Chesapeake and Ohio class K-4

The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway's K-4 class were a group of ninety 2-8-4 steam locomotives purchased during and shortly after World War II. Unlike many other railroads in the United States, the C&O chose to nickname this class "Kanawha", after the river in West Virginia, rather than "Berkshire", after the region in New England.

Chesapeake & Ohio K-4
K-4 class no. 2755 in Chief Logan State Park
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Builder
Build date1943–1947
Total produced90
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte2-8-4
 • UIC1′D2 h2
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Driver dia.69 in (1.753 m)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity30 short tons (27 t)
Water cap21,000 US gal (79,000 l; 17,000 imp gal)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		90.3 sq ft (8.39 m2)
Boiler pressure245 lbf (1.09 kN)
Heating surface4,773 sq ft (443.4 m2)
 • Firebox462 sq ft (42.9 m2)
Superheater1,932 sq ft (179.5 m2)
CylindersTwo, outside
Cylinder size26 in × 34 in (660 mm × 864 mm)
Valve gearBaker
Performance figures
Tractive effort69,368 lbf (308.56 kN)
Factor of adh.4.23
Career
OperatorsChesapeake and Ohio Railway
Numbers2700–2789
NicknamesKanawha
Retired1952–1957
Preserved12 (Nos. 2700, 2705, 2707, 2716, 2727, 2732, 2736, 2755, 2756, 2760, 2776, 2789) preserved, remainder scrapped
DispositionNo. 2716 undergoing restoration and remainder on display
10 preserved built by ALCO and 2 preserved built by Lima

Several examples survive today, including at the National Railroad Museum, Science Museum of Virginia, Chief Logan State Park, and B&O Railroad Museum.

Details

During the 1940s, the C&O K-4's were being built to haul heavy freight services and were used mostly for high speed freight and passenger services throughout the north-eastern regions of the United States and part of Ontario, Canada by the Pere Marquette Railway. C&O Class K-4s were one of the few recognizable 2-8-4 (Berkshires) classes in North America along with the Pere Marquette Class N (road numbers 1201-1239), and Nickel Plate Road Class S (road numbers 715-779). Both the PM Class N and NKP Class S were manufactured by the Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio. NKP 779 was the last standard-gauge Berkshire to be built in the world, and the last steam locomotive built by Lima Locomotive Works.

The Chesapeake and Ohio Class K-4 Kanawhas aren't the only 2-8-4 Berkshires of their size. Pere Marquette Nos. 1223 and 1225, and Nickel Plate Road Nos. 755, 757, 759, 763, 765, and 779 are other preserved examples of these workhorses.

Preserved Locomotives
  1. 2700 (On Display) Dennison Railroad Depot Museum - Dennison, OH
  2. 2705 (On Display) Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum - Baltimore, MD
  3. 2707 (On Display) Illinois Railway Museum - Union, IL
  4. 2716 (Undergoing Restoration to Operating Condition) Kentucky Steam Heritage Center - Ravenna, KY
  5. 2727 (On Display) Museum of Transportation - St. Louis, MO
  6. 2732 (On Display) Science Museum of Virginia - Richmond, VA
  7. 2736 (On Display) National Railroad Museum - Green Bay, WI
  8. 2755 (On Display) Chief Logan State Park - Logan, WV
  9. 2756 (On Display) Huntington Park - Newsport News, VA
  10. 2760 (On Display) Riverfront Park - Lynchburg, VA
  11. 2776 (On Display) Eyman Park Dr - Washington Court House, OH
  12. 2789 (On Display) Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum - North Judson, IN

References
  • Riggan, Phil (May 28, 2014). "C&O Locomotive Restored at Science Museum of Virginia". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved June 22, 2017.

Further reading
  • Dixon Jr., Thomas W. (2013). Chesapeake & Ohio K-4 Class 2-8-4 Steam Locomotives (1st ed.). The Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society. ISBN 978-0939487592.
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