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The reference for locomotives and railcars

Virginian class AG “Blue Ridge”

United States 1945 8 produced
No. 900 in May 1946 in Roanoke, Virginia collection Taylor Rush

Four years after the delivery of the first class H-8 Allegheny locomotives to the Chesapeake & Ohio, the Virginian ordered eight units, which differed little from their prototype. Both classes are among the most powerful steam locomotives of all time, which required a three-axle trailing bogie due to their extraordinarily large firebox. Since the C&O had named their locomotives after the mountain range to be crossed, the Virginian's locomotives were named after the Blue Ridge Mountains. External distinguishing features were only the slightly lower sand domes and other proportions on the tender. The AG was also manufactured by Lima in Ohio.

When the engines were to be delivered, the Virginian had major problems because the Chesapeake & Ohio did not want foreign locomotives with such a high axle load to run on their own network. According to rumors, the C&O itself was not aware of the high axle load of the H-8, as this had been increased several times during development. This subsequently led to the inspection of all affected bridges and cost Lima several million dollars. Later, however, the locomotives adapted for the Virginian were again used as the basis for a second batch for the C&O in 1948. At the Virginian, the machines were already retired by 1955 and scrapped by 1960.

Technical data

General

Built
1945
Manufacturers
Lima
Wheel arrangement
2-6-6-6 (Allegheny)
Gauge
1,435 mm (Standard gauge)

Dimensions and weights

Wheelbase
19.05 m
Total wheelbase
34.42 m
Service mass
341.6 t
Adhesion mass
224.5 t
Total mass
542 t
Rigid wheelbase
3.61 m
Axle load
37.4 t
Water capacity
100,313 l
Fuel capacity
22.7 t (coal)

Boiler

Grate area
12.57 m²
Firebox surface
70.792 m²
Tube heating surface
560.485 m²
Evaporative heating surface
631.277 m²
Superheater surface
271.463 m²
Total heating surface
902.7 m²

Power plant

Driver diameter
1,702 mm
Boiler pressure
17.9 bar
Expansion type
simple expansion
Cylinders
four, 572 x 838 mm

Power

Power source
steam
Estimated power
5,593 kW (7,604 PS)
Starting effort
490.2 kN

Calculated values

Factor of adhesion
1 : 4.49
Optimal speed
69 km/h
Power-to-weight ratio
16.4 kW/t
Heating Surface Equivalent
1,528.2 m²
Cylinder volume/HSE
1 : 562.81
Adhesive weight/Total
1 : 1.52
Tractive force/Heating surface
1 : 11.34
Grate area/Heating surface
1 : 71.82
Firebox/Tube surface
1 : 7.92
Total/Superheater
1 : 2.33
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