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O&W Observer 1990 Jan - June Motive Power Series The Y2s Vol 25 #1-6
O&W Observer Motive Power Series The Y2s Vol 25 #1-6 48 Pages
When the Chesapeake & Ohio's J-1 class 4-8-2's numbers 316-318 entered service in 1911-1912 to handle passenger runs over the Allegheny Mountains, a new chapter began in North American railroading - a chapter which would continue through 1948 when the Baltimore & Ohio placed in service the last three Mountain-type locomotives built for a North American railroad. Over that thirty-seven year period, forty-six railroads purchased 2,201 Mountains.
In the 1920's during the golden decade of Mountain production, the O&W ordered twenty Mountain locomotives from American Locomotive Works. The Y class Light Mountains, numbers 401-410, arrived on the property in 1922-1923 and were employed on passenger trains, through freights and heavy milk trains. Numbers 451-460. the Class Y-2 Heavy Mountains, came into service in July of 1929 and handled heavy coal drags and fast freights. Their lugging capabilites coupled with their fast speed meant the demotion of the O&W's X class Bullmooses to mine run and helper duties on the Scranton Division. This move was greatly appreciated by train and MOW crews alike since the Santa Fe-type 2-10-2's rode hard, had poor adhesion, devoured coal and chewed up the right of way.
The Heavy Mountains had Baker valve gear, Elesco exhaust steam injectors and their smallish tenders came equipped with Symington trucks. Except for these variations, the O&W Y-2's bore a striking resemblance to the design of the 100 New York Central L-2c class Mohawks which departed the erecting halls of Alco's Schenectady plant at the same time during 1929. Driver size was 69 inches and the Y-2's 27 x 30 inch cylinders delivered 60,620 pounds of tractive force. With the Franklin trailer booster cut in. tractive effort increased to 71,850 pounds. During 1930, Middletown shop forces added second sand domes to the Heavy Mountains due to the O&W's roller-coaster terrain. and by the mid-1930's all the Y-2's had acquired Scullin disc main drivers.
As coal revenues decreased and bridge traffic became vital to the survival of the O&W, the Heavy Mountains proved invaluable in handling the eastbound and westbound Coxton PA-Maybrook NY hot symbol freights. They could also be found in pusher service and, after the New York Central strengthened its West Shore bridges with low weight limits in 1941, on Weehawken bound freights and even on some seasonal passenger runs. With the arrival of the nine EMD FT A-B sets, the Y-2's became redundant and on June 10, 1945 numbers 452. 454, 455, 459, and 460 were brought by the Bangor & Aroostook where they became the BAR's M-1 class numbers 120. 121, 124. 122, and 123 respectively. Except for the addition of an illuminated number board on the boiler front and the removal of the jacketing above the sand valves, they retained their O&W heritage. The other five O&W Heavy Mountains fell to the torch in 1947 and 1948. and the BAR would scrap the 124, nee O&W number 455, in February of 1948 and numbers 120-123 in June of 1949.
Thanks to C. George Krumm; James Bachorz, Alco Historic Photos; Benjamin Kline, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania; Ed Crist: Harold K. Vollrath: Robert Mohowski: John Pavelchak: Carl Ohlson; Wayne Sittner; John Buberniak: Delaware & Hudson Railroad Historical Society.
Special thanks to Hal Carstens, Carstens Publications, for his continued generosity and cooperation; Walter Kierzkowski for his research and use of his photo collection.
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