Erie R-3 Class 2-10-2 #4207 in Service at Avoca, PA. in June 1941.
The Erie Railroad Class R-3's were the final series of Heavy 2-10-2 "Santa Fe" Type Steam Locomotives of three classes designed in 1918 under act of the United States Railroad Administration during World War I, for Heavy Drag Service on Freight Duties that ran on the Erie Railroad.
History and Design[]
During World War I in early 1917, the US. Government controlled/operated over ninety percent of America's Railroad Industry and with the founding's of the United States Railroad Administration in 1917, persuaded in building Railroad power to the most up-to-date rolling stock and Engines to help with the Traffic of the War. Several designs were constructed of Locomotives under the USRA Control as the Heavy Santa Fe (2-10-2) was the largest and heaviest Non-Articulated Choice of a Heavy-duty freight Locomotive. Between 1918-1919 the USRA had built by various engine builders about one hundred and seventy-five locomotives of this Basis with most of the group being One-hundred and Thirty units sold to the Pennsylvania Railroad. As the Erie Railroad desperately need heavy drag Power during the rough time period, the Railroad acquired twenty-five units. Delivered to the Road by the American Locomotive Company's Brooks Works of Dunkirk, NY between February and March 1919. Although too late to help out with the Great War as being taken by the Erie too late, they were actually great locomotives to use for the Erie's Freight-minded Intentions. Being a non-Erie designed locomotive, they were very successful Locomotives and were known to be well liked by engine Crews. These engines were very Modern and up to date with Mechanical Stokers, Superheaters, Coal Pushers, and Electric Lighting like most others. These locomotives were fit with 14" Piston valves and 30" x 32" Cylinders although not as big as the R-1's and R-2's. Designed with 190 Lbs. of Pressure, they exerted 73,829 Lbs. of Tractive Effort although all a few years later were Repressed to 200 Lbs. The twenty-five locomotives were all assigned numbers #4200-#4224. 63" Drivers with Southern Valve Gear proved to be a big difference in the R Fleet as being great Pullers, these engines were less rough on the Tracks compared to the R-1's and R-2's. Having a total weight of 586,100 Lbs. when New, they gained 10,000 Lbs. more after they're 1920's Teder Rebuilds.
Service and Rebuilds[]
When put into service in early 1919, they were used on Drag service hauling Freight or Coal Trains in Pennsylvania and New York. Built with different Stokers originally like the common Duplex on the Erie, many were rebuilt with the newer Simplex Design. To be used in farther distance pulling like the other R Classes far east, they all had they're Tenders upgraded from 15 to 20 Tons of a Coal Capacity by mounting a large Steel Bin all around the Tender Sides as the Water Capacity never changed. All engines had they're Boilers pressed from 190 Lbs. to 200 Lbs. PSI. expanding they're Tractive Effort to 77,700 Lbs. Only three such units (#4202, #4216, and #4224) were rebuilt with Worthington BL Type Feed Water Heaters by mounting them on the Fireman's Side by moving the Air Compressor a little closer towards the center of the Boiler. Into the Great Depression of the 1930's, several remained in Storage as some of the R-3 units continued to linger on in what they were built to do. One noticeable change on the engine's was many had they're original Smokebox front covers removed and replaced with a smoother curvy one matching the S Class Berkshire's. One unit was briefly equipped with a Bethlehem Tender Truck Booster (#4202) for Testing. With the Truck mounted on the rear with an exhaust stack behind the Tender's Water Hatch, it operated at 200 Lbs. PSI. it likely gave between 10-12,000 Lbs. of Tractive Effort with the #4202 becoming the only R-3 to have not only more Power than any other unit, but the only one to have more changes than any other in the Class. This Booster was likely removed by the early 1940's as it was costly to Maintain and Operate. All units were still in Active Service as of August 1940 as several of the older Class Rs had already been Retired. The Erie R-3's was not the only USRA designed locomotives to enter the Roster books alone, as in the Autumn of 1918 what arrived before they did was some USRA Heavy Mikado's classified as N-2's (#3200-#3214) being fifth teen units, these engines were also well-liked as they got along well with engine Crews much like the Heavy Santa Fe's. As World War II brought all twenty-five of them back into active service, they were all Hard worked during the War to serve America's Wartime needs. Often stored in Avoca, PA, was where they received they're Maintenance to keep Uncle Sam's Santa Fe's Rolling. All R-3's survived World War II and none were Retired early unlike some of the earlier Rs as they did well to get the Job done.
Postwar and Retirement[]
After the War, they all served well into the Early Diesel Transition beginning in the late 1940's. As the Railroad began receiving new Diesel-Electric ABBA Sets by the End of the War, most of the R's were scrapped as the first R-3 unit to be Retired wasn't until June 1949 (#4220). More began dropping off the Roster in the Spring of 1950 as they were replaced by faster Diesel locomotives beyond they're thirty-five mile per hour speed range. It wasn't too long as within two years by Mid 1952, All the last units of the Fleet were Retired and Scrapped. Unfortunately, as with the rest of Erie's great Steam Fleet, nothing was preserved with the last Overall Steam Retired in March 1954.
Stock List[]
| Number(s) | Builder | Serial | Build Date | Retired and Scrapped | Stoker | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4200 | ALCO-Brooks | 59828 | February 1919 | November 1950 | Possibly a Duplex Type | |
| 4201 | ALCO-Brooks | 59829 | February 1919 | February 1951 | Dupont Type B Standard | |
| 4202 | ALCO-Brooks | 59830 | February 1919 | August 1951 | Possibly a Duplex Type | Was equipped with a Worthington BL Type Feedwater Heater and briefly a Bethlehem Tender Truck Booster during the 1930's. |
| 4203 | ALCO-Brooks | 59831 | February 1919 | April 1950 | Dupont Type B Standard | |
| 4204 | ALCO-Brooks | 59832 | February 1919 | August 1951 | Dupont Type B Standard | |
| 4205 | ALCO-Brooks | 59833 | February 1919 | February 1951 | Hanna S1 Simple | |
| 4206 | ALCO-Brooks | 59834 | February 1919 | March 1950 | Dupont Type B Standard | |
| 4207 | ALCO-Brooks | 59835 | February 1919 | April 1950 | Dupont Type B Standard | |
| 4208 | ALCO-Brooks | 59836 | February 1919 | February 1951 | Dupont Type B Standard | |
| 4209 | ALCO-Brooks | 59837 | February 1919 | April 1950 | Dupont Type B Standard | |
| 4210 | ALCO-Brooks | 60192 | March 1919 | November 1950 | Dupont Type B Standard | |
| 4211 | ALCO-Brooks | 60193 | March 1919 | August 1951 | Dupont Type B Standard | |
| 4212 | ALCO-Brooks | 60194 | March 1919 | July 1952 | Dupont Type B Standard | |
| 4213 | ALCO-Brooks | 60195 | March 1919 | November 1951 | Hanna S1 Simple | |
| 4214 | ALCO-Brooks | 60196 | March 1919 | July 1952 | Dupont Type B Standard | |
| 4215 | ALCO-Brooks | 60197 | March 1919 | February 1951 | Dupont Type B Standard | |
| 4216 | ALCO-Brooks | 60198 | March 1919 | May 1950 | Dupont Type B Standard | Received a Worthington BL Type Feedwater Heater prior to the mid 1930's. |
| 4217 | ALCO-Brooks | 60199 | March 1919 | April 1950 | Possibly a Duplex Type | |
| 4218 | ALCO-Brooks | 60200 | March 1919 | February 1951 | Dupont Type B Standard | |
| 4219 | ALCO-Brooks | 60201 | March 1919 | April 1950 | Possibly a Duplex Type | |
| 4220 | ALCO-Brooks | 60202 | March 1919 | June 1949 | Dupont Type B Standard | |
| 4221 | ALCO-Brooks | 60203 | March 1919 | April 1950 | Dupont Type B Standard | |
| 4222 | ALCO-Brooks | 60204 | March 1919 | February 1951 | Dupont Type B Standard | |
| 4223 | ALCO-Brooks | 60205 | March 1919 | June 1950 | Dupont Type B Standard | |
| 4224 | ALCO-Brooks | 60206 | March 1919 | July 1952 | Dupont Type B Standard |
Trivia[]
- Engine #4202 was the only R-3 unit to receive a Tender Booster, but even during the 1930's the Erie experimented with S-2 class Berkshire #3342 with adding a Tender Booster in the front of the Engine supply Steam to both its Trailing Truck Booster and Tender, becoming an Oddity, neither Experiment was long lived.
- The R-3's was the longest lived of All Erie 2-10-2's and were the last overall Santa Fe units to end service.