Draft:Norfolk and Western 1240

Norfolk and Western 1240
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder N&W's Roanoke Shops (East End Shops) Serial number 385 Build date June 1950
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-6-6-4 Driver 70 in (1,778 mm) Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) Leading dia. 33 in (838 mm) Driver dia. 70 in (1.778 m) Trailing dia. 42 in (1.067 m) Axle load 72,000 lbs (32.7 tonnes) Loco weight 573,000 lb (259.9 tonnes) Tender weight 378,600 lb (171.7 tonnes) Total weight 951,600 lb (431.6 tonnes Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 29.9 t (29.4 long tons; 33.0 short tons) Water cap. 22,000 US gal (83,000 L; 18,000 imp gal) Fuel consumption 7 t (6.9 long tons; 7.7 short tons) of coal per hour 13,906 US gal (52,640 L; 11,579 imp gal) of water per hour Firebox: ​  • Grate area 122 sq ft (11.3 m2) Boiler 106 in (2,692 mm) Boiler pressure 300 lbf/in2 (2.07 MPa) Heating surface: ​  • Firebox 587 sq ft (54.5 m2)  • Tubes and flues 6,052 sq ft (562.2 m2) Superheater: ​  • Type Type E  • Heating area 2,703 sq ft (251.1 m2) Cylinders Four, simple articulated Cylinder size 24 in × 30 in (610 mm × 760 mm) Valve gear Baker Valve type Piston valves
Performance figures Tractive effort 114,000 lbf (507.10 kN) Factor of adh. 3.8
Career Operators Norfolk and Western Railway Retired 1959 Scrapped 1959 Disposition Scrapped

Norfolk and Western 1240 was a four-cylinder simple articulated 2-6-6-4 steam locomotive, built in June 1950 by the Norfolk and Western's (N&W) East End Shops in Roanoke, Virginia as part of the N&W's class "A" fleet of fast freight locomotives. It was the third member of the final batch of five class A 2-6-6-4 locomotives built with roller bearing side rods.

No. 1240 was retired from active service on the Norfolk and Western Railway when they began replacing steam locomotives with diesel locomotives but would surprisingly be fired up again in 1959 and used on the N&W's "Farewell to Steam" excursion train along with class Y6b No. 2174, when the "Farewell to Steam" excursion had ended that same year in 1959, the 1240 was sold for scrap.

Further reading

• Carleton, Paul (1994). Memories of Norfolk and Western Power (1st ed.). D. Carleton Railbooks.
• Jeffries, Lewis (1980). N&W: Giant of Steam (1st ed.). Pruett Publishing. ISBN 0-87108-547-X.