Pittsburgh and Lake Erie class A-2a

Pittsburgh and Lake Erie class A-2a
NYC No. 9401
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder American Locomotive Company (ALCO) Build date May-June 1948 Total produced 7
Specifications Configuration: ​  •  Whyte 2-8-4 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Driver dia. 63 in (1,600 mm) Adhesive weight 280,000 lb (127.0 tonnes) Loco weight 426,000 lb (193.2 tonnes) Tender weight 352,780 lb (160.0 tonnes) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 22 tonnes (49,000 lb) Water cap. 20,000 US gallons (76,000 L; 17,000 imp gal) Boiler pressure 230 psi (1.59 MPa)
Career Operators Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad (P&LE) New York Central Railroad (NYC) Class P&LE A-2a Numbers 9400-9406 Retired August 1956 Scrapped 1957
References: [1]

The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie class A-2a was a class of seven 2-8-4 "Berkshire" type steam locomotives built by American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in Schenectady, New York for the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad (P&LE) in 1948. They were also the last steam locomotives to be built by ALCO.

History

In 1948, the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad (P&LE) purchased seven 2-8-4 "Berkshire" type steam locomotives from the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady New York and designated as the class A-2a and assigned road numbers 9400 through 9406. ^{[2] [3]} The tenders were built by Lima and carried 22 t (21.7 long tons; 24.3 short tons) of coal. ^[4]

Delivered between May and June 1948, the class had a short life and were the last steam locomotives ever produced by ALCO. Nos. 9400 through 9406 were retired in August 1956 and all of them were scrapped in 1957.

References

1. "Boston & Albany / Pittsburgh & Lake Erie 2-8-4 "Berkshire" Locomotives in the USA". www.steamlocomotive.com. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
2. Locomotive Cyclopedia of American Practice, 1950-52: Definitions, Drawings and Illustrations of Diesel, Steam, Electric and Turbine Locomotives for Railroad, Industrial and Foreign Service; Their Parts and Equipment; Descriptions and Illustrations of Locomotive Shops and Servicing Facilities. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Company. 1950. p. 511.
3. Railroadman's Magazine. Vol. 60–61. 1953. p. 52.
4. Trains. Vol. 37. Kalmbach Publishing Company. 1976. p. 25.

• Lucas, Walter A. (1951). Popular Picture and Plan Book of Railroad Cars and Locomotives. New York: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp. p. 20.

Further reading

• Polaritz, Jack (2004). P&LE's Berkshires (1st ed.). Kahndog Publications. ISBN   978-0-971765-48-1.