KnowThyEarlyMohawks_Oct7

Mohawks 2657 and 2660 display their latest upgrades to a small group of attendees outside of a roundhouse in
a metropolitan area, perhaps the New York city area. The dress code and straw hat of one visitor indicates a likely
1926 or 1927 date for this photo. (NYCSHS)

Mohawk 2665 departs Harmon, NY with a fast freight on a cold April day in 1929. (NYCSHS)
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Prototype L-2A No. 2700 is shown new, before painting, at Alco in March, 1925. The railroad made several changes
to the design before the first production L-2A’s were delivered starting in February, 1926. Notice the older-style Baker
valve gear yoke, the tapered cab, and the lack of a superheater plate above the builder’s plate. (NYCSHS)

The L-2 Mohawk

The History firing to take full advantage of this furnace volume would
have been impossible.
In 1922, the New York Central began the acquisition of 302
Mikados of the new Lima H-10 class, although 185 of these This locomotive had some features that were not success-
locomotives would be built by Alco, the Central’s favorite ful, the most notable of which was the use of a sixty-per-
supplier. They found favor on the Central’s subsidiaries, cent limited cutoff. While the use of limited cutoff resulted
including the Ohio Central, the Michigan Central, the Big in higher drawbar horsepower at running speeds, its basic
Four, and the P&LE. Most of them were transferred to design made it difficult to start heavy trains. A feature in-
these subsidiaries by 1930, and those that remained were trinsic to the design of limited cutoff locomotives was low-
assigned to Line West of Buffalo. New York Central em- er piston thrusts at starting. The low speed piston thrusts
ployees came to regard these “Sport Models” as over-cylin- were not as high as the piston thrusts of a locomotive with
dered, slow, and a little slippery, and those assigned to Line an initial cutoff in the range of 82-85 percent. The lower
West were relegated to locals and set-off trains. With 63- amplitude of these power pulses resulted in a smoother
inch driving wheels, they were deemed too slow for “fast tractive effort curve, and one result of this reduced piston
freight”. thrust is that a lower adhesive weight was possible, since
the locomotive would be less susceptible to “quarter-slip”
Individual axle load limits on the Central most likely pro- under conditions requiring maximum tractive effort when
hibited a higher capacity Mikado type, one that would be adhesion levels were low. The limited cutoff of the A-1 was
larger and faster than the latest edition of the Mike, the so extreme that the cylinders were provided with auxiliary
H-10B of 1924. The somewhat earlier version of the rail- ports for the forward direction to get sufficient steam into
road’s standard Line East freight engine, the L-1 Mohawk, the cylinders when starting. While limited cutoff was a
did have room for growth, in part due to the additional fuel and water saver, it was never universally adopted by
axle. The boiler was sufficiently large while individual axle the industry, and many locomotives that were built with
loads were lower than those of the H-10, and the larger di- this feature were modified to a full cutoff design as they
ameter driving wheels and the reduced weight of the main were shopped. On the New York Central, the B&A Berk-
rod were distinct advantages for high speed operation. shires were converted to full cutoff, and boiler pressure
was reduced from 240 psi to 220 psi by 1946. The reduc-
The First “Superpower” Locomotive, tion in boiler pressure combined with a change from limit-
the B&A’s A-1 Class Berkshire ed to full cutoff resulted in essentially the same calculated
starting tractive effort, including the effect of the auxiliary
The logical extension of the Lima thinking resulted in starting ports in the original design.
the first “Superpower” steam locomotive in the country,
the Lima A-1 class 2-8-4 Berkshire of 1925. The Central’s Another problem with the A-1 class B&A Berkshires was
stated purpose in the design of locomotives was “produc- that the trailing truck supported the ash pan and was the
ing maximum output at a minimum fuel consumption in a connection point for the engine to tender drawbar. As a
locomotive of minimum weight.” The most notable feature result, the first of these engines had problems when taking
of theA-1 Berkshire was a large furnace area which required slack or backing with a train, resulting at times in a derail-
a four-wheel trailing truck, resulting in a new 2-8-4 ment of the trailing truck.
wheel arrangement. This locomotive included some in-
dustry advances, such as cast steel cylinders, and a general
trend to larger firebox volume. The use of a large furnace
resulted in greater horsepower potential, due to the abili-
ty to generate greater amounts of steam. The increase in
firebox volume, in turn, was a result of the ability to feed
coal to this grate with the use of a mechanical stoker. Hand

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The last ten of the B&A Berkshires, Road nos. 1445-1454, wheelbase of 80-inches. The trailing truck of the previous
had different design details compared with the earlier Class A-1A and A-1B Berkshires had a wheelbase of 102-inches.
A-1A and A-1B engines.The location of the sand dome and The last version of the A-1, the A-1C, did use a full-length,
the steam dome were relocated, perhaps to rebalance the one piece engine bed casting. The engine to tender draw-
engine. These late Berkshires used a Coffin feedwater heat- bar was connected to this casting in the traditional manner.
er located inside the smokebox, giving them a different That revised connection point to the bed casting and not
appearance. The grate area of 100 sq ft was retained, but to the trailing truck eliminated the operational headache
it was now supported by a delta style trailing truck with a described previously.

The relatively small driving wheels of 63-inch diameter,large Designed to “Fit”
cylinders, limited cutoff, heavy main and side rods, and high
driving axle loads all made this locomotive unsuitable for The Central was large enough to “go its own way” with re-
the high speed mainline of the New York Central. gard to motive power. Locomotive designs used by other
railroads were, generally speaking, not adaptable to NYC
Designing for Efficiency service due to the restricted vertical clearances on the rail-
road, especially east of Buffalo. These restricted clearances
The railroad was obsessed with efforts to reduce the limited NYC power to a maximum height of no more than
amount of coal used due to the increasing cost of coal de- 15’-0-3/8” (later15’-3”) and maximum locomotive width of
livered to a tender,and the logistical effort required to have 10’-7-1/2”, with a “plus one-inch” tolerance on height and
it available when required. The Mohawk and the Syracuse width. During the time period up to the 1940’s, most lo-
Divisions used the most coal. A new locomotive that was comotives did not exceed a height of 14’-11”. There were
fast and efficient and tailored for these two, Line East Di- other restrictive clearance limitations at the bottom of the
visions became a primary design objective, and Alco and Clearance Diagram that also could not be infringed.
the Central’s Equipment Engineering Department went to
work.

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45

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The Original L-2A No. 2700 gear yoke. On No. 2700, the Baker gear was actuated by an
Alco power reverse mechanism.
The first L-2A, number 2700, was built by Alco as a “Spec.
locomotive”, although it is obvious that the NYC Motive A number of design elements were incorporated to in-
Power Department played a significant role in the design. crease the L-2A’s efficiency, including a superheater that
In March of 1925, Alco had the prototype advanced Mo- was 60 percent larger than that used on the L-1, an Elesco
hawk ready for New York Central testing. The locomotive feedwater heater, and an increase in the length of the com-
weighed 364,000 lb, with a weight on driving wheels of bustion chamber over the L-1 Mohawk, from 40-7/8-inches
244,000 lb. In comparison, the railroad’s latest H-10B Mi- to 51-inches. This, in turn, increased the direct heating sur-
kado built for the CCC&StL (Big Four) weighed 334,500 face, consisting of the firebox and arch tubes, by 40 per-
lb, with a weight on drivers of 244,600 lb. Alco had incor- cent vs. the H-10B Mikado. An increase in boiler pressure
porated some design elements that the Central had used over the L-1 class from 180 (later 200) psi to 225 psi per-
previously,and some that had no precedent on the railroad. mitted the cylinder diameter to be reduced from 28-inch-
Included in the prototype were a Chambers front end es on the L-1 to 27-inches on the L-2A, which resulted in
throttle with the throttle linkage passing through the sand reduced reciprocating and counterbalance weight, both
dome, a cab with a slanted forward wall, and the use of the advantages for higher speed operation. Piston stroke was
same 12-wheel tender that had been retrofitted to many increased two inches over the L-1, to take full advantage
of the L-1 class, which had a coal capacity of 18 tons and a of the expansive property of higher-pressure, higher tem-
water capacity of 15,000 gal. The L-2A prototype, No. 2700, perature steam.
also used the same delta trailing truck suspension system
that had been applied to the modified 3-cylinder L-1 No. The official delivery date of No. 2700 in the Central’s re-
2568, and an early photograph of this engine revealed that cords is March, 1925, and the back of the photopaster card
it was equipped with the earlier form of the Baker valve that contains the weights and dimensions replicates this

47

date. However, the front of the photopaster card contains the original 2700.
a sign under the tender with a date of August, 1925, and
this image also shows that the Baker valve gear yoke had This L-2A class, consisting of 100 locomotives, resembled
been replaced with a more modern design valve gear yoke. the upgraded L-1 class, with an overhung Elesco feedwater
heater, front deck mounted air pumps, and a twelve-wheel
Road Numbers 2701-2799 tender with much greater coal and water capacity. All L-2’s,
specifically designed for freight service, were equipped
The builder’s photograph of prototype No. 2700 shows with boosters. Baker valve gear was standard. The orig-
that this engine had a superheater header with no cover inal L-2A’s had bar style, built-up main frames and during
access from the top of the boiler, a change made in the their lives a one-piece partial bed casting that included the
production L-2A’s. The ninety-nine production L-2A’s used cylinders, brackets for the deck mounted air pumps, and a
the multi-chamber throttle located inside the superheater pedestal guide for the first axle was retrofitted to some or
header. The arrangement of equipment, including the all engines. The L-2’s all had combustion chambers, while
running boards and main reservoir and other equipment no combustion chambers were applied to the contempo-
under the running board, was changed for the production rary J-1 class Hudson.
engines. The production L-2A’s weighed a little less than

This partial view of the cab area of prototype L-2A No. 2700 shows the details of the slanted cab forward wall.
Also of interest is a device above immediately above the trailing truck rockers which might have been designed
to either increase adhesive weight on the trailer in order to improve adhesion and reduce slippage when the
booster was operating, or to reduce skewing when the booster operated. This device, also fitted to L-1 three-
cylinder Mohawk No. 2568, was not repeated on production Mohawks. (NYCSHS)

48

Evolution of the L-2A

“As the result of the performance of locomotive 2700,nine-
ty-nine locomotives of similar design, with certain changes
made under the Railroad Company’s Equipment Engineer-
ing Department’s direction, known as class L-2A, were or-
dered…” (NYCL Magazine,April 1926)

The following identifiable changes were incorporated in - The use of cast steel cylinders reduced locomotive
the fleet of ninety-nine L-2A’s, which were delivered one weight by 2,500 lb.
year after No. 2700 appeared, starting in February, 1926
and continuing through April, 1926. - The L-2A used a 115-inch (on centers) main rod,
an increase in main rod length over the 98-inch
- The total engine weight was reduced by 1500 lb main rod applied to the L-1 class.
compared with No. 2700, to 362,500 lb.

- Total weight on drivers was reduced to 242,000 lb.
The weight on the front truck was also reduced,
and an additional weight of 1,500 lb was transferred
to the trailing truck, which might have improved
booster adhesion and performance.

49

- The Chambers front end throttle was eliminated, - The steam dome retained the external fitting for
and the front-end throttle was incorporated into applying a Bradford dome throttle, if necessary,
the design of the superheater header, eliminating similar to the dome used on the L-1’s.
the need to pass the throttle rod through the
sand box. The throttle rod to the superheater - An increase in coal capacity was made in the
was relocated to a position lower on the boiler, twelve-wheel tender design, from 18 to 21 tons,
to approximately the ten o’clock position. while maintaining a water capacity of 15,000 gal.

- The position of the Elesco feedwater heater drum - A larger cab was applied with a larger window,
was raised slightly, and piping to and from the drum and the running board adjacent to the third
was outside of the smokebox, which would result in boiler course was lower, permitting the use
additional smokebox interior volume. of the Central’s standard forward cab window
and door assembly.
- The flat top of the superheater header was
redesigned and enlarged, in order to add a
removable top cover for maintenance of the
pilot valve and the throttle butterflies.

50

51

This image of the fireman’s side of No. 2700 highlighted the booster piping, using either light grey or white paint.
(NYCSHS)

- A cover was applied over the cab turret. - Miscellaneous piping on the side of the engine
was either rerouted or covered, or hidden under
- The delta trailing truck suspension component the boiler jacket.
was eliminated.
- The tender lettering “New York Central Lines”
- A Precision power reverse mechanism was used, was reduced to “New York Central”. (While
replacing the Alco power reverse mechanism. systemwide operation of L-2’s was in the future,
The Precision mechanism was relocated closer the L-2A’s were delivered primarily for Mohawk
to the cab. Division service.)

- A larger main reservoir replaced the main reservoir - The most interesting area of the L-2A was the design
used on No. 2700. and the mounting of the front engine truck to the
frame. Additionally, there is evidence that these
- The relocation of some of the items under the dimensions changed with time. The original
running board resulted in a change in the height information is contained in the April 1926 edition
of running board sections vs No. 2700. of the New York Central Magazine:

52

“A more satisfactory weight distribution was ob- One additional reference exists that provides locomotive
tained through the construction of the engine truck. road numbers. William Edson kept records of modifica-
The 89-inch center line of the engine truck center pin tions completed on various classes of engines. His tabula-
is 6-inches to the rear of the transverse center of the tion of the date and shop location where Mohawks were
cylinders and is also 4-inches to the rear of the center modified with the location of the boiler feed pipe to the
line of the engine truck wheel base. This arrangement top of the boiler, lists seven L-2A’s (2701, 2704, 2707, 2715,
places a greater weight on the rear engine truck wheels 2716, 2724, 2794) that were modified at Collinwood in the
than on the front wheels, which shifts a greater period from 9/4/48 to 3/17/50.
proportion of the total weight of the engine onto
the truck itself.” The records for the modification at Beech Grove, IN con-
tain the following locomotive road numbers: 2703, 2705,
Later documentation contained in the elevation Diagram 2706, 2708, 2711, 2717, 2718, 2720, 2770, 2788, and 2790.
in the 1946 Steam Locomotive Classification Book lists the
L-2A front truck having a 90-inch wheelbase, which was This information is consistent with the previous assign-
10-inches longer than the L-1 front truck wheelbase. The ment of eighteen L-2A’ s on Line West.
center plate pivot point of the L-2A truck was displaced six
inches toward the cab end of the locomotive. As a result Edson’s tabulation also indicates that the remaining eighty-
of this change, the weight on the front truck increased and two L-2A’s were all modified at West Albany. It is unclear
the weight on drivers decreased, as evidenced by a com- from his notes whether this modification was performed
parison of the photopaster card specifications of 2700 and as a part of a class overhaul, or as a separate program.
2743.
Additional Evolutionary Changes
A review of the locomotive diagrams for later L-2 subclass-
es of Mohawks documents that the principal dimensions of Cab Roof Wind Deflector
the truck and its location differed among these subclasses. A cab roof wind deflector drawing was issued that called
for the application to the L-2A Mohawk. Date of this draw-
L-2A Assignments ing is May 13, 1929. (T-29392)

The L-2A’s were designed specifically for fast freight oper- Lubricators
ation over the Mohawk Division between Selkirk Engine Lubricators were applied per T-36161 dated November 20,
Terminal near Albany, NY, and the DeWitt Engine Termi- 1929.
nal, located approximately eight miles east of Syracuse,
NY. With the arrival of later L-2 subclasses and L-3 and L-4 Cast Case Headlight
Mohawks, these assignments changed. For example, as of The railroad began applying Pyle-National cast case head-
March 1, 1944, the following eighteen L-2A Mohawks were lights to motive power in the mid 1930’s. However, a num-
assigned to Line West (of Buffalo): 2700, 2701, 2703-05, ber of L-2A Mohawks that were retired as late as the early
2710-11, 2715-18, 2720, 2724, 2784, 2788, 2790, 2794, 2798 1950’s retained their original Sunbeam headlights.

At that time, all other L-2A’s were assigned to Line East. Main and Side Rods
Main and side rods were redesigned at least once, along
In a January 1, 1947 Recapitulation, the quantity of L-2A with a material upgrade from steel to manganese-vanadi-
Mohawks assigned by region had changed only slightly. um steel, and required driving wheels to be rebalanced.
There were 80 L-2A’s assigned to Line East,nineteen to Line Date of this change is March 27, 1936.
West, and one assigned to the Big Four. The additional L-2A
reassigned to Line West was No. 2770, based on the Loco- A note on Rev. F of V-34837 dated April 14, 1943, that elim-
motive Mileage and Tire Report dated 1/31/50. inated engine 2726 with Scullin wheels, most likely indi-
cates that the Scullin drivers applied to No. 2726 were re-
moved at that time. (V-29969,V-29970,V-34837)

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Continuous Blowdown Smoke Stack
The drawing specifying this change is dated A new stack and different method of manufacture was
September 4, 1936. (N-34935) specified, and this change made the stack for the L-2 and
the J-1 Hudson classes the same. Date of this change is
June 3, 1939. (V-70268)

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Engine Bed Changes haul of all of the L-2 Mohawks since many of these mods
There were a number of engine bed changes, including the were completed during the War. It is also possible that the
application of a partial cast steel engine bed assembly for change was made due to unavailability or limited supply of
use with a two-rail frame. (This may indicate more than certain sizes of tubes and flues during the War.
one frame design. No drawings exist to confirm this.) This
cast front bed assembly included the front deck with air Superheater Header
compressor mounting flanges,front bumper,new cylinders The header was redesigned to remove the bifurcated su-
and saddle,valve gear mounting brackets,and pedestal jaws perheater tube design. (T-36420)
that included the first and second driving wheel set. Loco-
motive record cards include this information, but a specific Cab Side Ventilator
assembly drawing reference is not available. (N-36485) Drawing V-72451 was issued on November 14, 1944 to add
cab side ventilators to the L-2 Mohawks. As information,
The frame pedestal caps were changed specifically on lo- the L-1 class was added to this drawing per Rev C dated
comotives 2736, 2757, 2758, 2773, 2787, and probably oth- April 9, 1946. (V-72451)
ers. (T-36097)

There were internal changes in the cylinder saddle, includ- Larger Sand Dome
ing the enlargement of steam passages and also provision The railroad replaced the original sand dome with a sand
for booster exhaust. (N-35510) dome of greater capacity on its L-2 Mohawks and J-1 Hud-
sons, based on a drawing date of December 28, 1944.
The cylinder internal exhaust pipes were enlarged from (While the official drawing name used by the Central is
4-1/4 x 10 to 5-1/4 x 10. (V-70195,V-70529) “sand box”, the author has elected to use the words “sand
dome”, as the container that was used to contain sand on
Tube and Flue Layout Change a NYC steam locomotive was not rectangular but had a
There was a tube and flue layout change, based on the En- domelike shape.) (X-72405)
gineering notes of William Edson, Chief Mechanical Engi-
neer. Beginning in mid-1944 and continuing through at Sander Cover Removal
least October of 1950, the quantity and diameter of the The L-2 Mohawks arrived with sander covers. These were
tubes and flues was changed on all L-2 Mohawks. On subsequently removed, based on photographs. No draw-
the L-2A class, Edson’s notes indicate that the tubes and ing exists that specifies their removal.
flues were changed from 210 – 3-1/2” and nine – 2-1/4”
to 180 – 3-1/2” and 74 – 2-1/4”. (The specifications on Bell Relocation
the back of the photopaster card differ.) On the L-2C and A bell application drawing was issued on February 2, 1945,
L-2D Mohawks, the tubes and flues were changed from 199 that relocated the bell on L-2A Mohawks (only) to a location
– 3-1/2” and 40 – 2-1/4” to 180 – 3-1/2” and 77 – 2-1/4”. immediately ahead of the stack. Photos indicate that some,
Most of these modifications were made at West Albany or and perhaps all, L-2A Mohawks received this modification,
Collinwood. Most of the modifications to the L-2B’s were which may have been required with the use of a larger
made at Beech Grove. These changes are also different sand dome and relocation of the boiler feedwater pipe and
than the tube and flue layout described by the photopas- valve to a top check design. The following Mohawks, as
ter card for the contemporary J-1 Hudson with the same a minimum were modified: 2732, 2745, 2750, 2757, 2762,
diameter boiler. There is no explanation for this change, 2768, 2769, 2771, 2772, 2775, 2792, and 2794. (T-72549)
but it must have occurred as the Edson notes document
individual locomotive road numbers with locations and
dates. Since this program started well after the modifica-
tions to the Selkirk drafting arrangement were made, there
may have been some extraneous reason or reasons for this
modification. The modification may have been made to
standardize the type and quantity of material used for over-

56

57

58

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Auxiliary Air Reservoir not all L-2A’s, based on photographs. There is no drawing
This auxiliary reservoir became a requirement for le- documentation for this change.
ver-type air operated power reverse gears for locomotives
in road service, and date of this drawing is April 9, 1946. Union Web Spoke Main Driving Wheel
(V-73283) A replacement Union Web Spoke main driving wheel was
specified for L-2 Mohawks in a drawing dated February 10,
Top Boiler Check 1949. There is no photographic evidence that any L-2A’s
The railroad determined that a better entrance for water received this replacement driving wheel, but a number of
into the boiler would be at the top of the boiler and not at L-2D Mohawks were modified. (X-74889)
the sides. Accordingly, a modification for this change was
implemented to mainline steam after the War. No drawing Selkirk Drafting Arrangement
is available that applies specifically to L-2A Mohawks. That The railroad modified many of its locomotives in mainline
modification drawing for Hudsons was issued December 4, service to the Selkirk drafting arrangement, starting about
1945, and a similar drawing specifically for Mohawks must 1940. Mohawks were modified as they were shopped.
have followed at about the same time. The earliest date we
have for modification of an L-2A Mohawk is September 4, Booster Removal
1948 to L-2A No. 2794. (Edson) Boosters were removed from many locomotives in 1948.
There is no drawing that specifies a date for this change.
Cast Steel Steam Pipes
The railroad began specifying cast steel for steam pipes in Sand Box Cleanout Port
1948. A cleanout port was added to the sand box drawing for
many classes of steam locomotives in a drawing dated June
Valve Gear Yoke/Frame 29, 1949. There is an earlier date of April 2, 1949 on a sec-
A redesigned valve gear frame was applied to some but ond drawing. (T-74972, X-72405)

The engineer of L-2A 2730 is looking at his lap, and probably his watch, as he leaves a station stop with a mixed
train in this view of railroading on the Mohawk Division in the early 1940’s. (NYCSHS)

60

Mohawk 2701 is laying over between assignments and is shown “as-built”. Location and date are unknown.
No. 2701 was assigned to Line West as of March, 1944. (NYCSHS-JH)

Mohawk No. 2712 teams with B&A Berkshire No. 1435 to move a freight over the B&A.
The image was taken at East Springfield, MA in June of 1946. (JW-TRG)

61

Mohawk 2705’s engineer is waiting for the table and a roundhouse
stall, in this image from the late 1940’s at Elkhart, IN. (NYCSHS)

L-2A No. 2706 leads a reefer train through the electric zone
in the New York City area in this 1945 scene. (NYCSHS)

L-2A No. 2708 takes a mixed consist, including a number of hoppers,
through Peekskill, NY on December 18, 1944. (NYCSHS)

Mohawk No. 2740 was the subject for the company photographer
in this postwar view on the Hudson Division. (NYCSHS)

Mohawks 2747 and 2943 double head an eastbound freight between E. 9th St
and E 26th St. in Cleveland, OH in May of 1951. (NYCSHS-HLV)

Mohawk 2758 walks a train through the Harmon station platform area, while the fireman tries to
look beyond the cloud of escaping steam, probably from a leaking booster steam pipe. (NYCSHS)

66

Mohawk 2757, with a mixed freight in tow, runs along the Hudson River
in this mid 1940’s view of four track railroading, NYC style! (NYCSHS)

Newly outshopped Mohawk 2769 and a sister L-2A, the 2721, team up on freight. The fireman and head brakeman
of the lead engine are enjoying the ride. The fireman on No. 2721 has two elbows on his armrest. With two safety
valves lifting, his engine is hot and his work is momentarily interrupted. This photo was made just outside of
Lebanon, IN, on the 32-mile stretch to Altamont, the junction with the NKP just east of Lafayette, IN. The lack
of boosters on both engines indicates a date in the early 1950’s. (NYCSHS)

Mohawk No. 2770 poses near the Wesleyville, PA coal dock in this scene dated June 20, 1948. There are six
locomotives in this image, including an L-2C and an L-4A, two switchers, and Hudson No. 5292. (RFC-TRG)

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L-2A No. 2770 is at rest above Water Street in Wesleyville, PA on June 20, 1948. (RFC-TRG)

The strong lighting casts a shadow on hardworking Mohawk No. 2775, Westbound on the Mohawk Division. The
large sand box and bell mounted ahead of the stack allow us to estimate a date after February, 1945. (NYCSHS)

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Mohawk 2777 is in reverse, and seems to be handing off a caboose to Alco switcher No. 8530. The Mohawk is a vet-
eran. The diesel was delivered in February, 1945, and the Mohawk dates from April, 1926. The location is Rochester,
NY, about 1950. (NYCSHS-JH)

Mohawk 2778 has just crossed the Annville Bridge, and is headed south with a mix of hoppers and box cars.
The dramatic sky and smoke plume of the engine are, we suspect, the result of some darkroom magic. (NYCSHS)

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Mohawk 2779 rests at Weehawken, NJ in the late 1940’s. (NYCSHS-JH)

In addition to providing
an excellent view of the
cab of Mohawk 2785,
this image might have
documented a test
installation of the use
of a handle to blow
down the firebox water
leg from the running
board. This apparatus
does not appear on any
builder’s photographs.
(NYCSHS)

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We would be remiss if we did not make an image available of a Mohawk taking water “on the fly”. Here we have hard
working Mohawk No. 2796, exhaling slightly superheated steam, over the East Palmyra, NY pans on the Syracuse Division.
Momentarily, the scoop will be lifted by the fireman, since water is exiting the tender overflow. The watchman in the boil-
er house is firing furiously to replenish the pans and to bubble steam through them to keep them from freezing. He may
not have much time. There will probably be another train in about ten minutes. (NYCSHS)

Front view of CCC&StL (Big Four) L-2B is almost identical to the Central’s L-2C class. These engines
were built in February and March 1929, at the same time as the L-2C class. (NYCSHS)

73

The L-2B’s arrive on the “Big Four” first fifteen locomotives used the Elesco feedwater heat-
ing system, while ten locomotives, Road Numbers 6215-
Road Numbers 2900-2924 (Originally Big Four 6200- 6224 used the Worthington open type feedwater heater.
6224) The Elesco engines carried the heater drum in a recess at
Starting in February, 1929, the CCC&StL subsidiary of the the top front of the smokebox. The tenders of these “Big
New York Central and known as the “Big Four”, received a Four” L-2B’s was also different than those used by the Cen-
refined version of the L-2A Mohawk. These engines, class tral. They included an increase in coal capacity to twen-
L-2B, did not resemble the Central’s L-2A class but were al- ty-five tons and maintained the 15,000 gal. water capacity.
most identical to the L-2A in principal dimensions. The Big The tenders were not equipped with water scoops, since
Four engines had a different tube and flue layout compared there were no track pans on the Big Four. These tenders
with the L-2A and this, and the use of some different appli- were readily identifiable by the long water deck. In 1936,
ances and the fact that all twenty-five were equipped with the Central instituted a locomotive renumbering program,
steam heat for passenger service, were responsible for a and these twenty-five locomotives were renumbered from
weight increase to 367,000 lb.The twenty-five locomotives 6200-6224, to 2900-2924. Due to the tender limitation,
of this order,Road Numbers 6200-6224,differed principally they spent their entire careers on the Big Four.
in appearance due to the use of different appliances. The

74

A Major Change? Evolution of the L-2B

The time period during which the first L-2B’s were deliv- The L-2B class were renumbered from 6200-6224 to 2900-
ered coincides with the introduction of a one-piece cast 2924 in the systemwide renumbering by the New York
engine bed on deliveries of Hudson passenger engines. Central in 1937.
There are no drawings that confirm that the L-2B’s and lat-
er L-2 Mohawk subclasses received this innovation, but we When the L-2B’s were delivered, the independent subsidi-
suspect that all Mohawks after the original L-2A’s received ary of the Central known as the Big Four was responsible
this feature. The Locomotive Record Cards contain infor- for their design and operation. At that time, the CCC&StL’s
mation that the L-2A Mohawks received, as a modification, mechanical office was located in Cleveland, OH. Changes
partial castings that consisted of the front deck, air com- made to the L-2B engines were documented with a separate
pressor mounting flanges, cylinders and cylinder saddle, drawing series, and changes were made which were appli-
valve gear mounting pads, and pedestal jaws complete to cable to both the L-2B’s and the Big Four L-2D’s,which were
include the #2 main pedestal jaw. received by the CCC&StL in November, 1929. The chang-
es made to the Big Four L-2B’s and L-2D’s are described in
the L-2D evolution that follows, and many of those changes
were implemented to standardize the L-2B and Big Four
L-2D class with the Central’s L-2C and L-2D Mohawks.

This Worthington feedwater heater advertisement used L-2B No. 6222 as its subject. Big Four engines 6215-6224
inclusive used the Worthington feedwater heater, while engines 6200-6214 used Elesco equipment. Not confirmed
by available drawings, the dynamo used for lighting was not mounted on the third boiler course, but on the second
course as shown in this image. (NYCSHS)

75

Big Four No. 6203 was photographed when new, and shows the simplicity of the original L-2 Mohawk
design, with few frills. The engine specifications originated from the original Big Four Motive Power
Department in Cleveland, OH. That would change in a few years, when all locomotive design decisions
would be made in New York City. (NYCSHS)

Newly delivered Mohawk No. 6217 was at Linndale, OH on March 3, 1929. The Depression had not yet
begun, and Alco was white striping the tires of Central’s power. This engine would be renumbered into
the New York Central’s locomotive numbering scheme in 1936, and would become No. 2917. (TRG)

76

Based on the presence of Big Four Mohawk 2904 and the Big Four caboose that trails Mohawk
2780, we believe that this image was made on the Big Four. Another guess is that the diesel
hauled train is the Southwestern Limited. Date is unknown. (NYCSHS)

Mohawk 2904 is at Bellefontaine, OH in 1953. The new front truck wheels and the overall condition of the engine
confirm that she recently received Class repairs. The tender, with extra water capacity in lieu of a water scoop, is an
indicator that she spent her entire life on the Big Four. (NYCSHS-JH)

Fresh from an overhaul, Mohawk No. 2905 was photographed at an unidentified location. The presence of an aux-
iliary air reservoir under the running board, the application of a larger sand dome and top boiler check, and the
absence of a booster indicate a date after 1949. This engine was retired in June, 1953. (NYCSHS)

78

L-2B No. 2920, a Worthington engine, poses for a perfectly lit and rods down exposure at Belle-
fontaine, OH on September 12, 1948. Dieselization is in full swing, but it has not yet affected the
Big Four in any significant way. (NYCSHS-CEH-JH)

A study of operations in rural Indiana, L-2 No. 2921 splits the town of Clarks Hill with a 69-car
extra freight. (NYCSHS-JKT)

The first of the L-2B class, Mohawk No. 2900, started life in February 1929 as No. 6200. She was built for the
CCC&StL, a New York Central subsidiary known as the Big Four. This engine and her twenty-four L-2B sisters were
renumbered in 1936 from 6200-6225 to 2900-2925. Here she is at East St. Louis on July 31, 1937 in her original
configuration. Items of note include the sunken Elesco feedwater heater, the sunbeam headlight, the original small
sand box, the sturdy turbo generator bracket, and a tender with a lengthened water deck. (NYCSHS-RBG-JH)

Elesco equipped Mohawk No. 2902 rests at Brooklyn, IL on May 12, 1949. The first fifteen
Big Four L-2B’s were equipped with Elesco feedwater heaters. (NYCSHS-JH)

81

Eighteen years after her photograph as 6217, renumbered Mohawk 2917 poses at East St. Louis on June
24, 1947. The first fifteen Big Four L-2B’s used Elesco feedwater heaters, and engines 2915-2924 used
Worthington equipment, as shown on 2917 with the hot water pump under the running board adjacent
to the smokebox. This engine retains her small sand dome and sander covers. (RF-JCS)

Mohawk 2908 was at East St, Louis on March 5, 1949. (NYCSHS-JH)

Elesco equipped No. 2912 poses at Brooklyn, IL on June 19, 1949. By this time, this L-2 had lost
her booster engine. Notice the running board difference on 2912 compared with the Worthington
engine on the previous page. (NYCSHS-JH)

83

Front view of the original L-2C Mohawk No. 2800. These 100 locomotives were all delivered to the railroad between
April 1929 and September 1929, immediately prior to the Depression. The major mechanical dimensions of
the L-2C class were identical to the L-2A class, with appliance differences and somewhat greater engine weight.
A different boiler tube layout was used. Tender coal capacity was increased to twenty-eight tons. (NYCSHS)

84

The Central’s L-2C L-2C Assignments

Road Numbers 2800-2899 The delivery of the 100 L-2C’s extended the range of main-
The Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, and St. Louis L-2B’s line L-2 operation beyond the Mohawk Division. The ma-
were delivered in March, 1929, and supplier Alco began jority of L-2C’s were assigned to Line West. On March 1,
delivering the Central’s latest refinement of the L-2, the 1944, there were twenty-one L-2C’s assigned to Line East,
L-2C class, in April, 1929. There were 100 locomotives in and twenty-three assigned to the Big Four. The remaining
this order. They resembled the Big Four L-2B class in many fifty-six locomotives were all assigned to Line West of Buf-
ways. The placement of the domes on the boiler top of the falo.
L-2C’s differed from the L-2A class. The superheater was lo- A summary dated January 1, 1947 has twenty-five assigned
cated completely inside the smokebox, with a semicircular to Line East, fifty to Line West, six to the Michigan Central,
external cover. The L-2C’s used a cover to shroud the tur- and nineteen to the Big Four.
ret, the injector, and other items immediately ahead of the
front cab wall. The Coffin feedwater heater was located Based on the “top check” modification made to the L-2C’s
inside the smokebox. There was a difference in the tube and dates and locations, in the 1948 to mid-1950 era, twen-
and flue layout compared with the L-2A specifications on ty-one engines were modified at Beech Grove, six at Jack-
the photopaster card. The elevation drawing for the L-2A son MI on the Michigan Central, and forty-six at West Alba-
shows that either a 44-inch or 45-inch trailing truck wheel ny. The movement of engines from one assigned territory
diameter was used. For the L-2C, the trailing truck wheels to another may have been to balance shop load, the effect
had a diameter of 45-inches. Engine weight increased of dieselization and retirements, or other factors.
slightly, to 365,000 lb.
Finally, a document issued by the Master Mechanic at Col-
Based on photographs, a small number of L-2C’s were, at linwood, OH dated January 31, 1952, identifies sixteen
times, equipped with a pilot that did not include the drop L-2A’s, fifty-one L-2C’s, and twenty-five L-2D’s assigned to
coupler, including locomotives 2804, 2819, and 2881-2883. Line West, Chicago Territory, and Ohio Central equipped
Some or all of these engines were later retrofitted with with Automatic Train Stop Equipment.
footboards.
Evolution of the L-2C
The tender was different than the tender used with the
L-2A. Coal capacity increased from 21-tons on the L-2A to Superheater Layout Change
28-tons for the L-2C. Water capacity remained at 15,000 gal. A change in the design and layout of the superheater tubes
All of the L-2C tenders were equipped with water scoops. was made on January 13, 1939 that obsoleted the old-style
Accordingly,tender weight fully loaded was now 310,000 lb. superheater bifurcations. (T-26240,T-36241,T-36242)

The New York Central Lines magazine, in an article intro- Heavy Rods
ducing the L-2C 2800 class, provided a comparison of the In the late 1930’s, the Central upgraded main rod and side
L-2 Mohawk and the H-10 Mikado. The experience of the rod material and increased the dimensions of the side rod
railroad was that the L-2 was operating 200 miles per loco- knuckle pins from 5-inch diameter to 7-inch diameter. The
motive per day on average, while the average for the H-10 original drawing is dated May 27, 1937, and the L-2A, L-2B,
Mike was 100 miles per locomotive per day. Until the ad- and L-2C classes were added to the drawing on July 9, 1940.
vent of the J-1 Hudson, the L-2 demonstrated the highest (T-35167,V-34837)
thermal efficiency of any New York Central locomotive
ever tested. The L-2 evaporated 7.74 lb of water per pound Turbo Generator Bracket
of dry coal fired, versus an average of six to seven pounds A change in the design and the material used for the turbo
for the “common, or average garden variety” of steam loco- generator bracket was made on February 3, 1941. The new
motive, and demonstrated an average thermal efficiency of material was cast steel and was for application to all J-1
6.1 percent. Hudsons and all L-2 Mohawks. (T-70861,T-70862)

85

Photopaster card for L-2C No. 2800 confirms almost all mechanical dimensions,
except for weight and tube layout, were the same as the L-2A. (TRG)

86

L-2 Mohawk Assignments March 1, 1944
87

88

The original member of class L-2C, No. 2800 is at Elkhart, IN in this postwar pose. The negative envelope has no
date, but the stencil on the air reservoir is June 27, 1947. At this time, monthly ICC inspections were mandated.
(NYCSHS-RS)

Mohawk No. 2802 is departing Wesleyville, PA with a westbound coal train in this image
that dates from the late 1940’s. (RL-TRG)

89

Mohawk 2810, just out after an overhaul, has left the turntable at Elkhart
and is ready for its crew in this January 14, 1943 scene. (NYCSHS-RS)

100