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Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville (Monon) class J-4
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United States | 1926
16 produced
No. 578 at Lafayette, Indiana in May 1947
No. 578 at Lafayette, Indiana in May 1947
Ralph Graves

In 1926, ALCO-Richmond built six Mikados for the Monon which were based on the USRA Light Mikado. But compared to this, the boiler and the cylinders got bigger, while the driver diameter was still 63 inches. They were numbered 560 to 565 and formed the class J-3. Three years later, ALCO-Schenectady built ten similar locomotives which were numbered 570 to 579 and formed the class J-4. These were among the last new steam locomotives built for this railroad. Later the J-4 was rebuilt with a trailing-truck booster and a larger boiler with thermic syphons and a feed water heater. Five also got roller bearings. Since the J-3 and the original J-4 were similar, the specs for the J-4 in the table are for the rebuilt variant. Both classes lived until the end of steam on the Monon. No. 578 shown in the photo was sold to the Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia in 1948 and numbered 402. It was scrapped in 1951.

VariantJ-3J-4 rebuilt
General
Built19261929
ManufacturerALCO
Wheel arr.2-8-2 (Mikado) 2-8-2 (Mikado)
Gauge4 ft 8 1/2 in (Standard gauge)
Dimensions and Weights
Length88 ft 0 1/8 in
Wheelbase36 ft 1 in36 ft 11 in
Rigid wheelbase16 ft 9 in
Total wheelbase71 ft 8 1/2 in76 ft 5 3/4 in
Service weight317,000 lbs335,000 lbs
Adhesive weight247,500 lbs252,500 lbs
Total weight507,000 lbs555,000 lbs
Water capacity10,000 us gal12,000 us gal
Fuel capacity32,000 lbs (coal)40,000 lbs (coal)
Boiler
Grate area71 sq ft80.2 sq ft
Firebox area312 sq ft385 sq ft
Tube heating area3,990 sq ft3,934 sq ft
Evaporative heating area4,302 sq ft4,319 sq ft
Superheater area990 sq ft1,166 sq ft
Total heating area5,292 sq ft5,485 sq ft
VariantJ-3J-4 rebuilt
Power Plant
Driver diameter63 in
Boiler pressure200 psi
Expansion typesimple
Cylinderstwo, 27 x 32 in
Power
Power sourcesteam
Estimated power3,200 hp (2,386 kW)3,500 hp (2,610 kW)
Starting effort62,949 lbf
Booster11,500 lbf
Calculated Values
steam locomotive
freight
booster
last changed: 02/2026
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