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Lehigh and New England 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 Lehigh and New England steam locomotives were classed from A to I and surprisingly fielded some large models for its small size including 2-8-2 Midakos and 2-10-0 Decapods. In any event, the information here is merely meant to list the general types of steam locomotives operated by the L&NE and does not go into detail about their specific differences. The Lehigh and New England Railroad was likely the least known of the great anthracite coal lines of the Northeast like the Reading Railroad, Lehigh Valley, Erie, Jersey Central, Lehigh & Hudson River and others.

The railroad had a very tumultuous history prior to its final organization in 1895 and due to its small size, few markets served, and circuitous main line (which was even slower than the nearby Lehigh & Hudson River Railway); it had a very hard time for much of its life earning healthy profits. By the late 1950s with anthracite demand quickly drying up and no other significant means of traffic to replace the losses, the L&NE called it quits in 1961 with the Central Railroad of New Jersey picking up most of the remaining pieces of the railroad.

Today, there is one known L&NE steamer known to be preserved, a little 0-6-0 switcher on display at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois.

Class A

The L&NE's Class A designated a single 0-4-0 switcher, #201.

Class B

The L&NE's Class B denoted its fleet of 0-6-0 switchers ranging from Class B-1 to B-5.

Class C

The L&NE's Class C designated a pair of 4-4-0 Americans, #5 and #6.

Class D

The L&NE's Class D denoted a single 4-6-0 Ten-Wheeler #7.

Class E

The L&NE's Class E was the railroad's largest, designating 2-8-0 Consolidations ranging from Class E-1 to E-11.

Class F-1

The L&NE's Class F-1 denoted its fleet of five 2-10-0 Decapods.

Class G-1

The L&NE's Class G-1 denoted part of its 2-8-2 Mikado fleet.

Class I

The L&NE's Class I designated its fleet of 0-8-0 and 0-8-2 switchers ranging from Class I-1 to Class I-5.

Class L-1

The L&NE's Class L-1 denoted part of its 2-8-2 Mikado fleet.

For much more information about Lehigh and New England steam locomotives please click here to visit North East Rails.

For more reading on the Lehigh and New England Railroad you might want to consider the book The Lehigh and New England Railroad from author Ed Crist. While the book is somewhat dated now, first published in 1980, it gives a great general history of the L&NE from its colorful beginnings to its end under the CNJ. So, if you have any interest in the L&NE or would like to learn more about it I would certainly suggest staring with Mr. Crist’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".

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