This page originally appeared on Thomas Ehrenreich's Railroad Extra Website
Click the logo above to return to the Archive homepage

1944 Pennsylvania Railroad
NO. 6200 6-8-6
THIS YEAR marked a particular milestone for steam in that the Pennsylvania placed in service the first coal-burning locomotive without cylinders—the S2, first direct-drive steam turbine engine ever built in the United States. Jointly designed by Baldwin, Westinghouse, and Pennsylvania engineers, it had two turbines for forward and reverse operation. Some of the objectives of the design were to eliminate the reciprocating parts of the conventional steam engine, obtain a uniform application of power to the drivers, and gain the economics turbo-drive makes possible—at speeds above 30 miles an hour, steam consumption per horsepower at the rail is considerably less than that of a comparable reciprocating steam locomotive. Maximum efficiency is reached at a speed of about 70 miles an hour, although with a full-length standard train it can attain a 100 mile-an-hour speed.

Builder-Baldwin Locomotive Works
Fuel-42½ tons
Water- 19,500 gal.
Forward turbine-6,900 H.P. at operating speed of 9,000 R.P.M.
Reverse turbine-1,500 H.P. at operating speed of 8,300 R.P.M.
Weight, total-1,040,200 lb.
Dia. Drivers-68"
Steam Pressure-310 lb.
Length, coupler to coupler-122 feet 7¼ inches
Tractive Effort—
forward-70,500 lb.
reverse-65,000 lb.
R.R. Class-S2


They Don't Make 'Em | Contents Page



Google