The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-02-11
new MONSTER OF THE RAIL
BEING TESTED ON GRADES
Sister" Locomotive of the $500
Being Broken In Before She's
Given Regular Run

Making cher" qualify for position
on one of the crack flyers, engine No.
5501, recently constructed by the B.
& O. and sister engine of the $500,
largest passenger engine in the world
that hauls the National Limited thru
Oakland daily, is now on the Cumber-
land and Baltimore division making
test runs, according to officials.
The No. 5501 designed and con-
structed by engineers and mechanics
of the Mt. Clare shop, is said by Of
flcials to be an improvement over the
$500 which was built and put into
service some months ago. Minor I'M
provements, however, are said to have
been made on the design of the 5501.
On the test trips, it is said by Of
ficials, the newer engine is making
a somewhat better record than did No.
$500. By hauling of heavy freight
trains over the division up and down
mountains, the engine is being given
a severe test.
Completion of the 5501 makes
total of two of that type of engine
now possessed by the B. & o. which
will be used on fastest trains of the
company.
Upon proving to be a success, as
has the $500, the 5501 will crowd out
smaller type engines, and will haul
the Capital Limited between Cumber-
land and Pittsburgh, making round
trip daily.
This engine, it is said. is neatly
built, displaying silver and brass on
the front of the cylinder, drive rods,
lights and hand ratings. A represent
tative of the highest class design, ma
terial and workmanship, this new
monster of the rails measures over
one hundred feet in length, with a
weight, including water tank, of esq.,
900 pounds.
1t is the second locomotive in ex-
istence that is capable of hauling,
by itself, an all-modern steel passen-
ger train of twelve cars over the
mountain grades.
This locomotive is remarkable, not
only for its tremendous size and mo-
tive power, but because in it is en-
bodied all the most modern devices
that make for the safety and comfort
of the passengers on the train it
hauls. 1t is equipped with power re-
verse gears, air operated cylinder
cocks, pneumatic bell ringer, mechanic
cal stoker, superheater, low pressure
compound air pumps, drifting valves,
and pneumatically operated fire box
door.
The engine, according TO officials,
was built by the company to haul
trains with greater ease and comfort
to passengers and also to eliminate
the helper engines that have trailed
at the rear of trains over the noun
tains during the years that the COM
pany has been operating trains on
mountain routes.
Eliminating the helper gives the
tourist chance to ride the observa-
ton car and to get real view of the
mountain scenery, officials claim.
Heretofore, on mountains, view of
passengers has been DISTRACTED by
helper engines and their smoke.
The engines, the $500 and the 5501,
the pride of the B. & O., have been
assigned name by President Daniel
Willard.
The $500 that runs through Oak
land, has been given the permanent
name of Lord Baltimore"
The SOL, has been named philip
d. Thomas" after Philip D. Thomas,
the first president of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company, Ameri-
cas- first railroad.
Each engine has it's name printed
on the cab beneath the numbers.