Pennsylvania Railroad class N2sa

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class N2sa comprised rebuilds to PRR practice of the 130 USRA Heavy Santa Fe steam locomotives the railroad received under the auspices of the United States Railroad Administration, the nationalized central control of the nation's railroads during World War I. These locomotives, as received, were classified N2s. Rebuilds began from 1923 and all locomotives were rebuilt, classified N2sa after the rebuild. They received a Belpaire firebox, the PRR-standard smokebox front, a raised headlight following PRR practice, and the bell moved from smokebox front to boiler top. Brakemen's "doghouse" shacks were built on the rear tender decks.

PRR N2sa (Rebuilt : N2s)
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderALCO,
Baldwin
Build date1919 (rebuilt from 1923)
Total produced130
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte2-10-2
 • UIC1'E2'
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Leading dia.33 in (0.84 m)
Driver dia.63 in (1.60 m)
Trailing dia.43 in (1.09 m)
Wheelbase42 ft 2 in (12.85 m)
Length55 ft 4 in (16.87 m) without tender
Width10 ft 8 in (3.25 m)
Height15 ft 9 in (4.80 m)
Adhesive weight297,000 lb (135,000 kg)
Loco weight380,700 lb (172,700 kg)
Total weight458,100 lb (207,800 kg)
Fuel typeSoft coal
Fuel capacity17 short tons (15 t; 15 long tons)
Water cap.12,000 US gal (45,000 L; 10,000 imp gal)
Firebox:
 • Grate area82.2 sq ft (7.64 m2)
Boiler pressure190 psi (1.3 MPa)
Heating surface:
 • Firebox420 sq ft (39 m2)
 • Tubes and flues4,560 sq ft (424 m2)
 • Total surface4,980 sq ft (463 m2)
Superheater:
 • Heating area1,222 sq ft (113.5 m2)
Cylinders2
Cylinder size30 in × 32 in (762 mm × 813 mm)
Valve gearWalschaerts, Southern
Performance figures
Maximum speed35 mph (56 km/h)
Tractive effort74,000 lbf (329.17 kN)
Factor of adh.4.01
Career
Retired1947-1953
DispositionAll Scrapped

Their assignments were primarily in PRR Lines West (of Pittsburgh), especially after the introduction of the I1s 2-10-0 “Decapods”. Both these and the PRR-designed N1s 2-10-2s were primarily used to haul iron ore from the ports on the Great Lakes and coal towards them, at a slow drag freight maximum speed of 35 miles per hour (56 km/h). The arrival of larger power such as the J1 shifted the N2sa locomotives to more secondary roles.

References

edit
  • Schoenberg, Robert (ed.). "N2s - 2-10-2 Steam Loco". PRR Steam Locomotive diagrams.
  • Railroad Master Mechanics' Association (1922). Locomotive Cyclopedia of American Practice - 6th Edition, 1922. Simmons-Boardman.
  • Barris, Wes (2005-05-21). "USRA Locomotives". SteamLocomotive.com. Archived from the original on 2009-05-15. Retrieved 2006-01-17.
  • Staufer, Alvin (1962). Pennsy Power. Staufer. pp. 82–87. LOC 62-20878.