[N&W] Re: Jawn Henry

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

There have been differing suggestions posted about the proper wheel
arrangement designation for N&W
steam-turbine-electric locomotive 2300 (Jawn Henry), so I want to add my two
cents (I apologize for my delay on this, but I have been out of town for
eleven days in the past two or three weeks).  The most authoritative source
on locomotive wheel arrangement designations that I have available is the
1956 (15th Edition) Locomotive Cyclopedia, and the following  information
has been extracted from it.

It might be helpful to start with conventional steam locomotives.  Page 519
of the Cyclopedia explains the scheme of the   familiar Wythe system for
designating steam locomotive wheel arrangements, such as 2-6-6-4 for an N&W
Class A.  But, anyone interested in steam locomotives should be aware that
the Cyclopedia lists five other differing systems that have been used at one
time or the other because these other systems may be encountered somewhere.
For example, the book, The Steam Locomotive in America by Alfred W. Bruce
(W.W.Norton & Co., 1952) uses the American Locomotive system
because Bruce was an engineering official with that company.  That company's
systems was like the Wythe expect it omitted the minus signs and added the
letters C for a compound, a S for superheated and T for tank engine, as well
as figures to denote the weight to the nearest 1k lb.  So, a N&W Class A
would have been a 2664 S 573 to the American Locomotive Company.  In
addition to the Wythe and American Locomotive systems, the Cyclopedia lists
other systems used by the
Lima Locomotive Works, the Baldwin Locomotive Works, as well as the French
System, and the German or Continental System.

Now about the 2300.  Pages 40 and 41 of the Cyclopedia give the AAR standard
system of nomenclature for axle and truck arrangements of locomotives having
electric transmissions, which includes the 2300.  The AAR standard system
(Manual F-103) was adopted in 1932 and revised in 1949.  As is commonly
known, letters are used to represent the number of powered axles in a truck,
i. e., a C would represent one three-axle truck with all axles powered, or
four C's would represent the
four three-axle trucks under the 2300 using the AAR system.  Less commonly
known is the proper use of minus and plus signs in combination with the
letters.  The AAR standard states, in part,  that + signs are used to
indicate articulated joints between trucks under a single locomotive and
minus signs are used to indicate separation between swivel type trucks, not
articulated.  Because neither the swivel trucks nor the span bolsters under
the 2300 were articulated, I believe the designation for the 2300 under the
AAR system would be C-C-C-C.  On Page 444 of the Cyclopedia, however, the
2300 is pictured, and the wheel arrangement is given as 6-6-6-6.  Louie
Newton, who is about to go to press with his book on the 2300, confirms that
this latter designation is the one commonly used rather than the AAR system.
But, if the AAR system is cited, it is important to use the plus and minus
signs correctly.

For a final example of the AAR system, consider the Virginian EL-2B electric
locomotive, each unit of which had four two-axle non-articulated trucks and
two span bolsters which WERE articulated.  A General Electric brochure
(Ry-24241-A, 8-47) on the EL-2B clearly shows the articulation between the
span bolsters and designates the wheel arrangement of each unit as B-B+B-B,
the plus sign indicating the articulated joint between the span bolsters.

Gordon Hamilton

----- Original Message -----
From: "N&W Mailing List" <mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: "N&W Mailing List" <mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 07, 2002 8:29 PM
Subject: Re: Jawn Henry


 > The wheel configuration was 6-6-6-6 on the engine. Anything else?
 > Ron Wilkinson (NWHS Member)
 > __________________________________________________________
 > The correct wheel arrangement for Jawn Henry is: C-C + C-C. The four
trucks
 > were paired via span bolsters vs. each being independent in some way;
hence
 > the use of - and + to describe this arrangement.
 >
 > Jerry Crosson
 > __________________________________________________________
 > Yes, Gary, that is the correct way to show its wheel arrangement, although
 > it probably should be C-C+C-C, since it had two span bolsters, with two
 > 6-wheel trucks under each span bolster. Under the Wythe system, it would
be
 > called an 0-6-6-6-6-0. All axles were powered. Jim Nichols
 > __________________________________________________________
 > C+C+C+C is correct, Garry. Jawn had four six-wheel trucks, all axles
 > powered.
 > EdKing
 > __________________________________________________________
 > Garry,
 > C+C+C+C is the wheel arrangement for JAWN. Though technically a steam
 > locomotive, JAWN had electric traction motors like a Diesel Electric and
so
 > the wheel arrangement is designated the same way Diesels are and not like
a
 > typical steam engine. For traction motors, a letter designates the number
 > of powered axles on the truck and numbers the number of un-powered axels.
 > So Jawn had 4 three axle trucks with all three axles powered on each
truck.
 > An engine with two four wheel trucks with all axels powered would be a B+B
 > and one with two 6 wheel trucks with all axles powered would be a C+C. On
 > the other hand, if the center axle on the 6 wheel trucks was an idler
 > (un-powered) it would be designated A1A+A1A. Personally I think JAWN
should
 > be listed as a 6-6-6-6, but that's just me 8^).
 >
 > Harry Wilkens
 > __________________________________________________________
 > Jawn Henry was Road No 2300; Class TE-1; 6-6-6-6 Wheel Argt;
 > Builder: Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton-Westinghouse Electric;
 > Built date, 1954; Construction No: 75911; Steam pressure: 600 psi;
 > Weight: 818,000 Lbs, without tender: and Scrapped: 12-1957.
 >
 > Bob Stockner
 >
 >
 > N&W Mailing List wrote:
 >  > HI, WHAT WAS THE WHEEL CONFIGURATION OF THE JAWN HENRY LOCOMOTIVE? IN
 >  > THE ARTICLE ON LINE THAT I WAS READING IT IS LISTED AS: C+C+C+C. THANKS
 >  > IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME. GARRY SHRAMEK COPPER CENTER, ALASKA
 >
 >