Pennsylvania Railroad class H6

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class H6, H6a, and H6b steam locomotives were of the 2-8-0 "Consolidation" freight type, the most numerous class on the railroad with 1,707 units and the second most prolific 2-8-0 class in North America, with the USATC S160 class rostering 88 units more. The three subclasses differed as follows:[4]

Class Firebox Grate Area Tractive Force Driver Size #Built Years Built
H6 narrow 33.3 sq ft (3.09 m2) 42,717 lbf (190.01 kN) 56 in (1,400 mm) 65 1899−01
H6a wide 49.0 sq ft (4.55 m2) 42,168 lbf (187.57 kN) 56 in (1,400 mm) 1,041 1901−05
H6b wide 49.0 sq ft (4.55 m2) 42,168 lbf (187.57 kN) 56 in (1,400 mm) 601 1905−13
Pennsylvania Railroad H6
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderPRR Altoona Works, Baldwin Locomotive Works, Alco -P
Build dateH6: 1899-1901
H6a: 1901-1905
H6b: 1905–1913
Total producedH6: 65 H6a: 1,041 H6b: 601 Total: 1,707
Number rebuilt699 to H6sa/H6sb
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte2-8-0
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia.36 in (0.91 m)
Driver dia.56 in (1.42 m)
Length65 ft 11 in (20.09 m)
(including 70F70 tender)[1]
Adhesive weight180,000 lb (81,650 kg)[1]
Loco weight204,800 lb (92,900 kg)[1]
Total weight343,600 lb (155,900 kg)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity29,200 lb (13,200 kg)[1]
Water cap7,200 US gal
(27,000 l; 6,000 imp gal)[1]
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		H6: 33.3 sq ft (3.09 m2)
Others: 49.0 sq ft (4.55 m2)
Boiler pressure195 psi (13.7 kgf/cm2)
CylindersTwo
Cylinder sizeH6/H6a/H6b: 22 in × 28 in
(560 mm × 710 mm)
H6sa/H6sb: 23 in × 28 in
(580 mm × 710 mm)
Performance figures
Maximum speed50-60 Mph
Tractive effortH6: 42,717 lbf (190.01 kN)
H6a/H6b: 42,168 lbf (187.57 kN)
H6sa/H6sb43,841 lbf (195.01 kN)
Career
OperatorsPennsylvania Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
South Manchuria Railway
Manchukuo National Railway
China Railway
ClassPRR: H6(a/b/sa/sb)
B&O: E-24(a)
SMR/MNR: ソリサ (Sorisa)
CR: KD10
Nicknamesペンソリ Pensori
Consolidation Freight Locomotive No. 2846
Nearest cityStrasburg, Pennsylvania
Coordinates39°58′56″N 76°9′40″W
Area0.1 acres (0.040 ha)
Built1905
ArchitectBaldwin Locomotive Works
MPSPennsylvania Railroad Rolling Stock TR
NRHP reference No.79002263 [2]
Added to NRHPDecember 17, 1979
Retired1953-1958
PreservedPRR 2846[3]

In the 1920s, 699 H6a and H6b had superheaters added, and cylinder size increased from 22 in (560 mm) to 23 in (580 mm). These rebuilt units were reclassified to H6sa and H6sb.

Class H6 were used throughout the system as mainline freight haulers, on local freights, and as switchers in yards. They were frequently seen double- and tripleheading long freight trains up the steep grades on the Pennsy.[5]

During the period when the PRR was building the H-6 class, the railroad had effective stock control of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and installed a PRR vice-president Leonor F. Loree, as president of the B&O. Subsequently, the B&O bought a large group of identical locomotives from the American Locomotive Company; these were initially classified class I-4, later becoming class E-24. The E-24 class had many variations, some being converted to switchers, or receiving superheaters and new valve chests. The E-24a was equivalent to the PRR H-6sb. None of the B&O E-24 class survived to the diesel era.

China

Around 1938, thirty H6sb were sold second-hand to the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu), which designated them Sorisa (ソリサ) class (Sori, from "Consolidation", and sa, from san, "three", to indicate the third class of Consolidation-type locomotives operated by Mantetsu). To distinguish these from the British-made Sorisa 1−7, the H6sb were nicknamed ペンソリ Pensori (Pennsylvania Consolidation). Of these, fifteen were taken up by Mantetsu, which numbered them ソリサ8 through ソリサ22, whilst the other fifteen were assigned to the Manchukuo National Railway, where they were numbered ソリサ547 through ソリサ561.

After the end of the Pacific War, both Mantetsu and the Manchukuo National were absorbed by the China Railway, which designated them class KD10.

Survivors

PRR #2846, an H6sb built in 1905 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works, has been preserved by the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania with two other examples of the H class. #2846 was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 as Consolidation Freight Locomotive No. 2846.

References
  1. Pennsylvania Railroad. "PRR H6b 2-8-0 Steam Loco". PRR.Railfan.net. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
  2. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  3. "Motive Power Roster Steam Locomotives: 24" (PDF). Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  4. Staufer, Alvin F., Edson, D. William, and Harley, E. Thomas. Pennsy Power lll. Staufer. ISBN 0-944513-10-7
  5. Westing, Fred. Pennsy Steam and Semaphores. Superior Publishing ISBN 0-517-36955-9
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