KnowThyEarlyMohawks_Oct7

Mohawk No. 2954 was the last L-2D on the roster, and poses for what may be her final
portrait in service. (Szwajkart)

The sun is setting on Mohawk No. 2954 as she takes water at Valley Junction, OH
on January 5, 1957. This engine, equipped with a Hudson style tender, would
vacate the roster on February 4, 1959! (Szwajkart)

L-2D No. 2954 is bathed in winter sun at Valley Junction, Ohio on January
5, 1957. The sun was about to set permanently on Mohawks and on all
New York Central steam four months later. (Szwajkart)

The last L-2D on the roster, No. 2954 was photographed
at Riverside, OH on August 17, 1958. (TRG)

The bulk of an L-2D, including a 94-inch diameter boiler, is visible in this
view of No. 2954 at Riverside on August 17, 1958. The dome cover has
been removed to inspect and certify the engine for service. (TRG)

Mohawk No. 2958 was at Englewood on November 21, 1953. At this time, there
was no mainline steam operation east of Cleveland or Detroit. (Szwajkart)

L-2D Mohawk No. 2969 crosses Main Street in Mishawaka, IN on a cold February
26, 1950. The westbound general freight that follows includes four Pacemaker
box cars. (Krambles-Peterson Archive)

L-2D No. 2973, with the word “OK” on her smokebox door and sporting a standard pilot that the
Michigan Central favored, was photographed at Niles, MI on June 21, 1953. There are black and
white photos of this scene in a number of collections. One photographer used color slide film,
and we are fortunate as a result of that decision. (Krambles-Peterson Archive)

Mohawk No. 2974 is at an unidentified location in this view from the early 1950’s.
This engine was retired in August, 1953. (Krambles-Peterson Archive)

Mohawk 2979 is running over the track pans at Chesterton, IN in this scene from the early
1950’s. The Chesterton pans, 41.5 miles east of the Chicago Station, were 2000 ft long and
were installed on both tracks one and two. The engineer may have had sufficient water to
complete the run, as there is no tender spray visible in the photo. This Mohawk was retired
in March, 1953. (Krambles-Peterson Archive)

Mohawk No. 2979 has been reversed, and the fireman and head brakeman are ready to
pick up their train in this 1952 image at Chesterton, IN. (Krambles-Peterson Archive)

Mohawk 2980, having suffered an overtreatment of boiler chemicals, poses in a perfect rods-down
position among a plethora of weeds, likely at Niles, MI in the early 1950’s. Originally numbered
2480, this Mohawk was retired in October, 1954. (Krambles-Peterson Archives)

The Oddities

The Central’s first attempt of a three-cylinder Mohawk was a rebuild of L-1B No. 2568. This
three-cylinder was unusual in that all three cylinders drove the second driving axle. (TRG)

This photopaster indicates that 2568 ran at 200 psi boiler pressure, and was equipped with a booster. The engine
was also significantly heavier than a standard L-1 as a result of the addition of a stoker and the weight of the
additional machinery and the third cylinder. Note the date on the back of the card, November, 1924. The front
of the card contains a placard under the tender indicating a date of September, 1922. (TRG)

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This is the only known photograph of a NYC three-cylinder Mohawk in road service, on a westbound freight
train near Solvay, NY on August 23, 1928. The engine was retired in 1936, which may explain the lack of
additional images. (TRG)

The railroad’s second attempt at three-cylinder design was L-1B Mohawk No. 2569. The mechanical specifications
differed considerably compared with No. 2568, and consisted of a larger diameter boiler and direct heating sur-
face, and less total heating surface. Based on this image, this engine may have been demoted to hump yard service
prior to its retirement. Neither engine was judged to be successful, and both engines were retired in January, 1936.
(NYCSHS)

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This L-1D Mohawk might have
been the only New York Central
steam locomotive ever modified
with an external Coffin feedwa-
ter heater.This engine was on a
southbound train at Gaines Jct,
PA in June, 1947. (NYCSHS-RT)

Mohawk No. 2677 with
the same train, most likely
photographed somewhere
on the Pennsylvania Division
of the New York Central.
(NYCSHS-RT)

L-2A Mohawk No. 2724 is
undergoing capacity testing,
and was photographed at
Toledo, OH on July 13, 1933.
The wooden front shield pro-
tected technicians as they took
indicator card readings from
each cylinder during each trip.
These indicator diagrams were
used to calculate cylinder
horsepower. (NYCSHS)

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This Mohawk was the first New York Central locomotive equipped with Scullin wheel centers. A December 7, 1932 press
release provided the following information:“The first locomotive of the New York Central Lines equipped with double disc
driving wheel centers. This brand-new type of locomotive wheel is cheaper than the old and is substantially lighter – thus
reducing the impacts of the wheels on the rails. This new type of wheel consists of double disc centers over which is placed
an ordinary locomotive tire. Other locomotives will be similarly equipped when they are sent to the shops for repairs.”

The Locomotive Record Card includes information that the tender of No. 2726 was equipped with “(Test) Timken Quad
type RB (roller bearing) Tender Trucks at WA (West Albany) on 11/26/32.” The 1946 Locomotive Classification Book lists
only two L-2A’s equipped with steam heat for passenger service, No. 2726 and No. 2794. (NYCSHS)

Mohawk 2726 was at Harmon, New York on April 4, 1936, still equipped with Scullin drivers. When the J-3A Hudson
was introduced in the Fall of 1937, 25 of the 50 engines were Scullin equipped. There were no additional Scullin
applications on Mohawks until the L-4A class of early 1943. (NYCSHS)

Mohawk No. 2995 was one of two L-2D’s modified specifically for dual service, although a significant number of
L-2 Mohawks were equipped with steam heat, including thirty-six of 100 L-2C’s and 74 of 100 L-2D’s, per the 1946
Locomotive Classification Book. All engine and tender axles of No. 2995, except driving axles, were equipped with
roller bearings in 1939. (NYCSHS-ABJ-JCS)

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Waiting for its train at Elkhart, No. 2995 was photographed with the Roman Serif numbering and
lettering prior to the lettering design change to Sans Serif in 1940. The engine is now equipped with
a Union Web Spoke main driving wheel. (NYCSHS-RS)

Mohawk 2998 sits at Elkhart in the early 1940’s. This engine was originally modified with lightweight main and side rods and
needle bearing valve motion, and cross counterbalanced for 80 mph operation. All engine and tender axles were equipped with
roller bearings, the cylinders were bushed from 27 inches to 25-1/2” to reduce reciprocating mass, steam pressure was increased
to 250 psi from 225 psi to maintain starting tractive effort. This engine was equipped with a complete set of lighter and stronger
Union Web Spoke driving wheels. These changes were successful, and led directly to the Late Mohawk L-3A dual service design of
1940. (NYCSHS-RS)

This view of the fireman’s side of No. 2998 was taken at Elkhart, IN on an unknown date. (NYCSHS-RS)

Compare this image of 2998, as-built, with the image of the modified engine.
This image was at Syracuse, NY sometime prior to 1939. (NYCSHS-JCS)

Converted L-2D No. 2998 at the New York World’s Fair. Notice that the engine has
no builders plate. Kiefer must have felt that the redesign was so extensive that
the railroad deserved the credit, and not Alco. (TRG)

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Paul Kiefer, Chief Engineer of Motive Power and Rolling Stock of the NYC, thought
enough of his redesign of a freight engine for dual service, that she was exhibited
at the New York World’s Fair of 1940. (NYCSHS-JH)

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A recently refurbished and streamlined Mohawk No. 2873 poses outside the Harmon Shops
in March 1936 for this official NYC portrait. The “Rexall” name has not yet been painted on
the front of the engine. (NYCSHS)

Converted from coal to oil, streamlined, and painted an attractive blue and white for her nationwide tour on behalf
of Rexall Drug Stores, the 2873 is at St. Louis, MO on November 22, 1936. The two photographers must have used film
with different characteristics based on tones in the images. (NYCSHS; NYCSHS-RJF-JH)

This front view of
No. 2873 shows the
Rexall lettering applied
to the engine after it was
outshopped at Harmon.
An employee, perhaps
the fireman based on
his clothing, might be
explaining a feature of
the engine to a visitor.
(NYCSHS)

After her days as the Rexall engine had passed, L-2C No. 2873 again rejoined the
Mohawk freight roster. Here she is at Harmon, NY on June 22, 1946. (NYCSHS-JH)

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L-2C No. 2815 was unique. Almost all NYC early Mohawks were equipped with Precision reverse gear, with cutoff adjusted with a wheel in
the cab.This L-2 and sister L-2C No. 2869 were modified for hump yard service at Harrisburg, IL. She was one of two Mohawks equipped
with “All-Service” reverse gear, which dispensed with the cutoff wheel in the cab and used a rachet and lever mechanism. (NYCSHS)

Mohawk No. 2837 has 66-car train CC-1 well in hand as it traverses the Belt around Indianapolis
en route to Kankakee. This Mohawk was one of two equipped with an aerial for a train-to-caboose
radio, the other being Mohawk No. 2886. The stanchions for the aerial are barely visible along the
top of the boiler from sand dome to cab roof. (NYCSHS-JKT)

Train No. 91 consisting of 61 cars is shown at Southeastern Avenue on the Indianapolis Belt, double
headed by L-2C’s numbers 2886 and 2855. The antenna for the cab-to-caboose radio is visible along
the boiler top of Mohawk 2886. (NYCSHS-JKT)

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This view of Big Four assigned L-2D No. 2926 and her train is puzzling. The train, consisting of what appears to
be an idler hopper and an old truss rod coach, may indicate the last use of a pay car or an eye inspection car or
a watch car. The train is stopped with the engine in reverse to clear a rural road crossing. The location is near a
station, as indicated by the old mail pickup stanchion in the foreground. The 2926 is worn, as indicated by the en-
larged piston and cylinder bores marked in chalk on the cylinder. The crew, obviously the engineer and his younger
fireman, are carefully posed in front of the engine. Cameras were not ubiquitous in the early 1950’s, so perhaps a
photographer or a relative with a camera was called to record this event, the identification of which is unknown. At
a minimum, we have a fine picture of a Mohawk close to retirement, which would occur in June of 1953. We also
have a glimpse of old-time railroading, and of operations that were discarded at the time of the steam to diesel tran-
sition. (NYCSHS)

For those interested in detail, here we present an earlier image of the fireman’s side of Mohawk 2926, with the
Union Web Spoke main driving wheel in view. The wheel drawing was issued in February of 1949, and a number
of L-2D Mohawks received this modification. (NYCSHS)

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L-2D Mohawk was also equipped with a Union Web Spoke main, as shown in this undated view with no
location identified. No. 2937, a Big Four alumnus, was retired on October 22, 1954. (NYCSHS)

Mohawk 2946, another Big Four Web Spoke engine, is shown on May 22, 1953 at an unknown location.
This engine would last until June 1, 1956. (NYCSHS)

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This old image of 2801 is the only one of a 2800 that we could find equipped with a steel pilot in place of the
standard L-2 footboard arrangement. Location and date are, unfortunately, unavailable. (NYCSHS)

Mohawk 2963 originally was a Line East locomotive. The enlarged sand dome and top boiler check and lack
of a booster are indications that this view is in the 1948-1950 time period.Temporary classification lamps may
indicate a Big Four or Michigan Central assignment. (NYCSHS)

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Mohawk 2968 rests at an unknown location near the end of her career. A booklet listing stokers in service by
locomotive road number, published in 1944, contains information that L-2D’s 2960-2974 were all assigned to
Line East, the probable location of this image. This L-2D was retired in December of 1953. (NYCSHS)

Mohawk 2971 proudly displays her steel pilot in this undated image at a Line East unidentified location.
Image post dates 1948 since her booster has been removed. (NYCSHS)

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With the Baker hooked up and in the “company notch”, and a slight haze at the stack, pilot equipped Mohawk 2992 gives
a train of reefers a high-speed trip.These L-2D’s roamed the entire railroad, and were allocated to Line East of Buffalo and
Line West. No. 2992 was a Line East engine, and this image was taken at Chili Jct on June 4, 1944. (NYCSHS)

The fireman of Mohawk Mohawk 2993 leads train
2992 is leaning on his DJ-5, a Detroit-Joliet run
armrest, assisting out of Junction Yard, with
his engineer in a traffic for western connec-
backup move at tions, in this view from
Malone, NY in the early 1950’s. (NYCSHS-
the late 1940’s. JKT)
(NYCSHS)

Mohawk 2993 heels
into a curve in this
view from NYCSHS
records. (NYCSHS)

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Mohawk No. 2997 has caught a caution block as a result of a Sperry Rail Detector Car ahead, and the engineer has
the reverse lever down in the corner in order to accelerate the 135 assorted empties to track speed. The NYC typical
low pole line on the right and the “tattle-tales” warning of low overhead clearance complete this view of the postwar
New York Central in the steam age. (NYCSHS-JKT)

The highest numbered L-2 Mohawk poses at an unknown location. The image is not dated, but the white paint on
the feedwater heater drum is dated 1953. Time was running out, as the 2999 was retired in April, 1953, and so this
may be her final photo. (NYCSHS)

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West Albany in 1931

Maintaining Mohawks

West Albany on conversion dates, began in 1944 and continued through
1948 for the 2700, 2800, and 2900 classes.
The ultimate success of the Mohawks was determined by
the size and quality of the infrastructure required to support In addition to Mohawk and Hudson Class repairs, other
this large fleet. One of the foremost railroad shops in the classes including Ten Wheelers, Mikados, and Pacifics were
nation in the days of steam was West Albany, the principal also overhauled at West Albany. The sheet that follows gives
overhaul location for all steam locomotives assigned east of some idea of the number and variety of locomotives that
Buffalo, NY. Construction of the repair and maintenance fa- were in-process on September 14, 1945. West Albany even
cility started in 1854, when the Central purchased 350 acres scheduled work from industrial and short line railroads, as
at the head of the long valley of Patroon’s Creek, and named evidenced by the existence of the Ft. Orange Paper locomo-
it West Albany. West Albany was a large facility, as shown in tive in the shop.
the 1931 image. In terms of capability, West Albany could
perform every repair that might be required on a steam In terms of volume, a 1947 recapitulation of steam assign-
locomotive, including rolling new boiler courses and com- ments, when dieselization was already well underway, had
plete firebox replacements. 1,064 locomotives assigned to Line East, including 66 L-1
Mohawks and 129 L-2 Mohawks. A review of available Lo-
The 6000 miles per month average mileage of the Mohawk comotive Record Cards indicates that a L-1 or L-2A Mohawk
fleet mandated Class repairs every twelve to sixteen months. Class overhaul at any location other than West Albany was
The railroad made some changes to the Mohawk design to not the norm. In addition to the L-2A subclass, there were
standardize the material used for Class repairs, the most im- forty-nine L-2C’s and L-2D’s also assigned to Line East.
pactful of which was the standardization of the tube and
flue sizes and their layout in the boiler. This program, based The overhauls completed at West Albany ebbed and flowed

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with the economy. For example,in 1937 there were a total of Underpinning this shop complex was a skilled and dedi-
454 locomotives that received Classified repairs, or an aver- cated workforce of NYC employees. It all went away with
age of almost thirty-eight per month as the nation started to dieselization, and the last locomotive to receive a Class over-
recover from the Depression. There was another economic haul at West Albany was not a Mohawk but a J-1 Hudson.
downturn in 1938, and West Albany was closed in April and No. 5270 was released on September 25, 1952, the end of
May, and July and August. Output for the year dropped to an era. The Record Cards show that many of the L-2A class
151 locomotives, or an average of 12.6 per month. Output were stranded and retired while on Line East. West Albany
recovered in 1939,with 331 locomotives receiving classified remained open for a time after the last locomotive overhaul
repairs. In 1940,294 locomotives received classified repairs. in order to perform maintenance and overhauls of the steam
In addition to scheduled classified repairs,West Albany per- boilers used on electric locomotives, but it spelled the end
formed unclassified repairs, usually three or four per month. of Mohawk operation on the east end of the railroad. The
river that gave the Mohawk its name would now see diesels.

Before a locomotive could be overhauled, disassembly was required. In this view, a 250-ton Niles crane in erecting
shop “D” is lifting the boiler and its appliances so that the driving wheel sets and front truck can be removed for
overhaul. Some shops used a transfer table to move all of the driving wheel sets from under the locomotive. Evident-
ly, this was not done at West Albany. The boiler, now separated from its running gear, will be placed either on dolly
wheels or on stands so the boiler can be stripped. Many parts intended for reuse will be submerged in a lye vat for
cleaning. It was dangerous, difficult, and dirty work. (RLB)

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West Albany had unusual capabilities, including the
ability to roll a complete boiler course, as shown in
this image. (RLB)

Workman James Rourke directs the movement of the
fourth driving wheel set of an L-1 or L-2 Mohawk at
West Albany on April 26, 1948. The chalk mark on
the tire indicates the position of the wheel set on the
locomotive. Note also the second chalk mark indicating
a problem area on the tire. The flanged main bearings
with their lubricating surface are visible. These driving
boxes are held in the pedestal jaws of the frame with
pedestal caps, which are bolted to the engine bed
casting at each pedestal jaw. (RLB)

Locomotive Record Cards Early additions to the L-2A class included “windshield
wings” from August through October, 1929, possibly at the
I have included a Tabulation of the entire quantity of Lo- urging of the unions. In late 1929 until early 1930, locomo-
comotive Record Cards for the L-2 class in the possession tive valve pilots were applied to the L-2A’s.
of NYCSHS, and a sample of Record Cards are included
for various individual locomotives in the L-2A, L-2C, and From mid-1930 through early 1935, Nathan DV-5 mechan-
L-2D subclasses. If the actual date of the modification is ical lubricators were applied, and floating top guides were
available from the Record Card, that date is included in the applied to most of the L-2A’s in September 1931. The L-2’s
tabulation. If no installation date was available, the date received modifications to rods and crossheads to permit
used is the date that the modification was recorded. Some the use of Alemite hard grease equipment in 1938.
of the record dates lag the installation date by up to six
months. In spite of this, the Record Cards provide valuable In the time period from early 1940 through mid-1941, the
information regarding the dates that many modifications tenders of the L-2A’s were modified with sideboards to
were performed on the L-2 class.

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increase coal capacity from 21 tons to 25 tons. I have been with steam heat capability for passenger service, including
unable to unearth a view of the rear of an L-2A tender to engines 2828 and 2983, received coal pushers after they
determine whether the coal capacity was changed, but I were retrofitted with steam heat capability.
suspect that it was. No L-2C or L-2D’s received this mod-
ification. These subclasses used a different tender design From early 1936 through the summer of 1937, a contin-
with a capacity of 28 tons. uous automatic boiler blowdown system was installed.
This system was also applied to J-1 Hudsons during this
No L-1’s or L-2’s received tender coal pushers when built. approximate time period, and lasted a number of years. By
Based on photographs,the two converted L-2D’s,road num- the summer of 1943, this system was removed and the lo-
bers 2995 and 2998, were equipped with coal pushers. We comotives reverted to a manual blowdown system. The
were not able to determine whether those L-2’s equipped amount and cost of the treated boiler water that was eject-

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ed during each trip most likely made the system uneco- piece engine beds. This bed section was applied during
nomical. There may have been extraneous factors that led Class repairs, and the bed included the front bumper, the
to this decision to remove the automatic system during the air compressor mounting flanges, the cylinders and cradle,
war, possibly the scarcity of chemicals in the quantity that and the bed section including the pedestal jaws for the
the railroad would have required. main driving wheels. Most of these applications occurred
in the mid-1939 to mid-1941 time period.
From the limited sample size for the L-2C and L-2D when
compared with the L-2A, it appears that modifications and In the 1942-46 period, a number of Mohawks had their
improvements in the manufacturing process in the four- original generator brackets replaced with brackets manu-
year interval between the L-2A’s and the shipments of the factured from cast steel. The road’s J-1 Hudsons also suf-
L-2C’s and L-2D’s resulted in fewer modifications and great- fered this malady, and cast steel brackets were applied to
er overhaul intervals. The L-2A class received overhauls them also.
on approximately an annual basis, while the later engines’
overhaul intervals were longer. All sixteen of the L-2A’s In 1947, an auxiliary air reservoir was added to the valve
for which we have card data received at least one new gear so that the cutoff wheel of the locomotive could be
firebox, and seven locomotives received a second firebox, used to reverse the engine, even if the main air reservoir
including two installations noted as “wide”, for which we was damaged. This ICC rule was enacted as a result of an
have no drawings. In contrast, none of the L-2C’s and L-2D’s accident on the PRR which prevented the engineer from
for which we have Record Cards received a new firebox reversing his engine in an effort to avoid a collision after
during their careers. the main reservoir was breached.

There was a significant quantity of modifications, some of There were three major modifications made to the L-2’s
which were probably roundhouse applied between trips, in the 1949-50 period, as they were shopped. Cast steel
and others were performed during Class repairs. The rail- steam pipes were installed, a A-5-A compressor governor
road applied “Herron Netting” to the inside of the smoke- was applied, and the modification to the boiler to admit
box of the L-2’s, with most applications in mid-1942. water at the top of the boiler, known as a “top check”, was
made.
In April of 1943, almost all of the locomotives for which we
have Record Cards received shatterproof glass. This may
have been a new ICC requirement, and it may have applied
only to the front cab windows that permitted a view over
the running board.

In February, 1944, the L-2’s received flange type piston
packing, which was probably applied at a roundhouse.

In the period from November of 1944 through March of
1947, the Type F-1 Precision power reverse wheel was ret-
rofitted with a clutch arrangement that converted it to the
F-2 type. There had been instances of the original power
reverse wheel spinning rapidly when an engineer adjusted
the valve cutoff, with broken wrists as a result.

The Selkirk drafting arrangement, which consisted of
changes to the exhaust table, the petticoat pipe, and the
stack, were made to the L-2A class in 1938. Most of the
L-2’s received new front engine bed sections, including
most of the L-2C and L-2D’s, which were built with one-

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