The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-07-06
New Rock Island Nrikado Locomotive.

monster engines will pull one-third
more than any other locomotive on
this territory. They were built by the
Baldwin LOGON olive Works.
The Rock Island has ordered these
engines to Kansas in preparation for
the immense crop traffic this fall.
Determined not to have the grain
catch them with a car shortage and a
shortage of motive power, the Rock
Island has made special precautions
that the Kansas farmers will not be
delayed in rushing their products to
market.
More of the new Mikados will be
delivered as soon as the Baldwin peO-
pie send them from their plant. A
large consignment has been promised
the Kansas divisions of the road
This is our most powerful freight
engine" said J. B. Smalley. assistant
general manager, today. I'VE will use
q number of these locomotives in KAN
sas. They will be of the $500 class
on the Rock Island"
These locomotives are being intro
duced in order to increase the capa-
city of the road and relieve freight
congestion. The average load per pair
of driving wheels is very nearly $4,000
pounds, and in point of total weight
the locomotives are the heaviest OF
their type thus far completed by the
builders. They are built in accordance
with specifications furnished by T.
Rumney, assistant second vice presl-
dent of the Rock Island.
Compared with the average type
locomotives used on this road, the new
Mikado engines show an increase IN
tractive force of S5 per cent, in weight
on driving wheels of 81 per cent ana
in total equivalent heating surface OF
IS per cent. The engines are equip
ped with fire-tube superheaters. ON
the basis of water evaporat1ng sur
face alone, the new locomotives snow
an increase of SO per cent over the OLD
class, and this is practically in pro-
portion to the increase in tract1Ve
force. Therefore the increase in rela-
tive boiler capacity, measured on
heating surface basis, is provided by
the superheater, and is approximately
SO per cent. This means increased
hauling capacity for the new engines
plus the added advantage of taking
the larger tonnage at a higher speed
than could be maintained by the old
. The boilers of the Nikado type loco
motives present a few features that
are worthy of mention The 1lreooA
is radially stayed. The superheater is
of the Schmidt type. 1t provides 105O
square feet of superheating surface,
and the elements are located In SO
tubes each Il inches in diameter
The frames are of vanadium cast
steel. with back sections of hammered
iron. The front frames are single and
are cast in one piece with the MAN
frames, which are six inches wide, and
measure inches in depth over the
pedestaIs. The rear frames are in the
form of slabs and are n inches wide.
The tender is of the Vanderbilt type,
something new on the Rock Island in
this district with capacity for 5000
gallons of water and 16 tons of coal.
The tank has a diameter of feet y
inches, and the frame is composed OF
SKA inch angles, with steel bumpers.
The trucks have cast steel side frames
and steel tired wheels. These locomo-
tives have a ratio of adhesion of AZ
The weight on drivers is thus tully
utilized, and as has been pointed out,
the boiler capacity is sufficient to. in
sure free steaming. The locomotives
have been specially designed to meet
difficult operating conditions, and pre-
lirninarv trials indicate that their per
fornance will be most satisfactory.