J Class Changes

[NW Mailing List]

Rick,

The new rods were designed by the N&W's Motive Power Department and I'm 
almost positive that these rods were made in the Smith Shop of the Roanoke 
Shops. I need someone like Louis Newton to verify this.

Just a word of caution about the "first" edition of my book: it did not have 
the information about the single rods. The revised edition has a lot of data 
and information that I got access in the ensuing 25 years of research after 
publishing the original edition.

Bud Jeffries

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2008 5:14 PM
Subject: Re: J Class Changes



> Thanks to Bud Jeffries for the details on the J rod replacements.  I write 

> most of my comments from my computer at work, and my reference books are 

> at home.  I forgot about the 610 getting new rods.  I should keep my first 

> edition of Bud's book at work.

>

> Bud--Were these rods cast in Roanoke shops, and who designed the change?

>

> Rick Morrison

> -

> Subject: Re: J Class Changes

>

>

>> Dave is correct, there were four J's that got the redesigned single rods: 

>> 600, 605, 610 and 611. These were applied from 1952 to 1956-7 as needed 

>> when a stress fracture appeared on a crankpin. This rod change involved 

>> replacing the front, rear and intermediate side rods, the main and 

>> eccentric rods, the intermediate driving wheels, and all of the 

>> crankpins. This was very costly, therefore was only done when required. 

>> These rods were designed in 1952 and were not interchangeable with tandem 

>> rods.

>>

>> Other changes noticeable on the J's. Previously someone wrote about the 

>> change in design of the steps on the pilot and this was done beginning in 

>> 1944. The bell was moved from the boiler top in the cowling to the pilot 

>> deck in front of the left cylinder; this treatment was applied to the 

>> streamlined K2's as well beginning in 1953. And the spoke pilot wheels 

>> began being replaced in 1948 for the first 11 J's with solid rolled steel 

>> wheels; the 611-13 get these as built. Beginning in 1953 these wheels 

>> were replaced with cast steel wheels that were also solid.

>>

>> One J, no. 602, was built in 1942 with a trailer truck booster which 

>> required some external piping. This was removed in December 1945 along 

>> with the piping.

>>

>> Of course the six J-1's were built in 1943 with heavy non-roller bearing 

>> rods and not being streamlined. From September to November 1944, the 

>> J-1's were streamlined, received lightweight roller bearing rods and then 

>> classed as J.

>>

>> These were the visible changes. There were quite a few changes that were 

>> not visible.

>>

>> Bud Jeffries

>>

>>

>

> ________________________________________

> NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org

> To change your subscription go to

> http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list

> Browse the NW-Mailing-List archives at

> http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/

>