New York Central 3001

New York Central 3001
NYC No. 3001 on static display at the National New York Central Railroad Museum in 2015
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer Paul W. Kiefer Builder American Locomotive Company Serial number 69338 Build date November 1940
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-8-2  • UIC 2′D1′ h2 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Leading dia. 33 in (838 mm) Driver dia. 69 in (1,753 mm) Trailing dia. 44 in (1,118 mm) Wheelbase 95 ft 11.5 in (29,248 mm) Length 109 ft 6.5 in (33,388 mm) Width 11 ft 0.875 in (3,375 mm) Height 14 ft 11.5 in (4,559 mm) Axle load 66,100 lb (30.0 t) Adhesive weight 264,400 lb (119.9 t) Loco weight 398,000 lb (180.5 t) Tender weight 374,200 lb (169.7 t) Total weight 772,200 lb (350.3 t) Tender type Rectangular, Water-bottom Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 43 short tons (39 t; 38 long tons) Water cap. 15,500 US gal (59,000 L; 12,900 imp gal) Sandbox cap. 2,700 lb (1,200 kg) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 75.3 sq ft (7.00 m2) Boiler 94 in (2,388 mm) Boiler pressure 250 lbf/in2 (1.72 MPa) Feedwater heater Worthington 5 1/2 SA Heaters Heating surface: ​  • Firebox 373 sq ft (34.7 m2)  • Tubes 7,278 sq ft (676.1 m2)  • Flues 44,948 sq ft (4,175.8 m2)  • Tubes and flues 4,248 sq ft (394.7 m2) Superheater: ​  • Type Type E, 100-unit  • Heating area 2,080 sq ft (193 m2) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 25.5 in × 30 in (648 mm × 762 mm) Valve gear Baker Valve type Piston valves Train heating Yes Loco brake Air Train brakes Air
Performance figures Maximum speed 80 mph (130 km/h) Power output 4,120 hp (3,070 kW) at 58 mph (93 km/h) Tractive effort 60,077 lbf (267.24 kN) Factor of adh. 4.40
Career Operators New York Central Railroad Class L-3a Number in class 2 Numbers NYC 3001 T&P 909 Official name Mohawk Delivered December 1940 First run December 1940 Retired Feb. 14, 1957 Current owner Lakeshore Railroad Historical Foundation Disposition On static display, based in Elkhart, Indiana

New York Central 3001 is a 4-8-2 "Mohawk" (Mountain)-type steam locomotive built in 1940 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) for the New York Central Railroad. Normally known as "Mountain" types, New York Central 4-8-2 steam locomotives were dubbed "Mohawk" types after the Mohawk River, which the New York Central followed. Built for dual service work, the 3001 was used heavily for freight and passenger trains until being retired in 1957. The locomotive is currently on static display at the National New York Central Railroad Museum in Elkhart, Indiana. It is currently the largest modern New York Central steam locomotive still in existence and is one of two surviving New York Central Mohawks; the other, No. 2933, which was currently on display at the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri.

History

Background

Main article: NYC Mohawk

In the late 1930s, when looking for heavier steam power to move freight and passenger trains swiftly, the New York Central looked at a dual service steam locomotive. The modern 1940 L3a from the American Locomotive Company (Alco) was able to move both heavy passenger trains and freights with relative ease. So, the NYC acquired both the L-3 and L-4 classes of Mohawks from Alco and the Lima Locomotive Works, in 1940 and 1942, respectively.

Revenue service

New York Central No. 3001 is a member of the L-3a class of locomotives. Based in Ohio after the NYC dieselized east of Cleveland between August 7 and September, 1953, the Mohawk powered many general freight and passenger trains, such as the 20th Century Limited. Until dieselization of that division in 1949, No. 3001 could often be seen hauling passenger trains on the Boston & Albany. No. 3001 was often used to haul freight trains due to many NYC Hudsons being occupied pulling passenger trains; in later years, diesel-electric locomotives hauled the passenger trains. In the final years of steam on the New York Central, the No. 3001 and other modern Mohawks were demoted to lighter trains, due to Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad (NYC subsidiary) 2-8-4 "Berkshires" and NYC 4-8-4 Niagaras handling increasingly-heavier freight and passenger trains on the system. As diesels flooded the NYC, the No. 3001 and the other steam locomotives still in service saw the end coming nearer and nearer. No. 3001 was finally retired on February 14, 1957.

Preservation

The New York Central sold L-3a No. 3001 to the Texas and Pacific Railroad in March, 1957, to replace the heavily-vandalized and subsequently scrapped Texas and Pacific 2-10-4 "Texas type" No. 638, that was on display at the Texas State Fairgrounds there. The Texas and Pacific then donated No. 3001 (disguised as Texas and Pacific No. 909) to the city of Dallas, Texas. The city later donated No. 3001 (still disguised as Texas & Pacific No. 909) to the Museum of the American Railroad in Dallas. The sale to the Texas and Pacific Railroad is the sole reason why No. 3001 was not sold for scrap in 1957. In the early 1980s, after trading Pennsylvania Railroad GG-1 No. 4903 to the Museum of the American Railroad, No. 3001 made its way east to Elkhart, Indiana after being acquired by the Lakeshore Railroad Historical Foundation, but not before the locomotive was borrowed by a power plant for use as a stationary steam generator. The No. 3001 locomotive is currently still on static display in Elkhart, at the National New York Central Railroad Museum, but has been a prime candidate for restoration for a while.

See also

• PRR 6755 - The only Pennsylvania Railroad 4-8-2 that survives, at the Pennsylvania State Railroad Museum in Strasburg, PA. Like the 3001, the 6755 was a dual-service locomotive.
• New York Central 2933
• New York Central Mohawk
• Texas and Pacific 610

Bibliography

• Solomon, Brian; Schafer, Mike (2007). New York Central Railroad. MBI Railroad Color History (2nd ed.). Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0760329283.
• Ziel, Ron (1990). Mainline Steam Revival (1st ed.). Amereon House. ISBN 0-8488-0863-0.