Louis,
In my opinion, the Q’s interest in additional steam locomotives probably disappeared about the time that the last 10 O-5’s were completed in 1940. Between 1935 and 1940, they completed construction of 30 new steam locomotives (two hudsons and 28 O-5s plus updated a number of other existing locomotives). In that same time period, they also ordered and received seven of the eight shovel nose Zephyr units and trains, at least 10 diesel switchers and 14 E5 A & B units (including two each for the C&S and FW&D). During 1940, they also had an opportunity to test the new EMC FT demonstrator. The 28 O-5 ordered at that time was the largest single type of locomotive ordered by the Q since the O-1As in the early 1920s. For what I would call a medium size RR, that is a lot of motive power acquisition, particularly in a time period when most U.S. RRs were struggling to get out of the Depression and, in many cases, bankruptcy! How many other U.S. RRs ordered more than 50 locomotives in the last five years on the 1930s decade?
By the time that Q management had witnessed the performance of the FTs and with their excellent experience with diesel locomotives in passenger service, I think any interest in additional steam locomotives had disappeared. It would be interesting to know what drove the motive power decisions of Q management in the latter half of the 1930s. Was it anticipation of the coming world conflict (keep in mind that most American at the time were encouraging our government to stay out of Europe and Pacific problems right up to December 7, 1941), was it an effort to keep a trained workforce employed at West Burlington or was it simply an effort to modernize the locomotive fleet? Where did the money come from when most RRs were still struggling financially? We probably will never know, but the correspondence within the RR in that time period would be interesting! Here is another interesting thought along the lines of additional Q steam locomotives. What if the War Production Board, during WWII had not allotted FT locomotives to the Q in 1943 (delivered in 1944)? Union Pacific also wanted FTs at that time and was turned down, purchasing 4-8-4s, 4-6-6-4s and 4-8-8-4s instead. What would the Q have received during the war? Would it have been a Q design? Would West B. have had the manpower capacity to build them while the war was going on and their efforts were focused on keeping existing power in service? If not West B., who would have built them; Baldwin and to what existing design (the WPB required that all locomotive manufacturing during the war had to be to an existing and proven design)? A lot of interesting what ifs. If they had received new steam locomotives during the war, would they have dieselized as rapidly after the war? Other RRs certainly did, but the frugal Q, I don’t know.
Bill Barber Gravois Mills, MO
Fri Nov 6, 2015 10:04 am (PST) . Posted by: November 6, 2015
Nolen/Ken - I, too, was a little surprised by the very close dimensions
and capacities comparing the O-5 and M-4 tenders. Just from appearances, I
would've thought the M-4 tender was larger all-around, but it wasn't. As they
say, appearances can be deceiving.... So, I'll venture that the proposed
but never built later series of O-5s would've kept their original style
tenders with the exception of being "stretched" by several feet for greater
water capacity. Of course, turntable lengths would've been a limiting factor.
As Ken's image gets spread, may be others will note the lack of ash pans.
Guess you could then say 5662 was a "hybrid" that burned both coal and oil
with a big pull lever in the cab for the fireman to switch from one fuel to
the other.... Best Regards - Louis
Louis Zadnichek II
Fairhope, AL
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Posted by: William Barber <clipperw@gmail.com>
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