The Boston and Maine T-1s were a class of 2-8-4 'Berkshire' steam locomotives built by the Lima Locomotive Works as part of their "Super Power" range of locomotives. The 'Berkshires' were so named after the mountain range through which they passed.
Number 4016 on a freight train in the snowy New England countryside, as depicted in a painting by famed American railway artist Howard Fogg
History[]
The Lima Locomotive Works were building a range of super-powered locomotives: the Berkshires were no exception. Quite a few railroads bought them direct from the builder, the Boston and Maine being one of them. The B&M purchased twenty examples in 1928 (T1-a), and five more in 1929 (T1-b); their numbers were 4000-4024. Additionally, the T1's were built with Coffin feed-water heaters circling the smoke box, giving them a distinct appearance.
Right from the start, the Berkshires were difficult and problematic engines. The main problem was with the four-wheeled trailing truck. Apparently, the truck's design encouraged derailments and the lack of adhesion on the drivers, which made them apt to wheel slip. The firebox tended to take damage as the truck swivelled from side to side. Sometimes the truck caused the engine to derail whilst slowly backing up. This problem made the B&M hate the class so much that by the Second World War, they finally had to get rid of them. Ten were sold to the Southern Pacific (which became 3500-3509), and seven to the Santa Fe where they were re-built and re-classified as the 4193 class. The Santa Fe engines' new numbers were 4193 to 4199. Those which stayed on the B&M were withdrawn and scrapped between 1946 and 1955. None were preserved, although they have been immortalised as scale models.
Trivia[]
- The T1-a's were somewhat different from the T1-b's: the latter was heavier and slightly more powerful, and had larger tenders.
- As with some B&M steam locomotives such as the P-4 pacifics, some of the T-1's were built with Ashton 6-inch 3 chime whistles; others were built with the road's own 6-chime whistles.