The numbers Rupert has listed are the only O-5s converted to oil from
coal. All were done in the early '50s, I believe at Denver Shops. S-4s
nos. 4002 and 4003 were converted in the same time frame. All were most
likely done as part of a major (last?) overhaul. The locomotives,
including the S-4s, were assigned to Lincoln, NE and worked in both
directions with most eastbound runs made just to Omaha and/or Council
Bluffs/Pacific Jct. To my knowledge, none worked east of that point
including during the last steam grain rush in the fall of 1956. All of
the east end steam was coal fired.
Of course, in November of 1958, #5632 was sent east as a fan trip
locomotive and finished her career there in 1964. During that period of
time, it operated over most of the Q system. On an Illini fantrip in
1959 to Colorado, #5632 pulled the train from Chicago to Lincoln where
it was relieved by #5626 which pulled the train to Denver.I had the
very good fortune of riding the cab of that locomotive from Wray, CO to
Denver on that trip. Quite a thrill for a 16 year old kid! There were
four crew members and eight railfans in the cab that night. Alas, on
the return trip a week later, #5626 bent an eccentric rod 26 miles out
of Denver and was replaced by two E units to Lincoln where the '32
again took over. The 5626, never ran again and sadly saw here later
coupled cab to cab with the 5627, stripped of all major accessories,
enroute to Sterling, IL for scrapping.
Two of the oil burning O-5s still exist; the 5614 at St. Joseph, MO in
fair condition and the 5629 at the Colorado RR Museum in Golden, CO.
Two coal burners also exist. They are the 5631 and the 5633, both
located in Wyoming.
BTW, Q had many other oil burners in other classes, most if not all,
converted from coal. I don't think they ever had a locomotive built as
an oil burner during construction. IIRC, Q's experience with oil
burners dates back to the 1920s or 30s.
Bill Barber
On Friday, May 9, 2003, at 03:43 AM, BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com wrote:
Date: Fri, 9 May 2003 19:39:04 +1200
From: "Rupert and Maureen" <gamlenz@i...>
Subject: Re: Oil burners
George
According to Bernard Corbin's "Steam Locos of the Burlington Route",
List
posts, etc. -
5600-5607 built by Baldwins as O-5, believed that none were
upgraded/converted to O-5-A
5608-35 built at Burlington, 5608-10 built 1936, 5611-20 built 1937,
5621-5
built 1938, 5626-35 built 1940.
5608-20 built as O-5, 5621-35 built as O-5-A
Some (or all) O-5's were upgraded to O-5-A.
Some were later converted to oil burning and reclassified as O-5-B,
although
the book doesn't list this as a class.
Identified as O-5-B are 5614, 5620, 5626, 5627, 5629, 5632
Previous posts stated that there was no reference to oil burners in
assignment lists as at April 1945, but #5629 was converted about 1950.
Hopefully others on the list will be able to add to this
I have a list of photos of these locos if you want to contact me off
List.
Rupert
----- Original Message -----
From: G. Walls <glwalls@f...>
To: <BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, May 09, 2003 4:58 AM
Subject: [BRHSlist] Oil burners
Hi Folks,
Could someone give me an idea when, if ever, did the Burlington
start using oil burning steam engines on the Creston Sub.? When did
the O-5-b's come into use and on what division were they used? Were
any of the coal fired engines ever converted to burn oil.
Thanks,
George
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