Soo Line B-4 class

The Soo Line B-4 class were 0-6-0 steam locomotives constructed for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway (Soo Line) by the American Locomotive Company. Six (#344–349) were built at their Schenectady plant in 1915, with a further five (#350–354) being constructed by their Brooks plant in Dunkirk, New York, in 1920.

Soo Line B-4 class
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderAmerican Locomotive Company
Build date1915 (6), 1920 (5)
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte0-6-0
 • UICC h2
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Driver dia.51 in (1,295 mm)
WheelbaseLoco: 11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
Length58 ft 10 3⁄8 in (17.94 m)
Width10 ft 5 in (3.18 m)
Height15 ft 3 1⁄2 in (4.66 m)
Axle load51,500 lb (23.4 tonnes)
Loco weight151,000 lb (68.5 tonnes)
Tender weight102,900 lb (46.7 tonnes)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity16,000 lb (7.3 tonnes)
Water cap5,000 US gal (19,000 l; 4,200 imp gal)
Boiler pressure180 lbf/in2 (1.24 MPa)
CylindersTwo, outside
Cylinder size20 in × 26 in (508 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gearWalschaerts
Performance figures
Tractive effort31,200 lbf (138.78 kN)
Career
OperatorsMinneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway (Soo Line)
ClassB-4
Number in class11
Numbers344–354
Preserved#346; #353
DispositionTwo preserved, of which one is operational

They were the last, and largest design of purpose-built switch engines that the Soo Line owned, any heavier switching duties were performed by down-graded 2-8-0 freight engines. All were still on the active roster in May 1953,[1] but all had been retired by the end December 1954 when the railroad completed its dieselization.

Two are preserved[2] - #346 from the first batch, which is displayed at the Wheels Across the Prairie Museum at Tracy, Minnesota, as Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern #9, and #353 from the second batch, which is operational and gives free rides annually at the Western Minnesota Steam Thresher's Reunion, Rollag, Minnesota.

References
  1. "Soo Line Locomotive Roaster, May 1953". Retrieved 2008-05-29.
  2. "Surviving Soo Line locomotives". Steamlocomotive.com. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
  • Gjevre, John A. (1990) [1973]. Saga of the Soo, West from Shoreham (Second ed.). Moorhead, Minnesota: Gjevre Books. p. 176.
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