Louisville & Nashville Steam Locomotives, 1968 Revised Edition
232
Louisville & Nashville Steam Locomotives, 1968 Revised Edition
232Hardcover(1968 Revised Edition)
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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780253337641 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Indiana University Press |
| Publication date: | 01/22/2001 |
| Edition description: | 1968 Revised Edition |
| Pages: | 232 |
| Product dimensions: | 8.25(w) x 10.75(h) x (d) |
| Age Range: | 18 Years |
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Read an Excerpt
Louisville & Nashville Steam Locomotives
1968 Revised Edition
By Richard E. Prince
Indiana University Press
Copyright © 1968 Richard E. PrinceAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-253-33764-1
CHAPTER 1
IRON HORSES OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
For over one hundred years the steam locomotives provided the principal motive power on the Louisville & Nashville RR. During this period over 2000 different steam engines were owned by the Old Reliable. Since several locomotive renumbering programs took place, some of these engines carried as many as four different road numbers during their lifetime. Accurate records were kept by the Motive Power Department on the very early locomotives, covering all but the original three 6-ft. gauge engines. However, much of the data on the motive power acquired between 1870 and 1905 is incomplete.
The L&N RR was originally projected south from Louisville as a 6-ft. gauge road. However, in 1855, after only two and a half miles of wide gauge track had been laid, the management wisely decided to adopt the narrower 5-ft. gauge which was very popular in those days south of the Ohio River. The original 6-ft. gauge locomotives had already been built for the new railroad by the firm of Olmstead, Tennys and Peck, who operated the old Kentucky Locomotive Works in Louisville. Since these locomotives were unsuitable for modification to the new gauge, they never saw service on the L&N and consequently little is known of them.
Starting in 1855, orders were placed with various locomotive builders for power to operate the road. Baldwin, Schenectady, Taunton, Moore and Richardson, and Niles & Co. of Cincinnati all furnished the road with new locomotives prior to 1870. In 1858 the L&N purchased the Kentucky Locomotive Works which provided the railroad with a well equipped shop for overhauling their locomotives as well as facilities adequate to build new locomotives from the ground up. The first engine constructed in the new shop was No. 30, a 4-4-0 type built in 1860. As a matter of fact, all road power owned by the L&N prior to the Civil War was of this American or 4-4-0 type, while the switchers were 0-6-0 and 0-8-0.
The main stem of the L&N was completed between Louisville and Nashville in 1859 just in time to be utilized by the Union Army during the War Between the States. However, the Confederate Army, as well as their guerrillas, made life miserable for the new railroad. The burning of the bridges over the Barren and Green Rivers became common events, and train wrecking and robberies seemed to be the pastime of that day.
Many of the new locomotives and cars were confiscated by the Confederate Government and taken south to Dixie to do their part for the Southern cause. It is interesting to note, however, that after the war, L&N's thrifty Yankee management sent representatives down South and recovered most of the "borrowed" power which was overhauled and returned to service.
Beginning in 1870 the Old Reliable started expanding into a rail system which eventually helped it become one of the largest and most efficient railroads in the South. This network of lines was largely developed through the absorption of various independent roads already in operation over the territory from New Orleans to St. Louis and Cincinnati. An examination of L&N's early locomotive roster will show that the locomotives acquired with each of these lines were segregated into separate groups or numbered series. It was not until 1897 that a general locomotive renumbering program took place in which all locomotives were regrouped and classified according to wheel arrangement and type of service.
The original system of locomotive numbering used by the road is outlined below:
OLD L&N RR
LOCO SERIES ORIGINAL ROAD AND ASSIGNED TERRITORY
1-200
Louisville & Nashville RR (Main Stem)
201-212
Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville RR
251-267
Memphis & Ohio RR
301-323
Nashville & Decatur RR
South & North Alabama RR (Original)
Alabama Mineral RR
Kentucky Central Ry.
Pensacola & Atlantic RR
Owensboro & Nashville Ry.
501-525
St. Louis & Southeastern Ry.
(Ky. & Tenn. Divisions)
601-627
Mobile & Montgomery Ry.
Pensacola RR
Pensacola & Selma RR
701-0724
New Orleans, Mobile & Texas RR
801-825
St. Louis & Southeastern Ry.
(Ill. & Ind. Divisions)
901-939
Louisville, Cincinnati & Lexington Ry.
1001-1016
Birmingham Mineral RR
The 800 and 900 .series came to the L&N as standard gauge. Other groups acquired prior to 1886 had a gauge of 5-ft. An effort was made to assign road numbers to locomotives purchased new during the 1870's and 1880's that would correspond to the series used on the district to which the locomotive would be assigned. Often these locomotives were given numbers vacated by the retirement of 'older engines. However, after the track gauge was standardized in 1886, many of the locomotives were shuffled around to different parts of the railroad, resulting in a confused mixture of engine numbers. This policy brought on the necessity for the standard system of locomotive classification which was realized in 1897.
Of the early L&N locomotives probably the most famous was the 4th No. 29, a 4-4-0 type passenger engine bearing the name of the "SOUTHERN BELLE." This locomotive was built by the L&N RR in 1871 at its Louisville shops under the supervision of Thatcher Perkins, then superintendent of machinery. Mr. Perkins had previously made locomotive history on the B&O RR while their master of machinery, and one of the early B&O locomotives bearing the name "THATCHER PERKINS" still is preserved in the B&O Museum at Baltimore. A poem, written soon after L&N's "SOUTHERN BELLE" went into service, tells the story of this locomotive.
Besides building the "Southern Belle," L&N's Louisville shop turned out nearly seventy-five other entirely new or completely rebuilt locomotives during the next thirty years. This building program included engines of the 0-4-0, 0-6-0, 4-4-0, 4-6-0, and 2-8-0 types.
Beginning in the 1870's the Mogul or 2-6-0 type locomotive took its place as L&N's standard heavy freight locomotive. Most of the locomotives of this type were built new for the road by Rogers Locomotive Works. As a matter of fact, the L&N gave Rogers so much business during this period that in 1879 the locomotive works presented the L&N a gift in the form of a new locomotive No. 1 4-4-0 type named "E. D. STANDIFORD" after the president of the railroad at that time. This and others of the American type were assigned to passenger and fast freight service.
It was soon discovered that heavier freight power would be required to properly handle the increased business over the new L&N system, so the management turned to the "consolidation" or 2-8-0 type locomotive which was to rule supreme in freight service for more than thirty years. These locomotives were first built by Rogers and later by the New York Locomotive Works at Rome, N. Y., and also the Cooke Works. Many of these "consolidations" were equipped with the Belpaire or boxlike firebox which later became a trademark on locomotives of the Pennsylvania RR.
Turning to the passenger side of the picture, train weights increased to the extent that the American (4-4-0) could not properly handle the heavy through passenger trains up the steep grades without help. Rather than doublehead these trains the road turned to the Tenwheeler (4-6-0) type and purchased a number of these during the "Gay Nineties" from Rogers, Cooke and Baldwin. No. 500, a 4-6-0 built in 1897 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works received national recognition when it was exhibited at the Tennessee Centennial Exposition, Nashville. This locomotive, alone in its class, was later renumbered three times and once rebuilt before final retirement.
The switch engines used during the latter part of the Nineteenth Century by the L&N were generally 0-6-0 type built by Rogers, Baldwin and the L&N RR. A number of 0-4-0 "goats" were built in the railroad's shops at Louisville, while others of this type were acquired with other roads and continued in service under the L&N banner. One light 2-8-0 freight engine was modified to an 0-8-0 switcher. The locomotive No. 5 remained in yard service for many years.
The data that follows include a roster of most of the locomotives acquired by the L&N during the Nineteenth Century.
"No. 29"
By Will S. Hays
Roaring through the forests,
Gliding through the vale,
Slipping through the tunnels,
Flying o'er the rail;
Train behind her dancing
All along the line,
While you hear the whistle
Of the "Twenty-nine."
Hark! I hear her coming,
Through the silent night.
Don't you hear her whistle?
Oh! there is the light;
Here she comes — she's flying
With the train behind,
Look out everybody!
Here comes "Twenty-nine."
CHORUS
Clear the track, the bell is ringing,
Here she comes "on time."
Thatcher Perkins is the builder
Of the "Twenty-nine."
She's a thing of beauty,
Flying o'er the road,
Belching forth her power
With her precious load;
Easy in her motion,
Perfect in design,
She is proud of Perkins,
He of "Twenty-nine."
Respectfully dedicated to Thatcher Perkins, Esq., Supt. Machinery, L&N RR, by the employees of the road. Built 1871.
MEMPHIS, CLARKSVILLE & LOUISVILLE RR constructed the 82-mile portion of L&N's Memphis line between Paris, Tenn., and Guthrie, Ky. Work was started on this road in 1854 and the line opened for traffic in 1860. This railroad made connection with the Memphis & Ohio RR at Paris, bridged the Tennessee River at Danville and the Cumberland River at Clarksville, Tenn., and turned its through traffic over to the L&N at Guthrie. The MC&L RR owned a total of twelve locomotives at the time it was absorbed by the L&N. These were all of the 4-4-0 type and were built by several locomotive works. The L&N acquired the road in 1868 and later renumbered the locomotives into its own original 200 series.
MEMPHIS & OHIO RR completed the final link in the Louisville-Memphis line in 1861. This road, which was begun in 1854, operated that portion of trackage between Memphis and Paris, Tenn. The 131-mile road connected with the MC&L at Paris. The M&O RR owned 17 steam locomotives and all but No. 7 were taken over by the L&N when it acquired the road in 1867. The Old Reliable assigned new numbers — 251-267 — to these engines.
NASHVILLE & DECATUR RR was formed in 1866 as a consolidation of the TENNESSEE & ALABAMA CENTRAL RR, the TENNESSEE & ALABAMA RR and the CENTRAL SOUTHERN RR. These roads were all built prior to the War Between the States and together completed the 122-mile line between Nashville, Tenn., and Decatur, Ala. a town on the Tennessee River. The T&AC RR ran from Decatur northward to the Tennessee state line where it joined the Central Southern RR which operated into Columbia, Tenn. The T&A RR then comprised the remainder of the road into Nashville with a branch line from Columbia to Mt. Pleasant, Tenn.
The Nashville & Decatur RR became a part of the L&N in 1871 and furnished the Old Reliable with approximately 23 locomotives. The N&D had been hit hard during the War, and most of its locomotives were in a sad state of disrepair. It was therefore necessary for the L&N to completely rebuild a number of these engines, resulting in the loss of their original identity during this reconstruction program. Practically all of the locomotives built new after 1860 were acquired from the U. S. Military RR which brought them south during the war.
SOUTH & NORTH ALABAMA RR owned the 183-mile main line between Decatur, Ala., and Montgomery. The old S&NA RR had been incorporated in 1854 with plans to build a line northward from Montgomery and was completed as far as Calera (64 miles) prior to the Civil War. No further track was laid until after the war, and by 1869 only 20 miles of additional track had been built southward from Decatur, which meant that the road was still nearly 100 miles short of completion. Construction of this remaining portion commenced in 1870, but the company ran into financial trouble. However, the Old Reliable saved the day in 1871 by leasing the properties of the S&NA RR and completing the construction job itself.
When the railroad between Decatur and Montgomery was opened for service in 1872, it was operated as a division of the L&N RR and not as an independent line. Records list only six original S&NA locomotives, five of which were added to the L&N roster as its original 400 series.
The S&NA RR was not to be forgotten for many years, however. Sometime after the turn of the century the question of the S&NA lease came up again. At this point, forty of the new "consolidation" type and ten 6-wheel switcher locomotives appeared on the road carrying the initials "S&NA" in lieu of the familiar "L&N" lettering on the tenders. This special lettering designated S&NA RR ownership and was used to comply with terms of the lease then held on all S&NA properties. The railroad was purchased outright by the L&N in 1914 and the situation was thus simplified.
KENTUCKY CENTRAL RY. consisted of what is now the L&N main line south from Covington through Paris to Sinks, Ky., with branches from Paris to Maysville and Lexington. The history of this road dates back to 1849 when the COVINGTON & LEXINGTON RR was chartered. The C&L RR completed its* line as far as Paris in 1856, and gained entry into Lexington over the MAYSVILLE & LEXINGTON RR. The M&L RR, in turn, opened its line from Paris to Maysville, an Ohio River town, about 1873. The Kentucky Central seems to have come into existence as an operating company or association in 1863 when the lines of the old C&L RR were taken over and operated. In the year 1881 the Kentucky Central RR acquired the Maysville & Lexington RR and completed the main line from Paris to Sinks in 1883. Trackage rights were then obtained over the L&N RR between Sinks and Jellico, Tenn., where through connection to Knoxville was made with the old East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia RR (Now a part of the Southern Ry.). The KyC RR was forced into a receivership in 1886 and the reorganized company became the Kentucky Central Ry.
The L&N inherited 29 additional locomotives when the Kentucky Central Ry. was taken over in 1891. All of the Central's 4-4-0, 2-6-0 and 4-6-0 engines were renumbered to the L&N's 400 series while the two Brooks switchers (Nos. 27 and 28) became L&N Nos. 331 and 332. However, the Kentucky Central's larger consolidation power (Nos. 23-26) had previously been traded to the Chesapeake & Ohio Ry. in exchange for seven smaller locomotives which came with the road to the Old Reliable.
ALABAMA MINERAL RR came into the L&N system in 1891 and operated a portion of the railroad in eastern Alabama that was later extended to form a loop starting at Calera on L&N's main line and running through to Birmingham. The Alabama Mineral RR actually only operated some 119 miles between Calera and Attalla, Ala., and had been formed with the consolidation of two short-line railroads. The first of these roads was the standard gauge ANNISTON & CINCINNATI RR which ran northward out of Anniston. The ANNISTON & ATLANTIC RR operated southward from the same town and was narrow gauge. The Alabama Mineral RR rebuilt this road to standard and operated three locomotives when acquired by the L&N. These engines were renumbered to L&N's 400 series.
PENSACOLA & ATLANTIC RR built the 170-mile line eastward along the Gulf coast from Pensacola to River Junction, on the Chattahoochee River in Florida. The road was built with L&N capital during the early eighties and was absorbed into the L&N system in 1891. The L&N sold the P&A RR a number of the older 600 series locomotives, and four of the new Rogers-built 4-4-0 type went to this road in 1882. We know that the P&A owned at least 13 locomotives, numbered from 1-13, and that ten of these engines came back to the L&N when the road was acquired in 1891. However, proper identification of locomotives 1-9 still remains a mystery. The P&A was the L&N's last stronghold for woodburning engines. Woodburners were used on this division until well after 1900. The L&N first renumbered the old P&A locomotives to its early 400 series and in 1897 divided them among several "D" class groups.
OWENSBORO & NASHVILLE RY. ran the 84 miles from Owensboro, Ky., on the Ohio River, southward through the coal mining center of Central City to Russellville and Adairsville, Ky. Connection was made at Russellville with L&N's Memphis line, and great quantities of coal were delivered to the Old Reliable at that point. The O&N RR was one of the pioneer railroads in the coal fields of western Kentucky, and this road played an important part in the development of that industry.
The L&N obtained a controlling interest in the O&N RR about 1880 and formed the O&N RY. which completed that portion of the line south of Central City. It should be understood, however, that although the Old Reliable controlled this road, the O&N still continued to be operated as a separate company for a number of years. Records show that two second-hand locomotives were sold that road by the L&N and it was not until the middle nineties that the O&N RY. motive power was relettered to L&N. O&N Loco. No. 1 4-4-0 then became L&N's second 401.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Louisville & Nashville Steam Locomotives by Richard E. Prince. Copyright © 1968 Richard E. Prince. Excerpted by permission of Indiana University Press.
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