Chesapeake and Ohio Class L-2 and L-2a
Encyclopedia
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
's class L-2 comprised eight coal-fired 4-6-4
"Hudson" type steam locomotive
s numbered #300–307 and built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
in 1941
. They had roller bearings on all axles, and the first-built, #300, had roller bearings on its side and main rods too. #300 also bore "Elephant ear" smoke deflectors from 1948.
In 1947, the C&O ordered five additional and very similar locomotives, numbering them #310–314; these were class L-2-A and differed mostly in using Franklin RC poppet valve
s instead of the Baker valve gear
of the L-2s. These were the last express passenger steam locomotives ordered by a United States railroad, and some of the most expensive at $353,346 each, 80% more than the cost of the 8 earlier L-2 locomotives.
Both classes were among the largest 4-6-4s ever built. They were intended to work the C&O's top-flight express trains on level ground; the railroad purchased 4-8-4
"Greenbrier" types for mountain service.
By 1953, C&O passenger services were wholly dieselized, and there was no more work for these locomotives to do. Hudsons were very unsuited to freight work, with such a comparatively small proportion of their weight on the drivers. All were quickly scrapped.
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
's class L-2 comprised eight coal-fired 4-6-4
4-6-4
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-4 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and four trailing wheels on two axles .Other equivalent classifications are:UIC classification:...
"Hudson" type steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s numbered #300–307 and built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
in 1941
1941 in rail transport
-February events:* February 10–March 11 – British Army constructs a 60 cm narrow gauge railway from Kassala in Sudan 90 km east to Tessenei in Eritrea to support military advance....
. They had roller bearings on all axles, and the first-built, #300, had roller bearings on its side and main rods too. #300 also bore "Elephant ear" smoke deflectors from 1948.
In 1947, the C&O ordered five additional and very similar locomotives, numbering them #310–314; these were class L-2-A and differed mostly in using Franklin RC poppet valve
Poppet valve
A poppet valve is a valve consisting of a hole, usually round or oval, and a tapered plug, usually a disk shape on the end of a shaft also called a valve stem. The shaft guides the plug portion by sliding through a valve guide...
s instead of the Baker valve gear
Baker valve gear
Baker valve gear was the main competitor to Walschaerts valve gear for steam locomotives in the United States. Strictly speaking it was not a valve gear but a variable expansion mechanism adapted to the Walschaerts layout replacing the expansion link and sliding die block...
of the L-2s. These were the last express passenger steam locomotives ordered by a United States railroad, and some of the most expensive at $353,346 each, 80% more than the cost of the 8 earlier L-2 locomotives.
Both classes were among the largest 4-6-4s ever built. They were intended to work the C&O's top-flight express trains on level ground; the railroad purchased 4-8-4
4-8-4
Under the Whyte notation classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-4 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and four trailing wheels on two axles .Other equivalent classifications are:UIC classification: 2D2...
"Greenbrier" types for mountain service.
By 1953, C&O passenger services were wholly dieselized, and there was no more work for these locomotives to do. Hudsons were very unsuited to freight work, with such a comparatively small proportion of their weight on the drivers. All were quickly scrapped.