Canadian National class N-4 2-8-0

Canadian National class N-4 steam locomotives were of 2-8-0 wheel arrangement in the Whyte notation, or 1′D in UIC classification. These locomotives were built for the Grand Trunk Railway (GT) from 1906 until GT began purchasing class M freight locomotives in 1913. Initially classed D2 by the Grand Trunk, they were built as Richmond compound locomotives with 210 lbf/in2 (1.4 MPa) boilers feeding 22+12 inches (572 mm) and 35 inches (889 mm) by 32 inches (813 mm) cylinders.

Canadian National class N-4
Canadian National Railways 2616 on display at Head Lake, Haliburton, Ontario
Type and origin
References:[1][2]
Power typeSteam
Builder
Build dateAugust 1906 – November 1911
Total produced232
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte2-8-0
 • UIC
  • New: 1′D n2v and 1′D h2v
  • Rebuilt: 1′D h2
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Driver dia.63 in (1,600 mm)
Boiler pressure180 lbf/in2 (1.24 MPa)
CylindersTwo
Cylinder size
  • Compound HP: 22+12 in × 32 in (572 mm × 813 mm)
  • Compound LP: 35 in × 32 in (889 mm × 813 mm)
  • Simple: 23 in × 32 in (584 mm × 813 mm)
Valve gearStephenson, Walschaerts, or Young
Performance figures
Tractive effort41,000 lbf (182.4 kN)
Career
Operators
Class
  • GT: D2 through D7, D9 and D11
  • CN: N-4-a through N-4-f
Retired1952–1960
Scrapped1955-1960

The Grand Trunk started to rebuild and reclassify them; superheated compounds became class D3; those rebuilt with 23-by-32-inch (580 mm × 810 mm) simple expansion cylinders and Stephenson valve gear became classes D4, D5 and D6. The D4 was extinct by the 1923 takeover of the Grand Trunk by Canadian National Railway; CN reclassified the others as N-4-a and N-4-b respectively. Some locomotives received Walschaerts valve gear and were classified D7 (N-4-d and N-4-e) and D9 (N-4-c); two received Young valve gear and were classified D11 (N-4-f). All simpled locomotives had their boiler pressure reduced to 180 lbf/in2 (1.241 MPa)

Both GT and CN took some of these rebuilding efforts out of their original numerical sequence. CN numbered class N-4-a locomotives from 2525 through 2660 and numbered the alternative rebuilding classes from 2661 through 2686. The rebuilt simplified locomotives remained in freight service until the final replacement of steam with diesel locomotives.[1]

Builder Works numbers Dates GT numbers CN numbers Notes[1][2]
MLW 39548–39562 1906 651–665 2515–2529 Retired 1952
MLW 40583–40622 1906 666–705 2530–2543, 2661, 2544–2551, 2662, 2552–2566, 2663 Retired 1953-1954
ALCO 42046–42060 1907 706–720 2669, 2567–2570, 2670–2671, 2571–2573, 2664, 2672, 2574–2576 built at ALCO's Schenectady Works . Retired 1954-1955
MLW 42331–42345 1907 721–735 2577-2784, 2685, 2585–2590 Retired 1955-1956
MLW 43150–43164 1907 736–750 2591–2605 Retired 1956-1957
ALCO 43540–43554 1907 751–765 2606, 2673, 2607–2608, 2674, 2609–2610, 2675, 2611–2612, 2676, 2613, 2665, 2614–2615 built at ALCO's Schenectady Works . Retired 1957-1958
MLW 45163–45182 1908 631–650 2627–2646 Retired 1958-1959
MLW 46880-46894 1910 616–630 2647–2657, 2686, 2658–2660 Retired 1959
ALCO 49663–49674 1911 766–777 2677, 2616–2623, 2678, 2624–2625 built at ALCO's Brooks Works . Retired 1959-1960
ALCO 50472–50481 1911 779–787 2679, 2666, 2626, 2680–2682, 2667, 2683, 2668, 2684 built at ALCO's Schenectady Works . Retired 1960

Three N-4-a class locomotives have been preserved:

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Clegg & Corley 1969, pp. 58, 88–89.
  2. ^ a b Edson & Corley 1982, pp. 108–112.
  3. ^ "Railroaders Square and Memorial - Belleville, ON - Citizen Memorials on Waymarking.com". www.waymarking.com.
  • Clegg, Anthony; Corley, Ray (1969). Canadian National Steam Power. Montreal: Trains & Trolleys.
  • Edson, William D.; Corley, Raymond F. (Autumn 1982). "Locomotives of the Grand Truck Railway". Railroad History (147). The Railway & Locomotive Historical Society, Inc. ISSN 0090-7847.