Motive Power

MIAMI VALLEY NARROW GAUGE RY (1877-1880)
CINCINNATI NORTHERN RY (1880-1885)
CINCINNATI, LEBANON & NORTHERN RY (1885-1894)

Cincinnati, Van Wert & Michigan (later Cincinnati Northern) Railroad, “American- class locomotive -Van Wert” Built by Baldwin Locomotive Works and delivered in May 1879. Cylinders were 16×24″, the drivers 62-in diameter, and three foot gauge. Although the picture is captioned Pittsburgh Locomotive works, records refer to it as Baldwin built.

On August third, 1880, the citizens of Van Wert were rousted from their slumbers at 3:30 a.m. by the fire alarm. When they rushed to the glow, they found not the lumber yard or stave factory ablaze, as they feared, but rather the engine house of the CVW&M RR. The single stall engine house was of pine construction, similar to an icehouse, with the walls filled with sawdust.

The fire was of such intensity that the fire department found the rails warped and although a hundred men pulled on the stout rope, they were unable to move the engine. It suffered damage to the woodwork and machinery. The engine house was destroyed. The damage to the engine house was placed at $400.00 and to the engine at $1,500.00 to $2,000.00.

At first, it was thought a spark had lodged in the tender and smoldered until the wood fuel caught fire. Later, it was generally thought to be the work of an arsonist.

The company planned to send it back to the Baldwin works for repairs, but they found that it would cost an additional $400 for shipping, and it would be some two weeks or more before it could be returned. Management decided to ship the locomotive to Fort Wayne to the Bass Machine Works for repairs. There, it would take ten days.

In the meantime, the railroad being without an engine, a handcar express would run to the south to the Delphos Kokomo Railroad crossing.

The engine was restored to its former glory and ran on the road until the railroad switched to standard gauge. It was sold, along with the rolling stock, to a railroad in Michigan in 1884.

Anecdotal records indicate that the first motive power on the Celina, Van Wert and State Line Extension Railroad was not mechanical, but rather two horses named Tom and Jerry. No written confirmation exists.

Early motive power of the mechanical type appears to have come from acquisition of the Michigan & Ohio Railroad, and was of the American Class (4.40) In 1883, five locomotives of this class, built by Brooks, were delivered with 62″ drivers and cylinders of 16×24 dimensions. These were classed C-61 (NYC/Big Four) The following year, eight Moguls (2-6-0) were delivered to the road as class E-61. Records of the dimensions were available and indicated a cylinder/stroke of 16×24″, and 51″ drivers. Four of these locomotives later were received by the Cincinnati Northern.

During this period, Pittsburgh built and delivered five 4-4-0’s to the Cincinnati, Van Wert, and Jackson. A sixth 4-4-0 locomotive was acquired from Brooks in 1886.

In 1887, Rhode Island added four 4-4-0’s and later became class C-62. Five Baldwin Moguls were added in 1890 as class E-68, and five 4-6-0′ by Brooks in 1890 became class F-60. Dimensions for these classes are shown in the following table. Engines at this time were still named and one of the 4-4-0’s was named “Van Wert”. Numbers were not assigned until later.

A reconstructed engine roster for 1905 shows some 24 locomotives assigned to the Cincinnati Northern. These are shown in the 1905 figure. There may have been more, but they could not be verified. All the locomotives on the 1905 roster were retired, or otherwise disposed of, by 1928, with a number being retired in the mid-teens, prior to the First World War.

The 1913 locomotive roster of the CCC&StL (Big Four) lists 37 locomotives being assigned for service on the CINCINNATI NORTHERN.

With the exception of five locomotives, built by Baldwin, and one by Rhode Island, all the locomotives were Brooks built. All had Stephenson valve gear, and all were hand fired.

The one locomotive, built by Rhode Island, and apparently was one of the four from 1887. The fate of the others is unknown.

The locomotives were of four classes, with a number of sub-classes:

• C Class 4-4-0 American
• E Class 2-6-0 Mogul
• G Class 2-8-0 Consolidated
• F Class 4-6-0 Ten Wheeler

eventually became a part of ALCO (The American Locomotive Company), as did a number of other builders. ALCO enjoyed a favored position with the NYC and its subsidiary companies.

The following charts, for 1905, 1913, and 1924 show the rosters, with individual pertinent information, where available.

1905 Cincinnati Northern

During the 1918-1921 era, the New York Central began to acquire USRA light Mikados. Some 194 were in the first group. These units were classed as “H” and sub classed as H-5. These were followed by the H-6 series, which found their way onto the Cincinnati Northern, and began to replace the aging fleet, at least in freight service. The success of the Mikados was such that the NYC began to convert Moguls and ten wheelers to the 2-8-2 configuration. All “H” class locomotives had Walschaert valve gear, replacing the Stephenson gears, as well as feedwater heaters and booster engines.

The -H-6-a” units that were the only units on the Cincinnati Northern in the late thirties and forties did not have boosters. Their weight was 300,500 pounds and had 63 inch drivers and 26×30 cylinders. In as much as steam passenger service had been terminated in 1929, with gas units being utilized in the north until May of 1936, and southbound gas unit used in passenger service until February 1938, the motive power was well suited to the remaining freight activities.

These Mikados were numbered in the 1700 series, and were changed a number of times to conform to the NYC rosters, so as not be confused with diesel numbering. Their final numbers were in the 6300 series. The last steam locomotive, a Mikado, out of Van Wert was number 6306 on February 5, 1956.

In the waning days of steam, records indicate three “L” class Mohawks (2-8-4) were introduced to the Cincinnati Northern. No. 2864, an L2c class with 27×30 cylinders and 69 inch drivers and weighing in at 370,150 pounds, No 3008, L3a class with 25.5×30 cylinders and 69 inch drivers, weighing in at 388,500 pounds, and No. 3107, L4a class with 26×30 cylinders, 72 inch drivers and weighing in at 397,300 pounds. These proved to be too heavy and too hard on the light rail, (80-112#) and were withdrawn after a short period of service.

Records show only one Niagara , No. 6019, an S1b class (4-8-4), with 25.5×32 cylinders, 79 inch drivers and weighing 471,000. As in the case of the Mohawks, this locomotive was withdrawn, after short service, for the same reasons.

The 3107 was Lima Built, the other three by Schenectady.

1924 Motive Power

A copy of the 1924 roster of motive power for the Cincinnati Northern shows some 39 locomotives of various classifications.

There were, additionally, four gas electric units numbered M-100 to M-104. These were built by the Electromotive Corp. and the St. Louis Car Company. They had just recently been acquired from the Big Four for passenger service on the road.

There was one “B-10” class switcher (0-6-0), three “C” class (4-4-0), seven “F”class (4-6-0), and 24 -G” class (2-8-0).

These locomotives were numbered in keeping with the Big Four system, and had many variations in their components. Some had slant cylinders to piston valves and Stevenson Valve gears, while others had Walschaert Valve gear. All were hand fired. Some were without power reverse and automatic cut off, while others were fortunate enough to be so equipped.

• The “B-10” was numbered 7392
• The “C” class was numbered 7034, 7036 and 7037.
• The -F.’ class was numbered 6378-6382, 6384-6385
• The “G” class was numbered 6349, 6353, 6354, 6358, 6568,6580, 6582, 5887, 5891, 5561-5575.

By 1945 all of these locomotives had disappeared, to be replaced with the class”H-6a” Mikado ( 2-8-2).

CINCINNATI NORTHERN [BIG FOUR] ENGINE ROSTER CIRCA 1913

THIS IS A COMPILATION OF INFORMATION FROM MR. JIM BROWN, CATARACT WISCONSIN AND MR. TOM OVERTON WHO OBTAINED HIS INFORMATION FORM NYC POWER BY A. STAUFFER.

CLEVELAND, CINCINNATI CHICAGO AND ST. LOUIS [BIG FOUR] engines

In 1905 all Big Four power was renumbered into New York Central Lines 6000 to 7499 series and classified with a suffix in the 60’s and 70’s. After 1905 there were no new Big Four designs.

4-6-0

Between 1889 and 1893 ninety-two freight ten wheelers were built. Thirty-two were erected by Brooks in 1889-91 which had 19×24″ cylinders, 63 inch drivers and weighed about 128,000 pounds. These became classes F61 and F64. Richmond built the remaining sixty in 1892 and 1893. The Richmond engines had larger cylinders (19.75×24″), smaller drivers (57″) and Belpaire fireboxes. These became the F67 class.

2-8-0

Brooks and Schenectady built sixty-two Consolidations between 1901 and 1903 which later became the G67 to G71 classes. Dimensions were much the same as the earlier G65 class engines, (one of four experimental 2-8-0’s. Classes were G63, G64, G64a and G65). Locomotive weight was over 100 tons and boiler pressure was rated at 200 pounds. G65 specifications were 22×30 cylinders, 195 pound boiler pressure and weighed 183,000 pounds.

NEW YORK CENTRAL CLASSIFICATIONS BY WHEEL ARRANGEMENT

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