The most perfect locomotive -- N&W's J -- and Its TOP Speed of 128 mph!!!

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

Yes that story has been around, before.  It was supposedly timed by watch.
In a mile the time difference from 125 and 140 is under 3 seconds and If you
are timeing a shorter distance it is even less.  The likely hood of accuracy
of timing with a watch manually over 100-120 or using a section less than a
mile is very slim.  So I wouldn't take this as fact.  That said the T1's did
break some franklin poppet drive boxes which where bench tested for long
periods at 100 mph.  No one will argue that these engines were capable of
very high speeds.  On paper they probably should be one of if not the
fastest steam engine ever built.

John Rhodes


On 9/11/06, nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:

>

>  In one of my Pennsy books I have read about a claim that a T-1 (4-4-4-4

> duplex) was clocked at 140 mph on the Chicago-Pittsburgh mainline across the

> flatlands of Ohio.

>

> Can anyone confirm this?

>

> Patrick Whalen

> pfwhalen at gmail.com

>

>

>

>  On 9/10/06, nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org > wrote:

>

> >   Old saying: 'be careful what you ask for - you might get it'.  Let's

> try to put the claims about steam locomotive speed accomplishments in proper

> perspective.

>

> First; as to the LNER Pacific "Mallard".  The record, carefully

> documented, was set on a 0.5 percent downgrade and the chart showed 125

> mph was sustained with only a momentary 'blip' at 126 mph.  Maybe someone

> bumped the table ?  Not usually mentioned is that the inside rod bearing was

> badly damaged during the speed run, and the locomotive was taken off the

> train at the next stop.

>

> No other claim was as carefully documented.  A German Class O-5 'Hudson"

> achieved 124.5 mph on a level run in 1936.  With 90 1/2 inch drivers, the

> O-5 was probably capable of higher speed, but that nation's government had

> other priorities at the time.

>

> In addition to various claims for the N&W's Class J, others exist for the

> NYC's # 999 (112.5 mph in 1893) and PRR's # 7002 (120 plus mph in 1905).

> As these are not fully documented,

> and measurements were crude at best, they remain as 'maybe's'.

>

> As to frequent claims that two cylinder locomotives with 'small' drivers

> (think the J's 70 inch) were not capable of speed; depends more on ample

> passageways for steam, careful design for exhaust velocity, and springing

> and balancing of the drivers.

>

> One last point: Sir Nigel Gresley was, IMHO, overrated.  I have read

> extensively on the subject; some British authors noted that his valve gear

> designs were often modified behind his back by staff who copied from other

> British designers.  And the conjugated valve gear used on the Mallard and

> other locomotive classes had problems.  As bearings on the links wore, the

> inside third cylinder assumed as much as one half of the total piston

> thrust.  Great idea on paper; flawed in practice.

>

> Anyway, Mallard does hold the DOCUMENTED steam locomotive speed record.

>

> Jerome Crosson

>

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