PRR J1
Encyclopedia
The PRR J1 was a class of 2-10-4
or "Texas" type steam locomotive
s with 69 in (175.3 cm) driving wheel
s built between 1943 and 1944. The J1 had over 95000 pound-forces (422.6 kN) of tractive effort
, plus an additional 15000 lbf (66.7 kN) if the booster engine
was used.
. Like the M1
the J1's had a keystone numberplate, unlike the oval numberplates seen on the rest of the PRR's freight steam locomotives. They also had radial-stay fireboxes instead of the Belpaire firebox
es seen on nearly all of the Pennsylvania Railroad's steam locomotives.
the Pennsylvania Railroad
needed heavier locomotives to pull freight and military equipment, but wartime restrictions prohibited the development of a new locomotive design. In response to this the Pennsylvania Railroad borrowed a 2-6-6-4
Class A of the Norfolk & Western Railway and a 2-10-4
from the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. Both locomotives underwent extensive testing, with the C&O 2-10-4 chosen to be produced. A total of 125 were built at PRR's shops in Juniata, Pennsylvania. They came to be known as the PRR's "War Babies," but the J1's remained in service into the 1950s. When the Pennsylvania Railroad converted from steam power to diesel, the PRR scrapped most of them in 1958 with the exception of 25. The remaining 25 were scrapped in 1959 and thus, the J1s were no longer in existence.
2-10-4
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, a 2-10-4 locomotive has two leading wheels, ten driving wheels , and four trailing wheels...
or "Texas" 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 with 69 in (175.3 cm) driving wheel
Driving wheel
On a steam locomotive, a driving wheel is a powered wheel which is driven by the locomotive's pistons...
s built between 1943 and 1944. The J1 had over 95000 pound-forces (422.6 kN) of tractive effort
Tractive effort
As used in mechanical engineering, the term tractive force is the pulling or pushing force exerted by a vehicle on another vehicle or object. The term tractive effort is synonymous with tractive force, and is often used in railway engineering to describe the pulling or pushing capability of a...
, plus an additional 15000 lbf (66.7 kN) if the booster engine
Booster engine
A booster engine for steam locomotives is a small two-cylinder steam engine back-gear-connected to the trailing truck axle on the locomotive or, if none, the lead truck on the tender. A rocking idler gear permits it to be put into operation by the engineer...
was used.
Features
As with many of the Pennsylvania Railroad's steam locomotives, the J1 had its headlight above the smokeboxSmokebox
A smokebox is one of the major basic parts of a Steam locomotive exhaust system. Smoke and hot gases pass from the firebox through tubes where they pass heat to the surrounding water in the boiler. The smoke then enters the smokebox, and is exhausted to the atmosphere through the chimney .To assist...
. Like the M1
PRR M1
M1 is a class of steam locomotive of the Pennsylvania Railroad . It was a class of heavy mixed-traffic locomotives of the 4-8-2 "Mountain" arrangement, which uses four pairs of driving wheels with a four-wheel guiding truck in front for stability at speed and a two-wheel trailing truck to support...
the J1's had a keystone numberplate, unlike the oval numberplates seen on the rest of the PRR's freight steam locomotives. They also had radial-stay fireboxes instead of the Belpaire firebox
Belpaire firebox
The Belpaire firebox is a type of firebox used on steam locomotives. It was invented by Alfred Belpaire of Belgium. It has a greater surface area at the top of the firebox, improving heat transfer and steam production...
es seen on nearly all of the Pennsylvania Railroad's steam locomotives.
History
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
needed heavier locomotives to pull freight and military equipment, but wartime restrictions prohibited the development of a new locomotive design. In response to this the Pennsylvania Railroad borrowed a 2-6-6-4
2-6-6-4
In the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotive wheel arrangement, a 2-6-6-4 is a locomotive with a two-wheel leading truck, two sets of six driving wheels, and a four-wheel trailing truck...
Class A of the Norfolk & Western Railway and a 2-10-4
2-10-4
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, a 2-10-4 locomotive has two leading wheels, ten driving wheels , and four trailing wheels...
from the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. Both locomotives underwent extensive testing, with the C&O 2-10-4 chosen to be produced. A total of 125 were built at PRR's shops in Juniata, Pennsylvania. They came to be known as the PRR's "War Babies," but the J1's remained in service into the 1950s. When the Pennsylvania Railroad converted from steam power to diesel, the PRR scrapped most of them in 1958 with the exception of 25. The remaining 25 were scrapped in 1959 and thus, the J1s were no longer in existence.