New York, West Shore & Buffalo class A-2

In 1882 and 1883, Rogers delivered 30 4-4-0 locomotives to the New York, West Shore & Buffalo which were designated class A-2. With these locomotives Rogers established the combination of inside Stephenson valve gear with outside valves, actuated by rocking levers. At 30 mph, they were rated for 710 tons at 0.38 percent. At 1.14 percent, they could still haul 360 tons at the same speed.

Number 24 shown on the photo was once taken for a test run between Buffalo and Frankfort with three four-axle passenger cars. There it covered the total distance of 94 miles with an average of 58 mph, including two stops. On the section between Buffalo and Genesee Junction, it even reached an average of 65.5 mph. 

At the New York Central, they became class C-16. Later they were rebuilt into three different variants, which were called C-16a to C-16c. The 1902 diagram book of the New York Central gave them a power rating of 14.8 percent. At this time, only three non-rebuilt C-16 existed. Of the rebuilt variants, five C-16a, seven C-16b and seven C-16c remained.