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C&O's 4-8-2 "Mountain" Locomotives (Class J)

Last revised: September 9, 2024

By: Adam Burns

The Chesapeake & Ohio was well known for operating successful, powerful, and efficient steam locomotives such as its fleet of 2-8-4 "Kanawhas," 2-6-6-6 "Alleghenies," 4-8-4 "Greenbriers," and 2-10-4 "Texas" types.

It was also a pioneer in the 4-8-2's development, dubbed the "Mountain."  This wheel arrangement was used primarily in passenger service on the C&O.  Ironically, the company wound up with only a few examples of an engine it had helped develop in conjunction with American Locomotive (Alco).

Its fleet were fine locomotives, particularly the USRA-designed Heavy Mountains.  They sported Vanderbilt tenders, carried good lines, a long wheel base, and featured Chessie's classic air pumps on the smoke box.  The railroad acquired its initial five between December, 1918 and June, 1919.

Typical of C&O practice, its Mountains remained in service until the railroad began retiring its steam fleet in the 1950s.  The 4-8-2s were an early victim of this program.  Sadly, no examples were preserved as all were retired and scrapped by 1952.

Photos

Chesapeake & Ohio 4-8-2 #545 (J-2) is seen here in company publicity photo. It was built 1918.

Development

By the 20th century the Chesapeake & Ohio was in need of larger, more powerful locomotives to handle its passenger trains.  This was especially true with the introduction of all-steel, "heavyweight" cars, which were far heavier than the wooden/composite equipment that had always previously been used industry-wide. 

Until this time the C&O had relied on a combination of early wheel arrangements dating back to the 19th century such as 4-4-0 Americans, 4-6-0 Ten-Wheelers, and 2-8-0 Consolidations.  

The C&O's original answer was a fleet of new 4-6-2s (Class F-15), the first of which arrived in 1902.  During the succeeding two decades the railroad continued buying or upgrading its fleet of Pacifics, culminating with the famous and powerful Class F-19's manufactured in 1926 by Alco.

During those early years the C&O also experimented with even larger power, creating what became known as the 4-8-2 Mountain in 1911.  The arrangement's name was derived from a railroad subdivision and the Appalachian Mountains.  

That year, in June, two arrived from Alco's Richmond Works, #316 and #317, and given Class J-1.   The following year Alco delivered another, #318.

As C&O historian Karen Parker notes in her book, "Chesapeake & Ohio:  Heavy Pacific Locomotives," they showed incredible promise and were much more powerful than the F-15's and F-16's, capable of swiftly moving heavy passenger consists over the stiff grades of the Allegheny and Mountain Subdivisions.

The locomotive enjoyed tractive efforts of 58,000 pounds; by comparison the F-15's and F-16's exerted only around 32,000 pounds.  However, as the C&O quickly discovered the 4-8-2's bore drawbacks.

Chesapeake & Ohio 4-8-2 #544 at the road's major terminal in Huntington, West Virginia in a scene that likely dates to the 1950's. This locomotive was part of its J-2 class.

Specifications

They sported only 62-inch drivers, rather small for a passenger locomotive, and in conjunction with long, heavy side-rods affording a rather jarring ride.  

This issue also made the Mountains hard on the track and the C&O never followed up for more.  It would eventually rebuild the J-1's, which resolved many of its problems.  However, when the railroad needed additional power it stuck with the Pacific wheel, taking delivery of its F-17's and F-18's during 1913 and 1914.  

In December, 1918 the C&O again tried the Mountain type, acquiring three more (#133-135) from Alco's Brooks Works followed by two more in July, 1919 (#136-137).  They were listed as Class J-2 and much different from the earlier J-1's.  

These latest examples were based from the USRA's standard heavyweight Mountain design; they featured much more appropriate drivers (69 inches), slightly higher boiler pressure (200 psi), and comparable tractive effort.

In terms of power the J-1's and J-2's weren't noticeably different although the USRA designs carried none of the inherent problems of their earlier counterparts.  During July, 1923 the C&O went back to Alco for two more (this time through the Richmond Works), proving as its final examples of this wheel arrangement.  

Produced again at the Richmond Works they were numbered 138-139 and listed as Class J-2a.  Parker points at the "a" sub-classification denoted their use of Walschaerts valve gear while the J-2's sported Baker valve gear.  

Operation

As the newer, heavier power arrived (including newer 4-6-2s), older Pacifics and smaller designs were bumped from the main line and placed in secondary, branch line assignments around the system.

By the 1920s the Mountains were handling most of the high priority passenger trains in the western mountain territory, aided by the newer Pacifics.  In his book, "Chesapeake & Ohio: A Concise History and Fact Book," author Thomas Dixon, Jr. notes the Mountains predominantely operated between Charlottesville-Clifton Forge and Clifton Forge-Hinton, sometimes doubleheading with Pacifics.

They remained the primary power here until displaced by "Super Power" technology following the arrival of the superb 4-8-4 "Greenbriers" in 1935 (more came during the 1940s).  

During World War II the J-1's were requisitioned for freight service, almost surely the result of their low drivers.  C&O historian Eugene Huddleston notes that after their issues were corrected the J-1's served many years on the mountain divisions as their low drivers provided good footing while their large boilers offered ample quantities of steam.  


Chesapeake & Ohio 4-8-2 #549 is seen here during the 1950's. This Heavy Mountain was a USRA design, one of only 15 manufactured and the last in C&O's fleet.

Retirement

The J-1's returned to passenger assignments after the war for a few years before their retirement in the late 1940s. During the 1930s the J-2's also received an overhaul when C&O shop forces rebuilt the engines with new cabs, Vanderbilt tenders, feedwater heaters, and the classic "flying pumps."

Both the flying pumps and feedwater heaters became a telltale, common feature on many late-era C&O steam locomotives giving them a robust, almost intimidating appearance.  

The J-2's survived only a bit longer than their older counterparts, remaining in service until 1952 when they, too, were retired.  The Chesapeake & Ohio of that era carried a long-standing tradition of preserving steam but alas none of the ten Mountains were saved.

Sources

  • Dixon, Thomas W. Chesapeake And Ohio Railway:  A Concise History And Fact Book.  Clifton Forge:  Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society, 2012.
  • Dixon, Thomas W. Chesapeake & Ohio K-4 Class 2-8-4 Steam Locomotives.  Clifton Forge:  Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society, 2013.
  • Dixon, Thomas W. Chesapeake & Ohio Passenger Service:  1847-1971.  Clifton Forge:  Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society, 2013.
  • Morrison, Tom. American Steam Locomotive In The Twentieth Century. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2019.
  • Parker, Karen.  Chesapeake & Ohio:  Heavy Pacific Locomotives.  Clifton Forge,:  Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society, 2014.
  • Simpson, Walter. Steam Locomotive Energy Story, The.  New York: American University Presses, 2021.

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