N&W in 1903 -- Leviathans

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And I don't think I've ever heard an Atlantic locomotive described as a hauler for heavy mountain trains.  Methinks the writer displays an "irrational exuberance," to quote Alan Greenspan, and has little understanding of what the various wheel arrangements and driver sizes were designed for.  Physics can be so inconvenient.

Sam Putney
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  From: NW Mailing List 
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  Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 8:13 PM
  Subject: N&W in 1903 -- Leviathans


  N. & W. TO HAVE FASTEST TRAIN IN THE SOUTH
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  N. & W. WILL HAVE SIX LEVIATHONS (sic)
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  New Atlantic Type of Engines Have Been Ordered
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      The Norfolk and Western railway will shortly have six new engines of the Atlantic type in operation.  These engines are to be used to reduce the schedule between Richmond and Norfolk.
      The most distinctive features of these racers are the large fire surface and an automatic arrangement whereby, when pulling a heavy train up grade, or in starting, an additional 10,000 pounds of weight is placed on the drive wheels, thus preventing to a large extent the slipping that is usually experienced in such instances.  When running on the level or in coasting, the additional weight is thrown from the drivers on to the smaller front wheels, thereby obtaining a higher speed.
      The Baltimore & Ohio and the Chesapeake & Ohio railroads, which cross both the Blue Ridge and Alleghany mountains in reaching the West, use these locomotives for fast passenger work, both systems having in one or two instances grades of nearly 2 per cent, or 100 feet to a mile.  This is especially true of North mountain, in the Alleghany range, on the Chesapeake & Ohio, where for ten miles there is a grade of 94 feet.  Formally passenger trains of eight or nine cars were double headed for such ascents, but it is a frequent occurrence for an Atlantic type locomotive to pull nine cars over the mountain on schedule time.
      The Atlantic type of engine is regarded as a luxury by many railroad men.  The number of these locomotives now in commission on the Eastern railroads is:  The New York Central, 155; Pennsylvania, 103; Baltimore and Ohio, 60 [?? blurred, best estimate]; Chesapeake and Ohio, 25; Norfolk and Western, 6.
      Until the Chesapeake and Ohio gave its first order about eighteen months ago for ten of these monsters, the operation of such locomotives was confined to the lines north of the Potomac and Ohio rivers.  The Norfolk and Western has now fallen into line with an order for six of the Atlantic type.

  Bluefield Daily Telegraph
  July 10, 1903

  [ It is interesting that locomotives produced in New Jersey were readied in Kenova, WV for service between Norfolk and Richmond.  Also, can anyone explain how the mechanism worked to put an extra 10,000 pounds on the drivers as claimed in the article?]

  Gordon Hamilton


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