C & O 2666 Allegheny

Scapehunter

New Member
I recently visited the B & O Museum in Baltimore for the first time. It was a great experience! I was very impressed with the mass of the "Allegheny" locomotive, built by Lima. It was used to carry coal, I believe, and some passenger trains. It is a machine of incredible size and power. I believe it was the most powerful engine ever built in the US. It dwarfed most of the other trains at the museum. Only 1 or 2 survive. It also had incredible detail of pipes and valves.

I could not find a lot of information on the web. Do you have any information or pictures?
 

eightyeightfan1

Now I'm AMP'd
The other one is at the Henry Ford Museum, in Detriot.
My sister wnt there on a business trip and brought me back pics.
In other words:" My sister went to Detriot and all I got was some GREAT pics of an Allegheny!"
 

Taylor

New Member
Scapehunter,
I'm glad you liked the museum. It is on my 'to do' list to get up there and see B&O Museum in Baltimore. I was going to try to make it there this past weekend but ended up at the train show at the MD State Fairgrounds. Spent more time there than I had anticipated and didn't have time to make it to the museum. Is there a lot of Chessie stuff there?
 

sumpter250

multiscale modelbuilder
Scapehunter,
The C&O H8 is one of the more impressive examples of steam locomotion. 758,000 pounds, 80,000 pounds /driving axle, one of the largest fire boxes, one of the largest boilers, ................but, the UP "bigboy" is considered the biggest.
There is also a book, "Allegheny, Lima's Finest" that has a lot of information about The H8. The Virginian, had 2-6-6-6 locos. About the only real difference was that the C&O H8 had the stoker motor in the tender, the Virginian, had the stoker motor mounted under the cab.
Pete
 

Scapehunter

New Member
Trick question: This locomotive was so powerful, I wondered if something that powerful could literally fly, even with such great weight.

Could this locomotive fly?

Seeing it sitting on the tracks would make one think that's an absolute impossibility? But....

Besides being large and heavy, this locomotive is a vision of complexity with pipes and controls running over it producing a sense of awe and controlled energy.
 

jim currie

Active Member
the class H's had 67 inch drivers limiting there speed, the real ballast scorchers had drivers of 80 inch plus range. as far as the power according to the 1947 locomotive cycpoledia the top dog in the tractive effort(TE) was the N&M Y6a class with 152,206 lbs TE in simple compound next was the DM&IR class M4's with 140,000 lbs TE then the WP's class M137-151 with a TE of 137.00lbs beating it out was the Big Boy at 137,375 lbs TE the C&O class 4 had a TE of 110,200 lbs.
 

Scapehunter

New Member
Answer to trick question: Yes, something the weight of this massive locomotive can actually fly. A fully loaded and fueled 747 can weigh up to 800,000 lbs. The condensed aspect of the weight of the engine was an interesting way of looking at just how much that 400 ton figure is.
 

sumpter250

multiscale modelbuilder
When one of the Alleghenys had a cold water pump problem, the boiler did fly!.............................about 150' down the track, it landed facing the rest of the loco. :eek:ops:
 

brakie

Active Member
The H8 saw service on coal,general freight ,mine runs and very limited passenger service..She was a brute that could shake the ground..BTW..Don't let that mechanical stroker fool you..The fireman still had to work the fire by hand while maintaing C&O's no smoke rule... :eek:
 
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