Great Northern O-1

The Great Northern O-1 was a class of 145 2-8-2 "Mikado"-type steam locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works between 1911 and 1919 and used by the Great Northern Railway until the late 1950s.

This article is about a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotives of the Great Northern Railway (United States) introduced in 1911. For the class of 2-8-0 steam locomotives of the Great Northern Railway (United Kingdom) introduced in 1913, see GNR Class O1.
Great Northern O-1 class
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderBaldwin Locomotive Works
ModelBaldwin 12-50-1⁄4-E, (nos. 1–20, 296–245, 316–340, 366–415)
Build dateAugust 1911-February 1919
Total produced145
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte2-8-2
 • UIC1′D1′ h2
Gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Leading dia.33 in (838 mm)
Driver dia.63 in (1,600 mm)
Trailing dia.42.5 in (1,080 mm)
WheelbaseBatch 1: 68.08 ft (20,751 mm)
Batch 2/3: 78.48 ft (23,921 mm)
Height16 ft 0+3⁄4 in (4.90 m)
Axle loadBatch 1: 55,000 lb (25,000 kilograms; 25 metric tons),
Batch 2: 59,000 lb (27,000 kilograms; 27 metric tons),
Batch 3: 57,250 lb (25,970 kilograms; 25.97 metric tons)
Adhesive weightBatch 1: 220,000 lb (100,000 kilograms; 100 metric tons),
Batch 2: 236,000 lb (107,000 kilograms; 107 metric tons),
Batch 3: 229,000 lb (104,000 kilograms; 104 metric tons)
Loco weightBatch 1: 280,000 lb (130,000 kilograms; 130 metric tons),
Batch 2: 315,360 lb (143,040 kilograms; 143.04 metric tons),
Batch 3: 306,500 lb (139,000 kilograms; 139.0 metric tons)
Tender weightBatch 1: 154,100 lb (69,900 kilograms; 69.9 metric tons),
Batch 2: 187,000 lb (85,000 kilograms; 85 metric tons),
Batch 3: 154,100 lb (69,900 kilograms; 69.9 metric tons)
Total weightBatch 1: 434,100 lb (196,900 kilograms; 196.9 metric tons),
Batch 2: 502,360 lb (227,870 kilograms; 227.87 metric tons),
Batch 3: 460,600 lb (208,900 kilograms; 208.9 metric tons)
Fuel typeBatch 1/3: Coal,
Batch 2: Fuel oil
Fuel capacityBatch 1/3: 13 short tons (11.8 t; 11.6 long tons) coal,
Batch 2: 4,500 US gal (17,000 L; 3,700 imp gal) oil
Water cap.Batch 1/3: 8,000 US gal (30,000 L; 6,700 imp gal),
Batch 2: 10,000 US gal (38,000 L; 8,300 imp gal)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		78.20 sq ft (7.265 m2)
Boiler89 in (2,261 mm)
Boiler pressureBatch 1: 170 lbf/in2 (1.17 MPa),
Batch 2/3:210 lbf/in2 (1.45 MPa)
Heating surface:
 • Firebox		249 sq ft (23.1 m2)
CylindersTwo
Cylinder size28 in × 32 in (711 mm × 813 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effortBatch 1: 57,543 lbf (255.96 kN)
Batch 2/3: 71,083 lbf (316.19 kN)
Factor of adh.Batch 1: 3.82
Batch 2: 3.32
Batch 3: 3.22
Career
OperatorsGreat Northern
ClassO-1
Numbers3000–3144
Retired1948-1958
PreservedOne (No. 3059)
DispositionGreat Northern 3059 on display in Williston, North Dakota, remainder scrapped

The O-1s, along with other O Class Mikados of the Great Northern, were used system-wide to pull freight trains. As of today, only one O-1 has been preserved, No. 3059, from the second batch of O-1s. It was retired in December 1957 and is on display near the Williston depot in Williston, North Dakota.

Design

The class featured a Belpaire firebox 117 inches (2.97 m) deep by 96 inches (2.44 m) wide; giving a grade area of 78 square feet (7.2 m2). This was attached to a tapered boiler that was pressed to 180 pounds per square inch (1.24 MPa) – even though it had been designed for 210 pounds per square inch (1.45 MPa) – feeding steam to two 28-by-32-inch (711 mm × 813 mm) cylinders, which were connected to 63 inches (1.600 m) diameter driving wheels by Walschaerts valve gear. The last five locomotives were delivered with Southern valve gear; however, these were later replaced with Walschaerts.

Construction

All 145 locomotives were built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in four batches between August 1911 and February 1919. Baldwin class 12-50-1⁄4-E was assigned.

Table of orders and numbers[1]
YearQuantityBaldwin serial numbersBaldwin class numbersGN numbersNotes
19112036832–33, 36910–17, 36937–42, 36969–721–203000–3019
19135039089–104, 39150–58, 39163–72, 39205–12, 39296–302196–2453020–3069
19162543989–93, 44095–99, 44144–46, 44197–204, 44253–54, 44438–39316–3403070–3094
1917–195046066–68, 46110, 46163, 46213, 46277, 46891, 48150, 48257–60, 48468, 48524, 48573, 48675–76, 48732–33, 48775, 48893, 48943, 48995, 49079–80, 49158, 49226, 49299–300, 49356–57, 49408, 49481–82, 49639, 49659–61, 49731, 50051, 50359–60, 51011, 51035, 51083, 51156, 51234, 51236366–4153095–3145

Two engines were built as oil burners: 3020 and 3021.

Service

All were assigned to haul freight trains system wide. During the 1940s, twelve (3004, 3022, 3033, 3048, 3071, 3100, 3106, 3135, 3137, 3138, 3142, 3144) were equipped with boosters, which added between 11,000 and 12,200 pounds-force (49 and 54 kN) of tractive effort; these were removed in the early 1950s. Between 1925 and 1944, thirteen O-1s (Nos. 3023, 3024, 3026, 3028, 3029, 3039, 3043, 3064, 3099, 3108, 3121, 3122 and 3134) were sold to the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway.

Two engines were retired after being involved in wrecks: 3113 in 1946, and 3128 in 1949; the latter was so badly damaged it was scrapped on site.

The remaining locomotives were retired between 1948 and 1958. The Great Northern were in no hurry to scrap them as it was as late as 1963 that the last locomotive to be scrapped was cut up.

Table of retirements and scrappings[1]
YearQuantity in service at start of yearQuantity retired or scrappedNumbersNotes
192514533026, 3028, 2039to SP&S 500, 501, 502
192614213099to SP&S 503
192814123039, 3043to SP&S 504, 505
192913923023, 3024to SP&S 506, 507
194313723064, 3121to SP&S 508, 509
194413533108, 3122, 3134to SP&S 511, 510, 512
194613213113Wreck retirement
194813133049, 3086, 3107
1949128103005, 3010, 3014, 3048, 3092, 3094, 3098, 3111, 3128, 31433128 Wreck retirement, scrapped on site
195111863015, 3016, 3018, 3046, 3074, 30913018 retirement date; scrap date unknown
1952112293002–3004, 3007–3009, 3011, 3019, 3022, 3027, 3031, 3032, 3038, 3041, 3047, 3053, 3055, 3057, 3060, 3068, 3070, 3072, 3079, 3082, 3084, 3088, 3093, 3102, 31313011 and 3019 retirement dates; scrap date unknown
195383363001, 3013, 3017, 3020, 3021, 3025, 3033–3035, 3040, 3051, 3056, 3058, 3061, 3063, 3065, 3069, 3073, 3078, 3080, 3085, 3087, 3095–3097, 3104–3106, 3110, 3118, 3123, 3124, 3127, 3132, 3141, 3142
195547293006, 3030, 3036, 3037, 3042, 3052, 3054, 3062, 3066, 3067, 3071, 3075, 3076, 3081, 3083, 3089, 3090, 3100, 3103, 3109, 3114, 3115, 3125, 3126, 3130, 3133, 3136, 3137, 3140
19561823077, 3116
195716103000, 3012, 3045, 3050, 3059, 3112, 3117, 3119, 3120, 31393120 scrapped 1957; 3059 donated 1958; 3000, 3012, 3045, 3112, 3117, 3119 scrapped 1962; 3050, 3139 scrapped 1963.
1958663044, 3101, 3129, 3135, 3138, 31443129 scrapped 1962, others scrapped 1963.

The Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway scrapped its O-1s between 1945 and 1950.

Preservation

Only one O-1 has survived into preservation, No. 3059 of the second batch. It was built in February 1913 and retired in December 1957. On August 2, 1958, it was donated for display near the Williston Depot in Williston, North Dakota and currently resides there.[2] It is the sole surviving Great Northern "Mikado" type steam locomotive.

References
  1. Keyes & Middleton (1980), pp. 100, 102.
  2. "Great Northern Empire - then and Now".
  • Keyes, Norman C., Jr.; Middleton, Kenneth R. (Autumn 1980). "The Great Northern Railway Company: All-Time Locomotive Roster, 1861–1970". Railroad History. Boston, Mass.: Railway and Locomotive Historical Society. 143 (143): 100, 102. ISSN 0090-7847. JSTOR 43523930.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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