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The Norfolk and Western Class Y3a was a class of 2-8-8-2 mallet articulated steam locomotive with a total of 30 locomotives built for the Norfolk and Western Railway in 1923.[2][3][4]
History
During World War I, a government agency called the United States Railroad Administration (USRA) took over most of the major railroads. The USRA developed several standard steam locomotive designs, among them a heavy 2-8-8-2 for freight service.[2]
The Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W) liked this design so much that after the United States Railroad Administration (USRA) had disbanded in 1922, they started building more locomotives to basically the same plan, with minor improvements. N&W had continued to refine the design and they had built the same locomotive design until 1952.[2]
Following the success of the Norfolk and Western Railway's own class Y3 locomotives that they purchased which were originals of the USRA 2-8-8-2, the railway decided they would purchase an additional 30 locomotives from ALCO's Richmond Works in 1923 as copies of the USRA 2-8-8-2. This was where they ended up designating them as the class Y3a.[3][4] Withdrawal of the class began in the 1950s and the last engine was out of service in favour of diesels and nos. 2051-2079 were cut up for scrap once the Norfolk and Western Railway had dieselized.[2]
Preservation
One member of the Class Y3a managed to survive into the preservation era, and that was No. 2050, which was the first member of the class Y3a. It was retired in 1959 and was donated to the Illinois Railway Museum at Union, Illinois.[1]
As of 2023, Y3a #2050 currently remains on static display in Illinois Railway Museum where it is unlikely that it will ever run again.[1][5]
References
- 1 2 3 "Norfolk & Western 2050". Illinois Railway Museum. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
- 1 2 3 4 Drury (1993), p. 299, 308
- 1 2 Detailing and Upgrading Steam Locomotives. Compiler: Model Railroader Magazine. Kalmbach Books. 2018. p. 77. ISBN 9781627005845.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - 1 2 Harris (2003), p. 55
- ↑ Huddleston (2002), p. 86
Further reading
- Harris, Nelson (2003). Norfolk and Western Railway. Arcadia. ISBN 9780738515274.
- Huddleston, Eugene L. (2002). Uncle Sam's Locomotives - The USRA and the Nation's Railroads. Indiana University Press. ISBN 9780253340863.
- Drury, George H. (1993). Guide to North American Steam Locomotives. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing Company. ISBN 0-89024-206-2. LCCN 93041472.