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Delaware and Hudson K-62 Class

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Delaware and Hudson K-62 Class
Reading T-1 No. 2102, when it masqueraded as K-62 No. 302 near Cohoes, New York, May 14, 1973
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Builder
Serial number69975-69979, 70133-70142
Build date1943
Total produced15
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte4-8-4
 • UIC2′D2 h2
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia.42 in (1,066.800 mm)
Driver dia.75 in (1,905.000 mm)
Trailing dia.First axle: 42 in (1.067 m)
Second axle: 44 in (1.118 m)
Adhesive weight270,000 lb (120 t; 120 long tons)
Loco weight470,000 lb (210 t; 210 long tons)
Tender weight298,000 lb (135 t; 133 long tons)
Total weight768,000 lb (348 t; 343 long tons)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity25 short tons (23 t)
Water cap.20,000 US gal (76,000 L; 17,000 imp gal)
Firebox:
 • Grate area96.2 sq ft (8.94 m2)
Boiler pressure285 lbf (1.27 kN)
Heating surface:
 • Firebox482 sq ft (44.8 m2)
 • Total surface4,477 sq ft (415.9 m2)
Superheater1,473 sq ft (136.8 m2)
CylindersTwo, outside
Cylinder size24.5 in × 32 in (622 mm × 813 mm)
Valve gearWalschaerts
Performance figures
Maximum speed70-95 Mph (112-152 K/mh)
Tractive effort62,042 lbf (275.98 kN)
Factor of adh.4.35
Career
OperatorsDelaware & Hudson
Numbers300-314
Retired1952–1953
DispositionAll scrapped

The Delaware and Hudson K-62 Class was a class of fifteen 4-8-4 steam locomotives built by the American Locomotive Company's Schenectady Works in 1943. They were intended as dual-service locomotives, hauling both freight and passenger trains until dieselization in 1953.[1]

Design

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The K-62s had a semi-streamlined sort of look to them. This was due to the fact that they used elephant-ear smoke deflectors and the use of side skirts along the running board.[2] The dome and sandboxes were both housed in the same casting, while the headlight was recessed within the smokebox door. This was a feature that could be commonly found on other D&H locomotives such as their P Class and P-1 Class Pacifics and J-95 Class Challengers. Although laid out according to orthodox American design, these engines had a British look in their clean boilers, thick and wide face shield below the smokebox, and plain smokebox face with headlight centered.

Delaware and Hudson steam locomotive P-1 Class 4-6-2 653

Similarity to Alco's Later 4-8-4s

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In 1944, Alco took the boiler from the K-62s and tweaked them, resulting in the boilers on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad R-67B Class, Milwaukee Road S3 Class, and Union Pacific FEF-3 Class all being of similar designs.[3] The three later designs all shared the same valve gear, except the FEF-3s had a larger grate area at 100.2 square feet. The R-67Bs and FEF-3s also had similar cylinders as the K-62s, with the boiler being very closely related to those on the S3s. The K-62s and S-3s also had very similar tenders and similar driving wheels, with those on the K-62s being only slightly larger than those on the S3s. All four classes also had Walschaerts valve gear and roller bearings on their driving axles.

Service and Withdrawal

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The K-62s were assigned to freight work all over the D&H. However, their large 6 ft 3 in (1,905.000 mm) drivers with roller bearings meant that the class were well-equipped to handle passenger trains between New York and Montreal.[4] The class was eventually retired between 1952 and 1953, and like all steam locomotives on the D&H, none were preserved.

Brief Revival

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Although none of the K-62s survive, one member did return for a short while. To commemorate the sesquicentennial of the opening of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company, Reading Railroad T-1 No. 2102 masqueraded as No. 302 between 1973 and 1974.

Surviving Alco 4-8-4s

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There are four other Alco 4-8-4s that were built during World War II. These are Milwaukee Road S3s Nos. 261 and 265 and Union Pacific FEF-3s Nos. 838 and 844 (8444 between 1962 and 1989). Nos. 261 and 265 are the closest that a preservationist can get to a K-62, having similar boiler dimensions and similarly sized tenders.

References

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  1. ^ "Delaware & Hudson 4-8-4 "Northern" Locomotives in the USA". www.steamlocomotive.com. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
  2. ^ http://users.fini.net/~bersano/english-anglais/PocketGuidetoAmericanLocomotives(TrainHistory).pdf [bare URL PDF]
  3. ^ "Richard Leonard's Random Steam Photo Collection -- Delaware & Hudson 4-8-4 309".
  4. ^ "Delaware & Hudson Alco built class K-62 dual purpose 4-8-4 northern steam locomotive # 313, is seen at Whitehall, New York, 09-02-1950". 24 December 2011.