Great Northern H-5

Great Northern H-5 class
Great Northern Steam Locomotive No. 1355, on display at Milwaukee Railroad Shops in Sioux City, Iowa.
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Great Northern Originally Baldwin Locomotive Works Build date 1921-1928 Originally 1909 Total produced 25
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-6-2  • UIC 2′C2′ h1 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Leading dia. 36 in (914 mm) Driver dia. 73 in (1,854 mm) Trailing dia. 45 in (1,143 mm) Wheelbase Loco & tender: 72.03 ft (21.95 m) Axle load 57,666 lb (26,157 kilograms; 26.157 metric tons) Adhesive weight 164,000 lb (74,000 kilograms; 74 metric tons) Loco weight 271,800 lb (123,300 kilograms; 123.3 metric tons) Tender weight 188,400 lb (85,500 kilograms; 85.5 metric tons) Total weight 460,200 lb (208,700 kilograms; 208.7 metric tons) Fuel type Fuel oil Fuel capacity 4,500 US gal (17,000 l; 3,700 imp gal) Water cap. 10,000 US gal (38,000 l; 8,300 imp gal) Firebox:  • Firegrate area 50.40 sq ft (4.682 m2) Boiler pressure 210 lbf/in2 (1.45 MPa) Heating surface:  • Firebox 247 sq ft (22.9 m2) Superheater: ​  • Heating area 3,904 sq ft (362.7 m2) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 23.5 in × 30 in (597 mm × 762 mm) Valve gear Walschaert
Performance figures Tractive effort 40,511 lbf (180.20 kN) 51,511 lbf (229,130 N) with booster Factor of adh. 4.34
Career Operators Great Northern Class H-5 Numbers 1350–1374 Originally 1008-1032 Retired 1950-1955 Preserved One preserved (No. 1355) Disposition Great Northern 1355 on display in Sioux City, Iowa, remainder scrapped

The Great Northern H-5 was a class of 25 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotives that were originally built as E-14 4-6-0 "Ten Wheelers" by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1909 and operated by the Great Northern Railway until the mid 1950s.

The locomotives hauled passenger trains on the Great Northern mainline, such as the Empire Builder and the Oriental Limited.

Today, only one H-5 survives, No. 1355. It was retired in July 1955 and moved to the Milwaukee Road shops in Sioux City, Iowa where it still resides today.

History[]

The class was originally built in 1909 as E-14 "Ten Wheelers", then, between October 6, 1921 and July 8, 1928, they have been rebuilt into H-5 "Pacifics" and hauled mainly passenger trains such as the Empire Builder and the Oriental Limited. The first ten were numbered 1486–1495, then renumbered 1350–1359. They were also converted from coal to oil and some were fitted with boosters that added 11,000 lbf (48.93 kN) of tractive effort. Later in their service life, they were reassigned to freight service, such as hauling iron ore on the Mesabi Range. As the railroad made a transition to diesel power, retirement started on September 13, 1950 and by August 25, 1955, all the H-5s have been retired.^[1]

Accidents[]

• On July 24, 1941, H-5 1351 was pulling a passenger train toward Vancouver, British Columbia, when it collided head-on with Canadian National S-1-b 2-8-2 3254 at North Road cut near Burnaby. The accident caused the locomotive’s smokebox to be torn off, the locomotive’s frame to be cracked, and the rear of the locomotive itself to be pressed against its tender. As a result of this, 1351 became the very first H-5 to be retired, and it was scrapped in October of that year after being deemed damaged beyond economical repair.^[2][3]

Preservation[]

Only one H-5 has been preserved, No. 1355. It was retired in July 1955 and put on display at the Milwaukee Road shops in Sioux City, Iowa, where it still resides today.^[4] It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 as Great Northern Railway Steam Locomotive No. 1355 and Tender 1451. Furthermore, it is the sole surviving Great Northern "Pacific" type steam locomotive.

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