Numbers 2300 Nicknames Jawn Henry Disposition Scrapped

Norfolk and Western 2300, also known as the Jawn Henry, was a single experimental steam turbine locomotive of the Norfolk and Western Railway. The N&W placed it in the TE class. It was nicknamed "the Jawn Henry" after the legend of John Henry, a rock driller who famously raced against a steam drill and won, only to die immediately afterwards. It was designed to demonstrate the advantages of steam turbines espoused by Baldwin Chief Engineer Ralph P. Johnson. It was the longest steam locomotive ever built. ^[1]

The unit looked similar to the Chesapeake and Ohio class M-1 turbines but differed mechanically; it was a C+C-C+C with a Babcock & Wilcox water-tube boiler with automatic controls. The boiler controls were sometimes problematic, and as with the C&O turbines coal dust and water got into the electric traction motors. Number 2300 was retired, stricken from the N&W roster on January 4, 1958, and scrapped later in 1961. ^{[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]}

History

The order for the N&W 2300 was submitted to the Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton Corporation in 1954 and subsequently completed and launched in May that same year. Its boiler operated at 600 psi (4,100 kPa), more than the average ~300–330 psi (2,100–2,300 kPa) locomotives of the time. It had 175,000 lbf (780 kN) of starting tractive effort and 144,000 lbf (640 kN) at 10 mph (16 km/h). However, the design performed at a 15% speed disadvantage over 12 mph (19 km/h) compared to the N&W Class As (which stopped production four years prior).

Other shortcomings included the very high cost of production, more than the Class A's and other competing Baldwin designs of the time. Its very complex controls took new engineers longer to learn, leading to higher downtime and training costs as well as difficulty when coupling to a train. Its size was too large for any N&W turntables and the firebox led to issues with coal dust and ash.

References

1. Blanton, Burt C. (May 29, 1955). "[The "Powhatan Arrow" passing the "Jawn Henry"]". The Portal to Texas History.
2. "N&W "Jawn Henry" Locomotive: Data, Photos, History & More". American-Rails.com.
3. "The Jawn Henry | Trains Magazine". TrainsMag.com.
4. Holtzclaw, Mike (3 February 2020). "Free train presentation explores a real-life "John Henry"". dailypress.com.
5. Wrinn, Jim. "Locomotive profile: Gas-electric turbine locomotives". trains.com.
6. Young, Jan (30 November 2017). Jawn Henry Locomotive Book Page. Lulu.com. ISBN   9781387408610.