B&O 4-6-4 Locomotives: Specs, Roster, Photos
Published: April 9, 2025
By: Adam Burns
The 4-6-4 wheel arrangement is best known on the New York Central, which designed the locomotive and came to own a sizable fleet of beautifully designed machines.
The Baltimore & Ohio as it turns out, which is never really known for operating Hudsons, did utilize a small fleet for passenger service. They were listed as Class V and constructed by the railroad's own shop forces in Mount Clare during the mid-1930s.
The locomotive's were equipped with a specialized firebox designed by a noted company engineer and were considered successful while in service. They remained on the B&O's roster until 1950 when all were retired and eventually scrapped.
The 4-6-4 was a popular arrangement on many roads, such as the Milwaukee Road, Chicago & North Western, New York Central, and Santa Fe. The B&O, however, had little interest in the design. Instead, it utilized primarily 4-6-2's and 4-8-2's on passenger assignments until the diesel era.
Baltimore & Ohio 4-6-4 #5350 (V-3), which carried a European-like streamlining. The railroad owned a total of four, the second of which (#5340, Class V-2) was named "Lord Baltimore" and assigned to the "Royal Blue" (Baltimore - New York). The B&O's Hudsons used an interesting watertube firebox patented by General Superintendent of Motive Power & Equipment, Colonel George H. Emerson.It's tough to argue that the New York Central fielded some of the most gorgeous Hudsons ever put into service. Who can ever forget those iconic Class J3a's styled by Henry Dreyfuss to pull the initial version a streamlined 20th Century Limited.
Some other roads to field fleets of classic 4-6-4s included the Canadian Pacific's Royal Hudsons, Chicago & North Western's Class E-4's, the Milwaukee Road's lightening fast Class F-7's which headed the streamlined Hiawathas, and the Wabash's small fleet of Class P1's.
Colonel George H. Emerson
The Baltimore & Ohio's use of the Hudson was much more subtle, and some reading this may not even be aware the railroad ever owned any. As was typical, and in many ways expected on the B&O, the locomotive's carried an elegance and grace albeit were perhaps not the most beautiful designs it ever owned.
However, interestingly their use came about in part due to a newly patented firebox by the railroad's General Superintendent of Motive Power & Equipment, Colonel George H. Emerson.
He had joined the B&O during March of 1920 and before he left the company became revered for his work with steam power. During 1927 Emerson employed the first use of a watertube firebox in a locomotive when the B&O's Mount Clare Shops in Baltimore rebuilt a Consolidation into a Mikado.
A year later it did the same with a Class P-7 Pacific named the President Cleveland (part of the fabled President's Class). The watertube design was inspired by similar devices used in marine ships and stationary power plants.
According to Kirk Reynold's and Dave Oroszi's book, "Baltimore & Ohio Railroad," they differed from a "...conventional locomotive firebox in that boiler water circulated through a series of tubes that were arranged vertically at the sides of the firebox, thus eliminating staybolts and crown sheets."
Classification
| Model | Builder | Road Number(s) | Date Built | Tractive Effort | Drivers | Disposition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class V-1 | B&O | 5047 | 1933 | 52,000 Pounds | 74 Inches | Scrapped, 1950 |
| Class V-2 | B&O | 5340 | 1935 | 34,000 Pounds | 84 Inches | Scrapped, 1949 |
| Class V-3 | B&O | 5350 | 1935 | 52,000 Pounds | 80 Inches | Scrapped, 1950 |
| Class V-4 | B&O | 5360 | 1936 | 52,000 Pounds | 80 Inches | Scrapped, 1950 |
The second Hudson, numbered 5340, was semi-streamlined and named Lord Baltimore where it found work pulling the B&O's elegant and newly lightweight Royal Blue between Baltimore and New York.
The third and fourth in the series were put into service between 1935-36 and could often be found hustling passenger trains anywhere along the Cumberland, Pittsburgh and Akron Divisions.
All of the Hudsons carried large main drivers (between 74 and 84 inches) allowing them to cruise at high speeds.
Retirement
The B&O's 4-6-4s were considered successful locomotives although Emerson was never able to fully complete his watertube firebox tests. The locomotives continued to pull passenger trains until 1949-1950 when all four were retired and eventually scrapped.
It could be reasonably argued that the B&O's Hudsons were not the most aesthetically pleasing steam locomotives it ever produced, a result of the big watertube fireboxes they employed.
While the steamers did carry semi-streamlining their appearance was more closely associated with English-built designs that carried a no-frills, utilitarian look.
The railroad constructed a few other locomotives this way, its one and only example of a 4-4-4-4 Duplex Drive (#5600), as well as the 4-4-4 "Lady Baltimore." In any event, this is purely rhetorical.
Sadly, no examples of Emerson's watertube designs were ever preserved (others included the previously mentioned Duplex and Pacific, a Mikado, a pair of 4-8-2s, and a pair of 2-6-6-2 Mallets) and he left the company during January of 1942.
Recent Articles
-
Alco "PA" Locomotives: Restoration, Specs, Engine, Rosters
Oct 27, 26 12:12 AM
Alco's PA passenger cab, 297 locomotives built from 1946 to 1953. The 244 engine, the production roster, the Delaware & Hudson PA-4s, and Nickel Plate Road 190. -
Milwaukee Road Diesel Roster: (All Time)
Oct 26, 26 01:44 PM
All-time diesel roster of the Milwaukee Road. 1,208 locomotives, each frame once. Alco, Baldwin, Davenport, EMD, Fairbanks-Morse, General Electric, and Whitcomb, with builder numbers. -
Milwaukee Road Steam Roster (All-Time): Post-1900
Oct 26, 26 01:38 PM
Milwaukee Road steam locomotives built since 1900. Prairies, Mikados, the N-class articulateds, the S-class 4-8-4s, and the Hiawatha Atlantics and Hudsons. Quantity column 1,974. Unique frames 1,951. -
Milwaukee Road: Map, Electrification, Logo, History
Oct 26, 26 01:20 PM
The Milwaukee Road, from the Milwaukee & Mississippi of 1850 to the Pacific Coast Extension, the Hiawathas, and the Soo Line sale. Why Lines West should have stayed. -
Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad: Map, Roster, History
Oct 25, 26 11:38 PM
Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad, reporting mark LSI, from the Marquette Range to the Presque Isle ore dock. The 1954 steam list and the diesels the railroad owned. -
Kansas City Southern Steam Roster (Built Since 1900)
Oct 25, 26 09:09 PM
Steam locomotives of the Kansas City Southern built since 1900, with the Louisiana & Arkansas and the Texas company. -
Kansas City Southern Diesel Roster (Built New)
Oct 25, 26 11:46 AM
All-time diesel roster of the Kansas City Southern. E units, F units, Geeps, SD40s through SD70ACes, Fairbanks-Morse, Baldwin, Alco, and General Electric, with serials and order numbers. -
Kansas City Southern Railway: Map, Photos, History
Oct 25, 26 12:24 AM
The Kansas City Southern, from Arthur Stilwell's Gulf line to Canadian Pacific Kansas City on April 14, 2023. Steam and diesel rosters, the Southern Belle, and the Louisiana & Arkansas. -
Indiana Harbor Belt Diesel Roster (All-Time)
Oct 25, 26 12:17 AM
All-time diesel roster of the Indiana Harbor Belt. 202 locomotive frames, each counted once. NW2s, SW7s, SW1500s, road switchers, and gensets. Slugs and boosters are outside the count. -
Indiana Harbor Belt Steam Roster (Built Since 1900)
Oct 25, 26 12:13 AM
Steam locomotives of the Indiana Harbor Belt built since 1900. 182 engines, each counted once. 0-6-0s, 2-6-0s, 0-8-0s, and 2-8-2s. The three U-4a switchers are three-cylinder Brooks engines of 1927. -
Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad: Map, Rosters, History
Oct 25, 26 12:00 AM
Indiana Harbor Belt, the inner belt across the Calumet, from the East Chicago Belt of May 16, 1896. Renamed June 29, 1907. Still operating, headquarters Hammond. Steam roster is the companion, 182 loc… -
NYC's "P Motor" Electric Locomotives
Oct 24, 26 11:43 PM
New York Central P motors: 22 Alco-GE 2-C+C-2 electrics, Cleveland Union Terminal 1050–1071, class P-1a. 3,030 hp one-hour on 3,000-volt DC catenary, then 660-volt third rail as P-2a and P-2b. -
Illinois Terminal Car Roster
Oct 24, 26 11:40 PM
Illinois Terminal cars. Mainline motors, the 1948 streamliners, sleepers, Alton and Valley Division cars, express motors, and the line cars rebuilt from pull cars. -
Illinois Terminal Diesel Roster
Oct 24, 26 09:31 PM
All-time Illinois Terminal diesels, 62 frames. Alco S-2s and RS-1s, EMD switchers, GP7s, SD39s, GP38-2s, and the two GP20s. Serial numbers from the 1989 roster. -
Illinois Terminal Electric Locomotives
Oct 24, 26 08:22 PM
Illinois Terminal electric locomotives, 57 frames. Class A through Class D, the Decatur-built motors, and the battery locomotives. Class D is the same five Class C frames, rebuilt. -
Illinois Terminal Steam Roster
Oct 24, 26 07:37 PM
Illinois Terminal steam locomotives, 36 frames. Baldwin Moguls, three Class 30 Mikados, Florida East Coast 0-8-0s, and 2-6-0 No. 21, the last fire on June 30, 1950. -
Illinois Terminal Railroad: Map, Roster, Photos, History
Oct 24, 26 07:32 PM
Illinois Terminal, McKinley's Illinois Traction System, from the Danville coal towns to St. Louis. The McKinley Bridge, the sleeping cars, the 1937 break with the power company, the 1948 streamliners… -
Southern Railway Diesel Roster (All-Time)
Oct 23, 26 11:00 PM
All-time diesel roster of the Southern Railway. 2,505 locomotives in the system number series, from the 1939 demonstrator FT to GP50s and B30-7A1s. Serials included. -
Illinois Central Diesel Roster (All-Time)
Oct 23, 26 04:06 PM
Illinois Central and Illinois Central Gulf diesel locomotives, each frame once. The quantity column is 886. Serials and order numbers from Electro-Motive's builder lists. Paducah rebuilds and Gulf, Mo… -
Illinois Central Gulf Diesel Roster
Oct 23, 26 04:02 PM
Illinois Central Gulf operating numbers from August 10, 1972, to February 29, 1988. New frames stay on the Illinois Central diesel roster. Gulf, Mobile and Ohio frames stay on that roster. No Gulf fle… -
Illinois Central Railroad: Map, Logo, History
Oct 23, 26 03:50 PM
Illinois Central, the Main Line of Mid-America, from the 1850 land grant to Canadian National control on July 1, 1999. Charter lines, Cairo bridge, Paducah, and the Illinois Central Gulf. Steam quanti… -
Grand Trunk Western Diesel Roster (All-Time)
Oct 23, 26 12:53 PM
Grand Trunk Western diesel locomotives, each frame once. The quantity column is 377. Serials are filled for the Detroit, Toledo and Ironton and Detroit and Toledo Shore Line engines the railroad kept… -
Grand Trunk Western Steam Roster
Oct 23, 26 12:14 PM
Grand Trunk Western steam locomotives in service about 1937 to 1942, from Richard Leonard's class list. Drury has no chapter. The quantity column is the counted Grand Trunk Western rows. Two mixed Gra… -
Grand Trunk Western Railroad: Map, Roster, History
Oct 23, 26 12:09 PM
Grand Trunk Western, reporting mark GTW, Canadian National's railroad between Port Huron and Chicago. Trade name adopted in 1923. Steam class list quantity 232. Diesel quantity column 377. Identity in… -
Green Bay and Western Railroad: Map, Rosters, History
Oct 22, 26 11:18 PM
Green Bay & Western, the Green Bay Route, reporting mark GBW. From Kewaunee to Winona. Mailer's steam and diesel rosters, and the August 1993 sale to Fox Valley & Western. -
Chicago & North Western Class E-4: Streamlined 4-6-4 Hudsons
Oct 22, 26 10:28 PM
C&NW Class E-4, nine streamlined 4-6-4s, 4001–4009, Alco 1938. 84-inch drivers, 25-by-29 cylinders, 300 psi. Conventional Chicago–Omaha trains. Oil in 1947–48. Retired 1953–1956. -
Gateway Western Railway: Map, Roster, History
Oct 22, 26 02:43 PM
Gateway Western Railway, reporting mark GWWR. Class II from Kansas City to East St. Louis. Kansas City Southern control May 5, 1997. The 1992 diesel fleet, with serials and order numbers.
%2C%20which%20carried%20a%20European-like%20streamlining.%20The%20railroad%20owned%20a%20total%20of%20four%2C%20the%20second%20of%20which%20(%235340%2C%20Class%20V-2)%20was%20named%20%22Lord%20Baltimore%22%20and%20assigned%20to%20the%20%22Royal%20Blue%22%20(Baltimore%20-%20New%20York).%20The%20B%26O's%20Hudsons%20used%20an%20interesting%20watertube%20firebox%20patented%20by%20General%20Superintendent%20of%20Motive%20Power%20%26%20Equipment%2C%20Colonel%20George%20H.%20Emerson.){kind=link}