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Steam Locomotives of the Chicago & North Western (CNW)
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Class D No. 1316 “Atlantic” in February 1944 near Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Class D No. 1316 “Atlantic” in February 1944 near Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Robert C. Nicholls / collection Taylor Rush
Chicago & North Western class D
United States | 1900
91 produced
No. 1088 in March 1936 at Milwaukee, Wisconsin
No. 1088 in March 1936 at Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Howard Locomotive Photographs

The class of the D Chicago & North Western was one of the first Atlantics with a wide firebox. With this arrangement, it was quickly discovered that firing was much easier and that much power could even be delivered with inferior coal. Production consisted of a first variant, of which 77 were built between 1900 and 1907, and another, of which 14 were built in 1908.

The first variant had an inside Stephenson valve gear with valves that were also inside the frame. The last ten of the second variant were built with a Walschaert valve gear and Young rotary valves.

The locomotives pulled trains, usually consisting of ten, sometimes eleven cars. 74 were later retrofitted with a superheater. When the wooden cars were replaced with steel cars and more powerful express locomotives were introduced, the class D was used in commuter and local traffic. Almost all locomotives survived into the late 1930s, 15 even survived into the late 1940s.

Variant1900 variant1908 variantsuperheated
General
Built1900-1908
ManufacturerALCOCNW
Axle config4-4-2 (Atlantic) 
Gauge4 ft 8 1/2 in (Standard gauge)
Dimensions and Weights
Wheelbase26 ft 9 in
Rigid wheelbase7 ft
Total wheelbase57 ft 11 1/2 in58 ft 7 in57 ft 11 1/2 in
Service weight158,000 lbs183,000 lbs181,500 lbs
Adhesive weight91,000 lbs95,000 lbs97,500 lbs
Total weight298,000 lbs327,300 lbs325,500 lbs
Axle load45,500 lbs47,500 lbs48,750 lbs
Water capacity7,500 us gal
Fuel capacity20,000 lbs (coal)
Boiler
Grate area46.3 sq ft
Firebox area199 sq ft197.1 sq ft199 sq ft
Tube heating area2,817 sq ft2,758.9 sq ft1,975 sq ft
Evaporative heating area3,016 sq ft2,956 sq ft2,174 sq ft
Superheater area439 sq ft
Total heating area3,016 sq ft2,956 sq ft2,613 sq ft
Variant1900 variant1908 variantsuperheated
Power Plant
Driver diameter80 in81 in
Boiler pressure200 psi
Expansion typesimple
Cylinderstwo, 20 x 26 in
Power
Power sourcesteam
Estimated power1,575 hp (1,174 kW)1,800 hp (1,342 kW)
Optimal speed45 mph46 mph53 mph
Starting effort22,100 lbf21,827 lbf
Calculated Values
steam locomotive
express
last changed: 01/2024
Chicago & North Western class E-4
United States | 1938
9 produced
No. 4004 in June 1940 at Chicago, Illinois
No. 4004 in June 1940 at Chicago, Illinois
Frank Hayworth, Jr / collection Taylor Rush

In the 1930s, the Chicago & North Western, the Milwaukee Road and the Burlington Route competed on the line between Chicago and Minneapolis. The C&NW called these services “The 400 Train” since the target was to cover the 400 miles in 400 minutes, what makes an average speed of 60 mph or 97 km/h. While the Burlington Route chose to serve this line with a streamlined diesel train, the other two used streamlined 4-6-4 steam locomotives which were both built by ALCO-Schenectady and looked very similar with their Art Deco styling.

The nine class E-4 locomotives built for the C&NW were delivered in March and April 1938, some months earlier than the Milwaukee Road's F7. Both had drivers of 84 inches and a boiler pressure of 300 psi. The boiler of the E-4 was characterized by the fact that it had only eight flues instead of the 60 of the F7, but still a larger superheater area. This made a smaller tube heating area, but combined with the larger firebox and superheater the total heating area of both was roughly equal. The E-4 had Baker valve gear instead of the Walschaerts valve gear of the F7, while the cylinders of the E-4 had a larger diameter at a smaller stroke.

The locomotives were painted green with gold stripes. When they were still in production, it was decided to use diesel power for the 400 train. So they were actually used on services between Chicago and Omaha. They were converted to oil firing in 1946 and 1947 with tenders that held 6,000 gallons of oil.

General
Built1938
ManufacturerALCO
Axle config4-6-4 (Hudson) 
Gauge4 ft 8 1/2 in (Standard gauge)
Dimensions and Weights
Wheelbase42 ft 4 in
Rigid wheelbase14 ft 8 in
Total wheelbase89 ft
Service weight412,000 lbs
Adhesive weight216,000 lbs
Total weight772,000 lbs
Axle load72,000 lbs
Water capacity20,000 us gal
Fuel capacity50,000 lbs (coal)
Boiler
Grate area90.7 sq ft
Firebox area507 sq ft
Tube heating area3,451 sq ft
Evaporative heating area3,958 sq ft
Superheater area1,884 sq ft
Total heating area5,842 sq ft
Power Plant
Driver diameter84 in
Boiler pressure300 psi
Expansion typesimple
Cylinderstwo, 25 x 29 in
Power
Power sourcesteam
Estimated power5,000 hp (3,729 kW)
Optimal speed58 mph
Starting effort55,022 lbf
Calculated Values
steam locomotive
express
streamline
last changed: 01/2025
Chicago & North Western class R-1
United States | 1901
325 produced
No. 1429 in August 1954 at Ashland, Wisconsin
No. 1429 in August 1954 at Ashland, Wisconsin
collection Greg Maxwell

In order to increase the power of the ten-wheelers for freight use, the R-1 was designed on the basis of the class R. The biggest limitation of the R was the firebox, which was located between the frames and could not be enlarged any further.

Therefore, the R-1 received a shallower but wider firebox that stood on the frame. This allowed their width to be increased from 40 to 64 inches. Its walls were corrugated to reduce expansion cracks and increase maintenance intervals. Other changes included increasing the cylinder diameter from 20 to 21 inches, a boiler pressure of 200 instead of 190 psi, and piston instead of slide valves.

Between 1901 and 1908 240 locomotives were built by ALCO-Schenectady and 85 by Baldwin. In the beginning, all locomotives had an inside Stephenson valve gear, but in the final batch from 1907, an outside Walschaerts valve gear was used.

At least 87 locomotives were later fitted for oil firing. 299 were superheated around 1926. The heating surface of the firebox was once again significantly enlarged by installing arch tubes and thermic syphons.

As more powerful locomotives became available, the R-1 was progressively pushed out of main line freight service on branch lines. The first larger numbers were retired from 1939 and by 1957 the last one had disappeared. Three are still preserved today, with No. 175 and No. 1385 currently being restored.

Variantas builtsuperheated
General
Built1901-19081926
ManufacturerALCO, BaldwinChicago & North Western
Axle config4-6-0 (Ten-wheeler) 
Gauge4 ft 8 1/2 in (Standard gauge)
Dimensions and Weights
Wheelbase25 ft 10 in
Rigid wheelbase14 ft 10 in
Total wheelbase57 ft 9 in
Service weight179,500 lbs186,000 lbs
Adhesive weight135,500 lbs139,000 lbs
Total weight319,000 lbs330,000 lbs
Water capacity7,500 us gal
Fuel capacity20,000 lbs (coal)
Boiler
Grate area46.3 sq ft47.2 sq ft
Firebox area150.8 sq ft216.7 sq ft
Tube heating area2,808.2 sq ft1,746.3 sq ft
Evaporative heating area2,959 sq ft1,963 sq ft
Superheater area476 sq ft
Total heating area2,959 sq ft2,439 sq ft
Variantas builtsuperheated
Power Plant
Driver diameter63 in
Boiler pressure200 psi
Expansion typesimple
Cylinderstwo, 21 x 26 in
Power
Power sourcesteam
Estimated power1,500 hp (1,119 kW)1,550 hp (1,156 kW)
Optimal speed31 mph32 mph
Starting effort30,940 lbf
Calculated Values
steam locomotive
freight
last changed: 12/2024
No. 444 in 2012
No. 444 in 2012
Andrew Filer
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