Danville & Western / Dunbar & Wausaukee 2-8-0 "Consolidation" Locomotives in the USA


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 21 (Locobase 12836)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 28, p.128. Baldwin works number was 26530 in October 1905.

The Danville & Western Railway was a shortline that connected Danville (actually Stokesland was the official start) to Stuart 70.4 miles away near the North Carolina border. A 7.6-mile branch from Leaksville Junction ran to Leaksville, NC. It was organized in 1891 and was built to the 3-foot gauge; all of the mileage had been converted to standard gauge by the early 20th Century.

From 1894, all of the D & W's shares were owned by the Southern. The D & W differed from Richmond & Danville, however, in that it wasn't fully integrated into the Southern System. Some critics alleged that its purchase was intended to prevent its extension into the coal fields already served by the Southern. Hearings in 1914 before the Senate Subcommittee on Naval Affairs concerning a resolution to prefer Charleston to Norfolk as a coal port featured such charges.

Its nicknames were the "Dick & Willie" and the "Delay & Wait".

This Consolidation's grate area was shown in the specs as 38.5 sq ft, which seems high when the firebox dimensions of 84.1" x 66" are considered. The 21 was no longer in service when the D & W was leased in July 1951 to the Carolina & Northwestern.


Class 24 (Locobase 12838)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 47, p.104. Baldwin works number was 40095 in June 1913. See Locobase 12836 for a brief description of the D & W.

Locobase 12836 describes the Consolidation delivered to the D & W in 1905. The 1913 purchase ordered essentially the same engine, but with the valve gear changed to Walschaert outside radial motion.


Class 5 (Locobase 11515)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines, 1903, as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Vol 26, p. 205. Works numbers were 23597 in January 1904 and 33860 in October 1909.

This small Consolidation was part of a pair ordered by Girard Lumber Company for two of its logging roads. Wausaukee was about 60 miles northwest of Green Bay on the Milwaukee. The D & W mixed logging road with common carrier miles to serve a variety of customers. It covered 13.5 miles between Girard Junction and Dunbar on 56 lb/yard (28 kg/metre) rail.

Although the specifications don't say so directly, they suggest that the working steam pressure was 160 psi rather than the 180 psi given in that field.

The two remained in service with the D & W until the road was abandoned in 1918. The 6 was sold to locomotive rebuilder/reseller Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. BR & L passed the 6 along to the Ten-Mile Lumber Company, but that company returned the engine within a month and BR & L then sold it to J M Griffin of Blodgett, Miss.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class21245
Locobase ID12836 12838 11515
RailroadDanville & WesternDanville & WesternDunbar & Wausaukee
CountryUSAUSAUSA
Whyte2-8-02-8-02-8-0
Number in Class112
Road Numbers21245-6
GaugeStdStdStd
Number Built112
BuilderBurnham, Williams & CoBaldwinBurnham, Williams & Co
Year190519131904
Valve GearStephensonWalschaertStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)15.25 / 4.6515.25 / 4.6511.33 / 3.45
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)21.92 / 6.6823.17 / 7.0618.42 / 5.61
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.70 0.66 0.62
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)50.65 / 15.44
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)130,000 / 58,967136,000 / 61,68975,000 / 34,019
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)145,000 / 65,771150,000 / 68,03986,000 / 39,009
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)90,000 / 40,823100,000 / 45,35962,000 / 28,123
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)235,000 / 106,594250,000 / 113,398148,000 / 67,132
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)4500 / 17.055000 / 18.943000 / 11.36
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)10 / 98 / 7
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)54 / 2757 / 28.5031 / 15.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)51 / 129551 / 129538 / 965
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)200 / 13.80200 / 13.80160 / 12.40
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)20" x 26" / 508x66020" x 26" / 508x66016" x 20" / 406x508
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)34,667 / 15724.7134,667 / 15724.7118,324 / 8311.64
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 3.75 3.92 4.09
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)290 - 2" / 51290 - 2" / 51165 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)14.50 / 4.4214.50 / 4.4211.08 / 3.38
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)126 / 11.71126 / 11.7195 / 8.83
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)38.50 / 3.5838.50 / 3.5818.50 / 1.72
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2315 / 215.152316 / 215.241044 / 97.03
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2315 / 215.152316 / 215.241044 / 97.03
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume244.97245.08224.52
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation770077002960
Same as above plus superheater percentage770077002960
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area25,20025,20015,200
Power L1529853003310
Power MT359.39343.66389.19

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