Norfolk and Western K2 and K2a classes

The Norfolk and Western K2 and K2a classes were 4-8-2 "Mountain" steam locomotives built for the Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W).

Norfolk and Western K2 and K2a classes
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder K2: American Locomotive Company (ALCO) K2a: Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) Build date K2: May 1919 K2a: April–July 1923 Total produced K2: 10 K2a: 12 Rebuilder Norfolk and Western Railway Rebuild date late 1940's Number rebuilt 22
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-8-2 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Leading dia. 36 in (914 mm) Driver dia. 69 in (1,753 mm) Trailing dia. 42 in (1,067 mm) Adhesive weight 248,150 lb (112.6 tonnes) Loco weight 359,460 lb (163.0 tonnes) Tender weight 378,600 lb (171.7 tonnes) Total weight 738,060 lb (334.8 tonnes) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 30 short tons (60,000 lb) Water cap. 22,000 US gal (83,000 L; 18,000 imp gal) Boiler 92 in (2,337 mm) (front) 102 in (2,591 mm) (back) Boiler pressure 220 psi (1.52 MPa), formerly 200 psi (1.38 MPa) Feedwater heater Worthington Type 4BL Superheater Elesco Type A Cylinders Two Cylinder size 28 in × 30 in (711 mm × 762 mm) Valve gear Baker
Performance figures Tractive effort 63,800 lbf (283.80 kN), formerly 58,000 lbf (258.00 kN) Factor of adh. 3.95
Career Operators Norfolk and Western Railway Class K2 and K2a Number in class 22 Numbers K2: 116-125 K2a: 126-137 Nicknames J Juniors Retired 1957-1959 Disposition All scrapped
References:[1][2]

History

Ten K2s were built by American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in 1919 as part of the United States Railroad Administration (USRA) Heavy Mountain design. After being released from the USRA control, N&W ordered twelve similar-looking 4-8-2s from Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) in 1923. These new locomotives had incorporated parts design from the N&W, larger smokestack, and exhaust stand, which classified them as K2a.

In the late 1940s, these locomotives were rebuilt and streamlined in a similar fashion to that of the J class of 1941, earning them the nickname J Juniors. They also were fitted with roller bearings on all but the drivers, new fireboxes and strokers, and new cylinders. They were eventually retired and scrapped between 1957 and 1959 with none preserved.^[3]