Cotton Belt Class L-1

Specifications
Specifications
Configuration:;
• Whyte	4-8-4
• UIC	2′D2′ h2
Gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Driver dia.	70 in (1,778 mm)
Length	Total: 99 ft 8+1⁄2 in (30.39 m); Tender: 38 ft 9 in (11.81 m);
Width	10 ft 5+5⁄8 in (3.191 m)
Height	15 ft 10 in (4.826 m)
Axle load	62,000 lb (28.1 tonnes)
Adhesive weight	248,000 lb (112.5 tonnes)
Loco weight	438,500 lb (198.9 tonnes)
Tender weight	312,000 lb (141.5 tonnes)
Total weight	750,500 lb (340.4 tonnes)
Fuel type	Oil
Fuel capacity	5,000 US gal (19,000 L; 4,200 imp gal)
Water cap.	15,000 US gal (57,000 L; 12,000 imp gal)
Firebox:
• Grate area	88.3 sq ft (8.20 m2)
Boiler pressure	250 lbf/in2 (1.72 MPa)
Heating surface:
• Firebox	469 sq ft (43.6 m2)
Superheater:;
• Heating area	1,962 sq ft (182.3 m2)
Cylinders	Two
Cylinder size	26 in × 30 in (660 mm × 762 mm)
Valve gear	Walschaerts
Valve type	Piston valves

Type and origin
Type and origin
Power type	Steam
Builder	Baldwin Locomotive Works (10); SSW's Pine Bluff Shops (10)
Build date	1930, 1937, 1942–1943
Total produced	20

Cotton Belt Class L-1
Cotton Belt Class L-1
Power type
Type and origin
Power type	Steam
Builder	Baldwin Locomotive Works (10); SSW's Pine Bluff Shops (10)
Build date	1930, 1937, 1942–1943
Total produced	20
Configuration:;
Specifications
Configuration:;
• Whyte	4-8-4
• UIC	2′D2′ h2
Gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Driver dia.	70 in (1,778 mm)
Length	Total: 99 ft 8+1⁄2 in (30.39 m); Tender: 38 ft 9 in (11.81 m);
Width	10 ft 5+5⁄8 in (3.191 m)
Height	15 ft 10 in (4.826 m)
Axle load	62,000 lb (28.1 tonnes)
Adhesive weight	248,000 lb (112.5 tonnes)
Loco weight	438,500 lb (198.9 tonnes)
Tender weight	312,000 lb (141.5 tonnes)
Total weight	750,500 lb (340.4 tonnes)
Fuel type	Oil
Fuel capacity	5,000 US gal (19,000 L; 4,200 imp gal)
Water cap.	15,000 US gal (57,000 L; 12,000 imp gal)
Firebox:
• Grate area	88.3 sq ft (8.20 m2)
Boiler pressure	250 lbf/in2 (1.72 MPa)
Heating surface:
• Firebox	469 sq ft (43.6 m2)
Superheater:;
• Heating area	1,962 sq ft (182.3 m2)
Cylinders	Two
Cylinder size	26 in × 30 in (660 mm × 762 mm)
Valve gear	Walschaerts
Valve type	Piston valves
Tractive effort
Performance figures
Tractive effort	61,564 lbf (273.85 kN)
Factor of adh.	4.03
Operators
Career
Operators	St. Louis Southwestern "Cotton Belt"; Southern Pacific Transportation Company
Class	L-1
Numbers	800-819
Retired	1953
Preserved	No. 819
Scrapped	1955-1957
Disposition	One preserved, remainder scrapped

The Cotton Belt Class L-1 was a class of 20 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotives that were built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works and the St. Louis Southwestern Railway (a.k.a. "Cotton Belt Route") at their own Pine Bluff Shops.^[1]

History edit

In all, a total of 20 locomotives were ever built with the first 10 locomotives being built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1930 and being delivered to the St. Louis Southwestern Railway (a.k.a. "Cotton Belt Route") that same year in 1930, and the other 10 locomotives being built by the Cotton Belt themselves at their own Pine Bluff Shops in 1937, 1942 and 1943.^[1]

Then, in 1953, the Cotton Belt Route began to retire each of their L-1 locomotives when they began to dieselize their lines that they had owned. All, but one locomotive were scrapped between 1955 and 1957.^[1]^[2]

Leasing with the Southern Pacific edit

During the Second World War, the Cotton Belt Route had made an agreement with Southern Pacific Transportation Company to lease eleven of their L-1 locomotives to operate on the lines by the Southern Pacific Transportation Company as they needed more motive power to tackle the issues throughout the Second World War.^[2]^[3]

The leased L-1 locomotives were divided into two classes of locomotives on the Southern Pacific Transportation Company, those being the Southern Pacific Class GS-7 and Southern Pacific Class GS-8.^[4]

However, neither one of the two classes of leased L-1 locomotives were preserved, and they were all sold for scrap in 1957.^[3]

Preservation edit

Cotton Belt 819 attending the Fordyce on the Cotton Belt Festival in 1986.

Only one locomotive of the class L-1 has survived into preservation, which was No. 819. The locomotive was retired from revenue service in 1953 and was presented to the City of Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1955 as a token of gratitude for the city’s support of the Cotton Belt’s steam locomotive operations. The ownership of the locomotive was retained by the city, and the restoration of the 819 was the responsibility of “Project 819”, an all-volunteer effort by two rail historical preservation groups: the Arkansas Railroad Club and the Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society. The locomotive was restored to operating condition in 1986 and operated in excursion service until October 1993.^[5]^[6] As of 2022, the locomotive is being restored again at the Arkansas Railway Museum in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, by the Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society.^[7]^[8]

References edit

^ ^a ^b ^c Solomon (2013), p. 108
^ ^a ^b Strapac (1999), p. 140
^ ^a ^b Dunscomb., Guy L. (1963). A Century of Southern Pacific Steam Locomotives, 1862-1962. Guy L. Dunscomb. pp. 301, 304, 317.
^ Garratt, Colin; Wade-Matthews, Max (2003). Illustrated Book of Steam and Rail - The History and Development of the Train and an Evocative Guide to the World's Great Train Journeys. Barnes & Noble Books. p. 87. ISBN 9780760749524.
^ "National Railway Historical Society 1990 Annual Convention" (PDF). St. Louis Chapter, NRHS. June 14–17, 1990. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 14, 2016. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
^ COTTON BELT 819 at the Arkansas Railroad Museum. 3-11-1994, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2021-07-05
^ "NRHS News" National Railway Historical Society, Chapter Seeks Funds to ‘re-steam’ Locomotive by Steve Rankin, April 2009 Newsletter, page 5
^ "Arkansas HB1657 | TrackBill".

Cotton Belt Class L-1

Contents

History edit

Leasing with the Southern Pacific edit

Preservation edit

References edit

Further reading edit