Re: Sumpter Valley Railway

Lets see the #40 was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1925 for the Lancaster & Chester RR in South Carolina. Dry she weighs in around 81 tons. Holds 6000 gallons of water and 8 tons of coal. Operating pressure is around 170psi with the low pressure pops set at 175psi and the highs set at 181psi. 54in drivers, 20 x 26 cylinders, 37,000lbs of tractive effort. Her fire box is eight feet to the back and about four feet wide. Piston valves but not superheated (wish it was). Now as for the railroad the ruling grade is %1.15. Normal excursions go 4.5 miles south out of New Hope to Lahaska which would have been the fourth station on the line out of New Hope in the Reading days. On the southbound run four of those miles are up hill and most of it over %1 so she works a lot and she sounds great. There are no turning facilities anywhere on our 18 miles of railroad. The 40 has been in operation for the past 16 years and is one of the hardest working locomotives in the business. I am finally, after more then a month away, going to get back to the scoop this Saturday. Just me no second shift fireman which makes me happy! Hope that answers your questions.

-Eric
Just in case some one doesnt know what the 40 looks like.