Central RR of New Jersey class L-5

The class L-5 designated 35 4-6-0 locomotives built by ALCO-Brooks for the Central Railroad of New Jersey between 1901 and 1906. The first 17 of the original class L-5 were delivered in 1901, followed by three additional batches which were virtually identical. Only two L-5a were delivered in 1902 and six L-5b in 1903. The ten L-5c followed in 1906. Originally all were designated T29, where the T stood for “Ten-wheeler” and the 32 for the starting tractive effort in thousands of pounds. 

Like many locomotives of this railroad, they were Camelbacks with a large Wootten firebox that burned fine anthracite. For long-distance passenger service, their tenders had a water scoop to refill on the run. The first ones were superheated between 1918 and 1921 and became L-5as and L-5bs. Most others were superheated as L-5ds and L-5es between 1923 and 1932. These also received an extended wagon top firebox and cylinders with a diameter of 21 instead of 20 inches. As this increased their tractive effort to around 32,000 pounds, these were also classified as T32. All were retired between 1934 and 1953.