Reading Co. #1128 sitting in Storage awaiting Scrapping. c. early 1930's.
The Reading Class J1-sa's were a small group of four 2-10-0 Russian Decapod steam locomotives that were declined for Delivery to Russia's Railway Systems during World War I and were all later reassigned by the United States Railroad Administration to the then-Philadelphia and Reading Railway.
Assignment to the Reading and the Interwar Period.[]
The Four Locomotives were originally built for the Russian State Railways by the Baldwin Locomotive Works along with more than one thousand other locomotives to run on Five-foot Russian Broad Gauge during World War I. Before the three first engines could be shipped the Russian Government declined after the Russian Revolution began by early 1918 and over two hundred were never delivered, including the four that were scattered. In early 1918 the four orphaned units were converted to run on American Standard Gauge and were renumbered as U.S.A. Numbers #1101, #1102, #1103, and #1162. The first three were assigned to the Philadelphia and Reading and arrived prior to Spring where they were renumbered by the Company as numbers #1126-#1128. After March 1918 when the #1162 was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works, it was briefly assigned by USRA Control to the Central Railroad of New Jersey as CNJ #1162 being the only unit. Used for Trial Runs on Freight duties it was not liked by the Railroad's engine crews as it did not match up to their standards and was later shipped back to the USRA Control in 1920 prior to the Dissolvement of the Standard. Four years later the #1162 was sold to the reincorporated Reading Company in 1924 where it joined the three being the last of the small series receiving RDG number #1129. All Four locomotives had 25" x 28" cylinders that ran on 180 Lbs. PSI, of Steam Pressure outputting 51,490 Lbs. of Tractive Effort being Fit with very small 52" Drivers. Designed with a straight Boiler, the maximum outside diameter was 70 5/16" with a 86 1/4" x 108" Firebox. All were Hand-fired and never received major rebuilds or Mechanical Stokers. With Cabs over they're Tenders following Russian practices, they carried 17,600 Lbs. (8.8 Tons) of Coal and 7,000 Gallons of Water.
Results and Early Retirement[]
Not much of the J1-sa's operational History is known, but as all four were present in the formation of the P&R Ry. to the Reading Company during 1924, they all kept they're numbers the same. For being a Lightweight design for its wheel arrangement, they were likely assigned to Light Freight Service on Branch lines as they were not designed for Speed. They steamed well for how they were designed for most Railroads and the fact they had a slightly wide Firebox as the Reading Company would have preferred. Being an unusual design to the Railroad, the Reading Company did not like them performance wise. The Railroad was one of the few that despised the Design like the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe. By the early 1930's for barely having them for almost a decade the Reading found that these units were just not fit enough for the Railroad's Motive Power Requirement needs and were put into Storage never steaming Again. In March 1935 the Railroad sold all four of them Together to a Scrapper's Yard where they were all Broken up as None were Preserved.
Stock List[]
| Originally Delivered | Number(s) | Builder and Serial | Year Built | Arrival Dates | Retired and Scrapped | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S.A. #1101 | Ye #926 (Cancelled Russian Number)
Philadelphia & Reading #1126. |
Baldwin #47366 | December 1917 | By January 1918 | March 1935 | Originally built for Russian State Railways but was never delivered due to the Russian Revolution. |
| U.S.A. #1102 | Ye #927 (Cancelled Russian Number)
Philadelphia & Reading #1127. |
Baldwin #47367 | December 1917 | By January 1918 | March 1935 | Originally built for Russian State Railways but was never delivered due to the Russian Revolution. |
| U.S.A. #1103 | Ye #928 (Cancelled Russian Number) Philadelphia & Reading #1128. | Baldwin #47368 | December 1917 | By January 1918 | March 1935 | Originally built for Russian State Railways but was never delivered due to the Russian Revolution. |
| U.S.A. #1162 | Reading Co. #1129, briefly Central Railroad of New Jersey #1162. | Baldwin #48016 | March 1918 | Sometime in 1924. | March 1935 | Originally built for Russian State Railways but was never delivered due to the Russian Revolution, assigned to the Central Railroad of New Jersey as their sole 2-10-0 numbered CNJ #1162. Was returned back to the U.S. Government Control in 1920 and was later Sold to the Reading Company in 1924 as RDG #1162. |
Trivia[]
- These were the only Decapods owned by the Reading, despite them having greater Tractive Effort than some of the earlier I class 2-8-0's, these units were Unworthy to the Railroad due to they're unusual design and were considered Flawed. 
- The "Russian's" were the closest the Reading ever bought to a USRA-Standard Locomotive Design, only USRA Freight Cars were ever purchased.
- All units had a cab over their tender behind the main engine Cab, which was very similar to early Baldwin 2-8-0 designs the P&R purchased in the 1880s.