New York Central Class K-11

The K-11 class 4-6-2s were a fleet of pacifics that ran on the New York Central Railroad from 1910 up until the early 1950s.
== History ==
In the first decade of this century some of the most notable advances in American locomotive design and construction was taking place. Almost every major railroad in the United States was in the process of ordering engines for a specific service over assigned divisions. Naturally, the New York Central was no exception. History proves the motive power on the New York Central always kept pace with, and often was the leader, in the industry. Buried in the 1920 locomotive roster of over 6,000 engines were 200 that made up the K-11 class that truly deserve a belated "Well done!" The reason why these engines were built may never be confirmed but if we take the liberty of assuming we might have a logical answer.
By 1910 the Hudson Division was becoming a "bottleneck" of major proportions. The timecard was choked with passenger schedules that compounded the problem of moving freight trains over this vital piece of railroad. Freight tonnage crawled along behind 2-8-0's between Albany and 14 72nd Street New York City, getting in the way of passenger expresses and causing delays. It may well have been that the Operating Department made a request of the Motive Power people for an engine that could roll the tonnage, especially one that could expedite the perishable traffic of fresh meats, vegetables, fruit and milk into the New York City market. At the time the nearly new F-2g's and the K-2's were in service and the design submitted by the Motive Power Department was a combination of the two they designated as Class K-10a. Many dimensions of the K-2 and the K-10 were almost identical. A major difference being the K-10's were given 69 inch drivers, the size in use on the F-2's.
In the fall of 1910 an order was placed with the American Locomotive Company's Brooks works for twenty five 131.3 ton engines numbered #3000-3024 with 24 x 26" inch cylinders, 180 psi boilers, 69" inch driving wheels, and a tractive effort of 36,900 lbf. Their tenders carried 10 tons of coal, 7,500 gallons of water, and were supplied with water scoops. While they were classified as freight engines, they still were equipped with steam heat and air signal lines. They were invoiced at a price of $22,085.19 each ($643172.00 in 2023). About two months later this order was increased for an additional twenty five engines that were numbered #3025-3049. After arriving from the builder, they were assigned to handle freight tonnage on the Hudson Division. Their satisfactory performance made the Motive Power people realize they had designed a very remarkable locomotive.
Nothing breeds success like success. Thus, in 1911, ALCo-Brooks got an order for ten engines to be numbered #3090-3099, but to be classed as K-11a. This was due to the fact the cylinders were increased to 26 x 26" inches. Almost at the same time, ALCo-Schenectady was asked to construct ten locomotives numbered #3080-3089 and classified as K-11b. Wanting to get as many of the K-11's in service as quickly as possible, the NYC placed an order with the Baldwin Locomotive Works for thirty engines, classes as the K-11c, numbered #3050-3079, with the last ones being delivered in 1912. It was being noted, however, that in several respects, these K-11's were proving to be better performers than the initial K-11's. Thus, in the summer of 1912, the K-10 class pacifics were returned to ALCo-Brooks, and at a cost of about $4,500.00 each, were fitted with 26 x 26" inch cylinders: A result of this change was to reclassify them as K-11a.
In that year, ALCo-Schenectady produced another seventy engines; #3100-3119 class K-11b, #3120-3139 class K-11d, and #3140-3169 as K-11e. The following year, ALCo-Schenectady delivered the final 30 engines, #3170 - 3199, and classified them as K-11f. This rounded out an even 200 engines in the K-11 class which made up the largest number of K series engines assigned to the East of Buffalo for the N.Y.C. & H.R. (There were only 95 K-2's and 80 K-3's on assignment to the N.Y.C. & H.R. in 1913). The true success of the K-11 design is evident with the L-la class 4-8-2 Mountains which appeared in 1916 to take over the duties of the K-11's. These engines were really an oversized K-11 and the first of 600 4-8-2 Mountains that were to become the standard freight engine in main line service over the entire System. 
Among the first assignments of the K-11's after being relieved of main line duty was to the Adirondack Division. This was the line running northward from Utica, New York to Montreal, Quebec and was anything but a "Water Level Route." Big Moose, N.Y., 63 miles north of Utica, at 2,034 feet was reported as the highest point on the New York Central Lines. Once heavier rail had been laid from Utica to Malone, in the earlier part of 1916, the K-11's started to relieve the F-2 class 4-6-0 Ten-Wheelers in passenger service. Due to the rating on the Canadian Pacific's Lachine bridge over the St. Lawrence River at Adirondack Jet., the K-11's were not allowed to operate over the St. L&A. between Malone and Montreal. However, this situation was corrected by the C.P.R. in 1917 and the K-11's shortly afterward were operating through between Utica and Montreal. The most unique item about the Adirondack Division, and for that matter the entire New York Central Lines, was the operation of oil burning engines. To reduce the danger of forest fires, New York State had decreed in 1908, that locomotives operating within the limits of the Adirondack Forest Preserve during the summer months in the day light hours would be required to use oil as fuel. Approximately 140 miles of the division was in the Forest Preserve.
By 1916 the shop forces at West Albany had become quite knowledgeable in converting coal burners over to oil. Bricking up the firebox, sealing the backhead doors, putting tanks in the coal bunkers. Firemen appreciated the oil burners because riding the seatbox working an oil valve beat swinging a #12 "Rededge" to keep the old girl hot. Initially, engines assigned to the Adirondack would be changed back and forth between coal and oil as the sea son dictated. The heaviest period of traffic on the Adirondack was during the summer season and required about twice the number of engines to meet assignments than during the winter months. As more K-ll's became available the company adopted a policy of withdrawing the oil burners from service during the winter to receive required shopping or just be stored. A 1936 list shows some twenty K-11's as permanently assigned oil burners. 
For the most part the K-11's home territory was East of Buffalo. A few wandered over to the Lines West, mostly on a trial basis, for a short period of time. As more of the L-1's were acquired the K-11's were being assigned to various districts. Outside of the Adirondack, many were sent to the Harlem and River Division. Others, in twos and threes, were scattered over the System. Beginning in 1920 a program was started to supplement the aging fifty five original K class assigned to the Boston & Albany. Not wanting to stand the cost of new engines and since at the time there was a surplus of K-11's, one of the K-11f's was run through West Albany shops to emerge as B&A #575. Reclassed K-14g the most noticeable change being the 69" drivers being replaced by 72" wheels. Between 1920 and 1925, fourteen of the K-11f's and one K-11c (3064) were rebuilt at West Albany and were classified as K-14g (B&A 575- 588), and K-14h (589). In October 1927, three K-11b's; #3081, #3084 and #3108 were sent west to the Peoria & Eastern where they were rebuilt at the Urbana shops into K-14b's in 1929-30 and numbered as P&E 17-19 in 1937. During 1925, the Beech Grove shops rebuilt K-11a's #3000, #3009, #3011, and K-11c #3052 as K-14a's and K-14c. At the same time West Albany was rebuilding the #3159, #3165 (K-11e) into K-14e's; the #3174, #3183, #3191 and #3193 class K-11f to K-14f. These last ten engines were supposedly to be used in milk train service. However. all were eventually assigned to the Harlem Division working expresses between North White Plains, N.Y. and North Adams, Mass. In 1936, they were given the numbers #4390- 4399. Thus it was that twenty eight K-11's were reborn as K-14's. In the System wide renumbering that took place in 1936, the 3000 series became the 4400, 3100, and 4500 series.
It would be difficult to believe the New York Central ever regretted the four and a half dollars they invested in the K-11's. They stood up to hard service, steamed easily, rode well and the engine crews liked them. They could pull like a Clydesdale and still run like a Morgan. For three and a half decades they served the company reliably and faithfully ; equal to any assignment within their limits whether it be a passenger run, moving freight tonnage, heavy suburban work, transfer duty or even switching chores. The New York Central always possessed excellent steam power and the K-11's were no exception!
Retirement of the class began in the early 1930s and by 1953, all of them were retired and sold for scrap. Sadly, none of the K-11 series pacifics survived.
Category:New York Central locomotives
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Category:4 foot 8 1⁄2 inch gauge
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Category:American locomotives
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