Re: Favorite or least favorite locomotives

Well, just some comments on a few.

Let's start with the worst first. That would be the former Sierra Ry. 2-6-2 30 which later went to Howard Terminal
in Oakland, Ca and then to nearby Castro Point Ry. operated by the PLA. It was a miserable little mill to fire, largely
account of the narrow firebox that was bricked up one row too deep. That left very little room for combustion. When the
Sierra went looking to Baldwin for another Prairie for their Angels Branch in the early 20's, they increased the driver diameter
of number 32 from 42" to 46". To compensate for this, boiler pressure was increased 5 lbs. to 180 and cylinders were increased from 15"
to 16". Weight on drivers was also increased some and that resulted in a much better machine.

I also liked the 18 when it was on the GCR. I fired both in the yd. 18 was the better engine in town, but 4960 had her well beat on
the road for power, speed, ride and also steaming. A 1923 Mikado, 4960 was built with a 30" combustion chamber. That and the added
transverse arch tubes helped her to percolate really nicely.

I'll always have a spot in my heart for Pickering Lbr. Corp's 3T Heisler 10. I had her for the summer of 1972 and ran her several trips daily
hauling passengers on 8.6% grades of the Klamath & Hoppow Valley RR North of Eureka, CA. In addition to the passenger hauling, I had
several afternoons when returning to the engine shed, we would be stopped by the owner who had us come into the landing where
he loaded Redwood logs onto a flat and take them and the self-propelled crane back to the mill. This was just part of a days work.

My favorite rod engine was Krupp built Mike 174 in Guatemala. I got to fire and run her on the Atlantic Division. She had a front-end throttle
and was about the equal of a K-27 in power. She held the rail really well.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/2021 04:22PM by Tom Moungovan.