Lehigh and Hudson River Railroad #63 outside the L&HR's Warwick, NY. Shops during September 1949.
Lehigh and Hudson River Railroad #63 was a Camelback 2-8-0 "Consolidation" that was built in November 1908 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for Freight Service on the Lehigh and Hudson River Railroad.
Origins and early Years[]
In the early Twentieth century, the L&HR needed more powerful locomotives to handle the heavier Freight loads on the small Mainlines, for a while since 1894, the Lehigh and Hudson River Railroad relied on the Baldwin Locomotive Works for Motive power. Sticking with the Then-Popular 2-8-0 Wheel arrangement well-known as the "Consolidation", the L&HR between several years ordered a small batch of Sixteen Consolidations with a Camelback configuration as they were popular on the Railroad while also burning the common Local anthracite Coal in the Regions. Introduced in August 1906 to the growing L&HR, this new Class of Locomotives were designated as the Class 28, Baldwin made the deliveries until at least December 1908. (Numbers #28, #29, #31, #32, #51 to #54, and #58 through #70 with some renumbering's taking place) Built new by Baldwin's Burnham, Williams & Co. division in November 1908, it was one of the last order of Camelback Consolidations delivered to the Railroad. These were fairly decent sized Camelbacks, although not very big, they were suitable enough to withstand the weight restrictions on the line's Bridges on the Branchline. #63 had a respectable arrangement of 56" Drivers with 200 Lbs. PSI. in Boiler pressure generating 41,140 Lbs. of Tractive Effort. The #63 like all other engines of the class were hand-fired and were Well-suited for Freight duties, originally having hand-operated reversers. At some point by the early 1920's, the class were all rebuilt with Electric lighting with generators and were equipped with Power-reversers for the ease of optional Switching services as well with Steam Delivery pipes mounted through to the outside of the Smokebox to the cylinder heads.
The later years and the End of Steam[]
During the Depression years with larger locomotives taking the roles of Heavy freight services, the Class 28's continued mainly in regular Freight services hauling Coal Trains in Upstate New York and Northeastern Pennsylvania. Several members of the class were Scrapped in the late 1930's, although sometimes they were seen in light Passenger services for any work job they could fulfill. With the decline of Passenger Service within this time period, it was July 8th, 1939, when #63 powered the Final Passenger Run to Warwick, NY. which was also the Final Passenger train hauled on the L&HR. Kept busy during the War period, about more than half the roster Scrapped after the end of World War II in September 1945. Being slightly underpowered and outdated by the late 1940's, all were Gone but two locomotives in September 1949 with #60 and the #63. The engine was at least a good running Locomotive as it stayed into full Revenue service until December 1950 with all other Steam after Forty-two years. Keeping the more modern Steam as Diesel-electric power took over, the earlier Locomotives were immediately Cut up as the #63 was sold for Scrap that same month being amongst the last Camelbacks to operate on the Line.
Trivia[]
- L&HR #63 was chosen to pull the Final Passenger run to Warwick, New York on the Lehigh & Hudson River which took place on July 8th, 1939.
- L&HR #63 was one of three Camelbacks still in regular Revenue use in the late 1940's on the Railroad before Diesels came on scene.
- The #63, along with sister locomotive #60 were the last of the Class to operate and were the only ones of the Class 28's to survive to the end of Steam in December 1950.