<kuid:542976:102105> C&O class H8 (With Logo As Preserved TS12)

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The Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) had its first taste of Super Power steam in the T-1 class of 2-10-4 delivered starting in 1930. These engines excelled at fast freight service, but were limited to the western part of the system due to clearances. A tunnel expansion program in the 1930s allowed these engines to travel further east. At the end of the 1930s, the C&O contacted Lima regarding an additional order of T-1s to replace older, slower 2-6-6-2 mallets and 2-8-8-2 simple articulateds.

On contacting Lima, the C&O was told of a new design of Super Power simple articulated steam engine Lima engineers had been working on. The new design included a massive boiler and firebox requiring a three-axle trailing truck, 67 inch drivers for speed and 22.5 by 33 inch cylinders (which, although limiting brute force at low speed, matched the steaming capacity of the boiler at higher speeds.) The C&O was sold on the design, and the first order of ten H-8s (1600-1609) was delivered in late 1941 and early 1942. Additional H-8s were delivered in late 1942 and mid-1944 (1610-1644.)

The first three orders were well overweight. The design specifications called for an engine weight of 724,500 pounds, but the engines as delivered weighed in at 771,300 pounds. Eugene Huddleston argues that C&O's micromanagement of the design led to the weight discrepancy. Even so, Lima ultimately paid C&O a penalty of approximately $3,000,000 for missing the weight targets. In operation, the C&O got good service out of the 2-6-6-6s despite their weight. A final order delivered in 1948 (1645-1659) copied the Virginian's class AG, which reduced the engine weight by ten tons. All 60 Alleghanies were retired by 1956. Two survived into preservation, 1601 at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan and 1604 at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.

It is worth noting that although these engines were designed for fast freight service, the C&O typically used them as drag power, moving long coal trains of up to 11,500 tons over the Alleghany mountains at relatively low speeds. Dynamometer tests of the engines at speed showed the cylinders were capable of delivering 7,500 horsepower at 40 miles per hour, speeds in line with fast freight service. The boiler was capable of providing 8,000 horsepower, illustrating the Super Power goal of matching boiler and cylinder horsepower.

Specifications (1941 engines)
Drivers: 67 inches
Cylinders: 22.5 x 33 inch
Adhesive weight: 507,900 lbs
Evaporative surface: 7,240 square feet
Grate area: 135.20 square feet
Boiler pressure: 260 PSI
Tractive effort: 110,211 lbs
Price: $230,663 ($3,714,710 in 2014 dollars)

mesh by bdaneal
reworked/cloned by gramma