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1931 Western Pacific Railroad
NO. 254 2-8-8-2
FROM Oroville at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Portola,
117 miles away and 4,629 feet higher, the grade is a practically
continuous 1 per cent rise. This new route through the Feather
River Canyon was completed in 1931 and opened for freight traffic
in November. Mallets and Mikados were used on other parts of the
Western Pacific but for handling through freight consisting mostly
of refrigerator cars carrying California produce, six huge articulateds
were ordered. These locomotives rate among the largest and most
powerful in existence and can handle without helpers fruit trains
of 65 to 74 cars at speeds of 18 to 20 miles an hour over these
mountains.
Builder-Baldwin Locomotive Works
Cylinders (4)-26" x 32"
Weigbt, total-1,073,350 lb.
Steam Pressure-250 lb.
Fuel-6,000 gal. oil
Water-22,000 gal.
Dia. Drivers-63"
Tractive Effort—
engine-137,000 lb.
booster-13,900 lb.
Nos. 251 to 256
They
Don't Make 'Em | Contents Page
