Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis, & Omaha Ry., Class "J-A" 2-8-2 #409
Waiting on the passing siding at Shell Lake, Wis. in the Winter of 1949-50 for the South bound freight. North bound traffic was secondary to south bound which was on a heavy uphill grade with sweeping curves between Spooner and Baronett, Wis. The J-A's were Omaha Rebuilds of the J's carrying the same number after the rebuild.The first were rebuilt in 1937 and eventually all but 10 became J-A's. Although the engines kept their exact length, the J-A's were fitted with a longer tender which barely fitted into the Spooner roundhouse. Because of this they were sometimes referred to as "Long Mikes" as opposed to the "Short Mike" J's. Note that the main steam pressure gauge is double and faces sideways. This not only gives both the fireman and engineer a better view, but also enables a hostler in the round house to check the pressure gauges of several engines from the cab of one by shining his flashlight across, a definate labor saver. The Elesco exhaust steam injector used on all Omaha J-A's shows clearly in this photo at driving axle height directly behind the fourth pair of drivers. While the long frame Baker valve gear was usually employed on engines with a four wheel lead truck, C&NW and Omaha "J's" and "J-A's" were unusual in sporting a long frame Baker gear with a 2 wheel leading truck. The triangular frame Baker was much more common on engines either with 2 wheel or no leading trucks. Again, an exception was the C&NW, Omaha, class M-1 and M-2 0-6-0 switchers (see 0-6-0 #18 and 0-6-0 #46). The Omaha J-A's could be easily distinguished from those on the North Western. The Omaha's had Boxpoke Drivers while the Northwestern had quill spoke.
Series...........................#396,398-400,402,404,406-421,440-441*
Cylinders, Dia. & Stroke=.......... 27" x 32" ~ Overall Height =.............................. 15'-0"
Valve, (Piston)...............................14" ~ Width over Cylinders =......................10'-4"
Valve Gear= ...............Baker, Long frame ~ Rigid wheel base = ..........................17'-6"
Driving wheel Diameter =...................64" ~ Engine wheel base = ........................36'-5"
Boiler Pressure,.........................200 lb. ~ Eng length over buffer plates=...... .45'-4,1/8"
Grate Area =..........................63 sq. ft. ~ Wheel base, Eng/Tend.=................75'-2,3/8"
Firebox, L. / W. =.......116,1/8" X 78,1/4". ~ Length Eng. & Tender =...............85'-10.7/8"
Length over tube sheets.................21'-0" ~ Wt. on lead truck ........................28,000 lb.
Tubes, Dia. & No.=2".......................202 ~ Wt. on Trailing Truck....................47,500 lb.
Flues, Dia. & No.=5,3/8"....................45. ~ Wt. on Drivers =........................231,500 lb.
Htg. Surface, Tubes................2211.3 sq. ft. ~ Wt. of total Engine =..................307,000 lb.
Htg. Surface, flues.................1323.7 sq. ft. ~ Tender Wt., Loaded.................. 203,100 lb.
Htg. Surface, Firebox =...............230 sq. ft. ~ Wt. eng. & Tender=....................510,000 lb.
Htg. Surface, Arch tubes =...........29.6 sq. ft. ~ Wt. of Engine, light =................273,800 lb.
Evaporative Htg. Surface, total =..3794.6 sq. ft. ~ Tender Wt., light...................... 82,500 lb.
Superheater surface,(Type "A")... 1112.4 sq. ft. ~ Tender capacity, Water = ...........11,000 gal.
Combined Htg. Surface =............4907 sq. ft. ~ Tender capacity, Coal =..................13 tons.
Boiler Dia. 1st. ring =.............. 81,1/2" O.D. ~ Tractive force =.........................62,000 lb.
Height of boiler center = ..................10'-2" ~ Factor of Adhesion =.......................... 3.7
Stoker=.........................Standard, type BK ~ Wt on Drivers/ engine wt.=............. .75.407%
Air Pump =.. 1, Cr. Cpd. 8,1/2" Westinghouse ~ Ratio, Htg. Sur. to Grate area =.......... 60.231
Minimum Curve = 16 Degrees or 359 ft. radius ~ Ratio TF per lb. boiler Pressure=............310
Built by Alco-Schenectady, as class J, 3/16, C/N 55565, Delivered 3/27/16
* #440-441 were orig. C.& N.W #2363 & 2371. Acquired 1944.
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