[?] Subscribe To This Site

Bessemer and Lake Erie Steam Locomotives

The classifications given by railroads to their steam locomotive fleets were as varied as the machines themselves with several different designations within a particular class! The Bessemer and Lake Erie steam locomotives similarly had multiple designations for its fleet although the railroad only owned a handful of general wheel arrangements. The information here is merely meant to list the general types of steam locomotives operated by the B&LE and does not go into detail about their specific differences.

Unlike its sister road the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range, the B&LE never owned large articulateds like the DM&IR's Yellowstones. However, the Bessemer did own large 2-10-2 Santa Fes and 2-10-4 Texas Types. For the B&LE, steam ended quickly as the railroad had retired its entire fleet by late 1952. However, thankfully at least two examples of the railroad's steamers survive, a 2-8-0 Consolidation and a 2-10-4 Texas. For more information about these surviving steam locomotives please click here.

Class C

The B&LE's Class C steam locomotives were 2-8-0 Consolidations ranging from Class C1 to Class C4.

Class D

The B&LE's Class D steam locomotives were 2-10-2 Santa Fes and included Class D1 and D2.

Class E

The B&LE's Class E steam locomotives were 4-4-0 American Types ranging from Class E1 to Class E5.

Class H1

The B&LE's Class H1 steam locomotives were its lone fleet of 2-10-4 Texas Types.

Class M

The B&LE's Class M steam locomotives were 2-6-0 Moguls and included Class M1 to M3.

Class P1

The B&LE's Class P1 steam locomotives were its lone fleet of 4-6-2 Pacifics.

Class S

The B&LE's Class S steam locomotives were 0-6-0 switchers and included Class S1 to S3.

Class T

The B&LE's Class T steam locomotives were 4-6-0 Ten-wheelers ranging from Class T1 to T3.

For much more information about Bessemer and Lake Erie steam locomotives please click here.

For more reading on the Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad you might want to consider purchasing a copy of Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad: In Color by author Robert Lorenzo. The book gives an excellent pictorial history of the railroad (with informative accompanying captions), all of which, of course, are also in color (128 pages in total). If you have any interest in the Bessemer & Lake Erie or are interested in learning more about its operations you should very much enjoy Mr. Lorenzo’s book. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing this book please visit The Railroad Diamond by clicking the tab in the menu to your left marked "TRD Store".

footer for bessemer and lake erie steam locomotives page