Atlantic Coast Line class P-5-A

The Atlantic Coast Line P-5-A was a class of 70 4-6-2 USRA Light Pacific steam locomotives built by the Richmond Locomotive Works and the Brooks Locomotive Works in between 1919 and 1920 for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and operated by the railroad until the early 1950s.

Atlantic Coast Line class P-5-A
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Locomotive No. 1504
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderAmerican Locomotive Company, Brooks Locomotive Works
Serial number59310-59319, 61063-61069, 61248-61275, 62069-62093
Build date1919-1920
Total produced70
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-6-2
 • UIC2′C2′ h1
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Driver dia.73 in (1,854 mm)
WheelbaseLoco & tender: 70.79 ft (21.58 m)
Axle load59,333 lb (26,913 kilograms; 26.913 metric tons)
Adhesive weight178,000 lb (81,000 kilograms; 81 metric tons)
Loco weight278,000 lb (126,000 kilograms; 126 metric tons)
Tender weight188,000 lb (85,000 kilograms; 85 metric tons)
Total weight466,000 lb (211,000 kilograms; 211 metric tons)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity16 t (16 long tons; 18 short tons)
Water cap10,000 US gal (38,000 l; 8,300 imp gal)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		66.70 sq ft (6.197 m2)
Boiler pressure200 lbf/in2 (1.38 MPa)
Heating surface:
 • Firebox		242 sq ft (22.5 m2)
Superheater:
​
 • Heating area794 sq ft (73.8 m2)
CylindersTwo
Cylinder size25 in × 28 in (635 mm × 711 mm)
Valve gearBaker
Performance figures
Maximum speed80 mph (130 km/h)
Tractive effort40,753 lbf (181.28 kN)
Factor of adh.4.12
Career
OperatorsAtlantic Coast Line
ClassP-5-A
Numbers1500-1569
Retired1949-1952
PreservedOne (No. 1504) preserved
DispositionAtlantic Coast Line 1504 on display at the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center in Jacksonville, Florida, remainder scrapped

The locomotives were built to haul passengers on the ACL mainline, pulling trains such as the Florida Special and the Palmetto Limited. By the early 1950s, all have been retired and only 1504 survives today.

Service history

The locomotives pulled passenger trains 10 to 12 cars long, including the Miamian, the Florida Special, Palmetto Limited, the Southland, the South Wind and the Dixie Flyer. By the late 1940s, the railroad had dieselised its passenger trains and they were assigned to fast freight service, of which they were successful in doing so.[1][2][3] However, they couldn't pull passenger trains exceeding 14 cars without double-heading, as such, they were replaced in heavier passenger service by the R-1 class of Northerns.[4]

Preservation

Only one P-5-A has been preserved, No. 1504. It was chosen for preservation by ACL president Champion Davis and the Head of ACL's Mechanical Department, John W. Hawthornethe. In 1960, after some years in storage, the locomotive was given a thorough mechanical overhaul and then placed on display in front of the then new ACL General Office Building in Jacksonville.[5] It was cosmetically restored and put on display at the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center, where it currently resides.[6] It is the only surviving original USRA Light Pacific steam locomotive and is in almost original condition.

The locomotive was designated as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark in 1990.:8[7] It is also on the National Register of Historic Places.

References
  1. https://www.rgusrail.com/flacl1504.html
  2. https://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-oct-atlantic-coast-line-1504
  3. https://steamlocomotive.com/locobase.php?country=USA&wheel=4-6-2&railroad=acl
  4. https://steamlocomotive.com/locobase.php?country=USA&wheel=4-8-4&railroad=acl
  5. https://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-oct-atlantic-coast-line-1504
  6. https://www.rgusrail.com/flacl1504.html
  7. "Atlantic Coast Line Locomotive No. 1504, Jacksonville, Fla". National Railway Historical Society. Archived from the original on September 20, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.