April 27, 2016
Group - Whereas Q steam locomotives were generally well recognized for
their standardized appearance spanning from class to class, occasionally a few
"odd ducks" emerged to make things interesting. I've inserted and attached two
images showing variations from the norm with Class S-2 No. 2942 and Class
S-2-A No. 2919:
First, note how the bell has been positioned directly behind the stack on
No. 2942 shown in an undated view taken at the Western Avenue coal chute in
Chicago, IL. The usual bell position would be centered between the sand and
steam domes. "Why" has the bell been repositioned? Since the 4-6-2 is
shown equipped with an oversized turbo generator directly in front of the
cab, 2942 was being used in suburban service at the time. From around the
mid-1920s up into the early 1930s, there was a transition from using
Class P 4-4-2's and Class K 4-6-0's to Class S 4-6-2's to power
suburban trains. This was recently touched upon in another post about how the
wood roundhouse at Downers Grove, IL, was torn down to make room for a longer
turntable to fit the Class S 4-6-2's that replaced the smaller 4-4-2's and
4-6-0's. In examining images of the suburban 4-4-2's and 4-6-0's, they
carried a very large oil drum shaped turbo generator atop their boilers between
the sand and steam domes. In fact, when these locomotives were finally bumped
from suburban to branch line service, the turbo generators were removed,
but the bells remained in place just behind the stacks. Such 4-4-2's and
4-6-0's were later easily identified as having previously been in suburban
service. So, what does all this have to do with No. 2942? I speculate that 2942
was first equipped with one of the large oil drum shaped turbo
generators that was placed between its two domes. Sometime later, when the
large turbo generators were replaced with much smaller and more
efficient units that would fit atop the boiler ahead of the cab,
the bell was left in place just behind the stack. 2942 was not alone
as I have images of two other such 4-6-2's in later life with their bells
still positioned behind their stacks. For whatever reason, 2942 was not
rebuilt into a Class S-1-A and the locomotive is reported in the Corbin book as
having been retired in February 1938. Does anyone have an earlier image of
2942 or a sister 4-6-2 equipped with one of the large oil drum shaped
turbo generators between their sand and steam domes?
Second, even more unusual is Class S-2-A No. 2919 with TWO sand domes! The
image was taken at the Downers Grove yard on February 13, 1954. This was very
late in the locomotive's service life as the Corbin book records that 2919 was
sold for scrap in October 1953. The 4-6-2 may've been used to power suburban
trains at an earlier date, but if so then its oversize turbo generator had since
been replaced with a smaller one suitable for lighting the locomotive cab and
headlight. It appears that by the date the image was taken 2919 was being
used to power local freights and for switching between Chicago
and Eola. Just how and why 2919 was equipped with a second sand dome
(almost certainly removed from a scrapped sister 4-6-2) has been lost to time.
However, I speculate 2919 had been used on a dead end branch line with
no turning facility requiring a long backing run to reach the mainline. The
second sand dome would've come in mighty handy when the locomotive was starting
a heavy train in reverse. Any other opinions out there? I think 2919 was
one-of-a-kind as I've never seen another image of a Class S 4-6-2 so
equipped. If anyone else has any images of odd duck Q locomotives, please share
with Group members. Best Regards - Louis
Louis Zadnichek II
Fairhope, AL