The Pennsylvania Railroad G5 was a class of 4-6-0 steam locomotives built by the PRR's Juniata Shops in the mid-late 1920s. It was designed for passenger trains, particularly on commuter lines, and became a fixture on suburban railroads (notably the Long Island Rail Road) until the mid-1950s. The G5 was the largest and most powerful 4-6-0 locomotive, except for a single Southern Pacific 4-6-0 that outweighed it by 5,500 lb.[1]
In the 1920s, the Pennsylvania Railroad needed a locomotive for commuter trains. When the first G5s rolled out of the Juniata Shops in 1923, the Pennsylvania Railroad hadn't built a 4-6-0 in more than two decades. Mechanical Engineer William F. Kiesel Jr., who designed the engine, used the boiler from an E6sAtlantic and designed one of the largest and most powerful ten-wheelers ever built. Smaller drive wheels than an Atlantic and the lack of a trailing truck put more weight on the drivers and produced an engine with great power and acceleration but a lower top speed. The 4-6-0 wheel arrangement could provide sufficient tractive effort, (41,000 lbs of tractive force) while at the same time allowing the locomotive to accelerate the train more quickly. Such a design was ideal for the frequent stops on PRR commuter lines. 90 G5 locomotives were built for the PRR between 1923 and 1925 at the railroad's Juniata Shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Thirty-one more were built between 1924 and 1929 for the Long Island Rail Road, then a PRR subsidiary. Like the I1s Decapod, the G5 was infamous among enginemen for rough riding; locomotive historian Alvin Staufer said "Riding qualities were sacrificed for power when Pennsy designed these G5s Ten Wheelers."[2]
Service on the Pennsylvania Railroad
PRR's 90 G5 locomotives were used between cities and suburban areas. Many G5's were in the Pittsburgh area, but the class was also used in New Jersey and around Chicago and Fort Wayne. However, the class was not limited to commuter service. In his book Pennsy Power, Alvin Staufer cites a G5-led milk train that ran 145 miles daily through rural Pennsylvania, trailing an old combine for the occasional passenger - which sometimes included a hunter that the crew would let off at a clearing in the woods. Fan trips as early as the 1930s also were headed by ten-wheelers: "'Off the Beaten Track' excursions covering branch lines frequently drew G5s power, since larger engines were prohibited." Work trains were another assignment too menial for mainline power but fine for the versatile G5s, which often elicited adjectives such as "gutsy," "squat," "tough," or "husky." By 1929, it was the only 4-6-0 class remaining in service on the PRR.[2]
Service on Long Island
The G5 was the primary passenger locomotive on the Long Island Railroad until the end of steam operations, sharing the duty with K4s's and other G5s leased from the PRR, as well as diesels such as the Alco RS3 that ultimately replaced them. The G5 locomotives on Long Island differed slightly from those produced for the PRR, with a larger tender typically used by the K4s.[1]
The G5s were the last steam locomotive to operate in revenue service on Long Island. The last seven in operation, numbers 21, 24, 32, 35, 38, 39, and 50, were in service until late 1955. In October of that year, a special "End of Steam Ceremony" was held at Hicksville. Engines 35 and 39 each pulled a single coach to the station with local Boy Scouts on board. Upon arriving, the coaches were uncoupled from the two steam engines, and each coupled to an Alco RS3 diesel locomotive. 35 and 39 were then coupled nose to nose, and ran west to the shops at Morris Park. 35 would run one more fantrip the following week.[3]
Preservation
The G5s is one of the best preserved classes of PRR steam locomotives, with three surviving examples.
LIRR 35 - Donated by the LIRR to Nassau County. 35 was displayed in Eisenhower Park until 1978, and is now based at the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum in Oyster Bay, NY. The museum is working to secure funding for the full restoration of the locomotive. This includes a conversion to oil firing, and possibly a new tender. Engine 35 was recently inspected by contractors from Steam Operations Corps, and thoroughly cleaned in preparation for the locomotive being shipped to Alabama for further restoration. It is currently sitting in pieces at the museum site.[6]
LIRR 39 - Offered by the LIRR to Suffolk County, it was rejected by the Suffolk County Board of Supervisors in 1956. LIRR then offered #39 for display to the Carriage Museum in Stony Brook, New York (presently, The Long Island Museum of American Art, History & Carriages), where it was exhibited until 1980.
In 1980, the Project #39 Restoration Committee moved the locomotive to Riverhead, New York, for restoration. In 1992, the engine came under the care of the Railroad Museum of Long Island, (RMLI), based at Greenport and Riverhead, New York. The boiler and firebox are currently being restored at the Strasburg Railroad Company, Strasburg, Pennsylvania, while the rest of the locomotive remains at Riverhead.
In 2013, the RMLI initiated a nationwide fundraising effort to raise $900,000 towards the restoration of the locomotive. The restoration included an agreement to lease it to the Strasburg Rail Road for a period of 48 years, with Strasburg Rail Road contributing over $1 million additional towards its restoration. The locomotive may possibly be in full operation on the Strasburg Railroad in three to five years after fundraising goals are met.[7]
References
^ ab. October 16, 2001. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013.
^ ab"Pennsylvania Railroad G5s Class 4-6-0 Ten-Wheelers". The Pennsylvania Railroad Homepage.
^. May 19, 2003. Archived from the original on April 9, 2005.
^"Rolling Stock Collection and Roster". Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.
^. Oyster Bay Railroad Museum. Archived from the original on July 25, 2009.
^"Railroad Museum begins $1 Million Fundraising Campaign – Partners with Strasburg Rail Road Company to Restore and Operate LIRR G5s Locomotive" (PDF) (Press release). Railroad Museum of Long Island. March 15, 2013.
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March 16, 2023
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Pennsylvania Railroad class G5 news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Pennsylvania Railroad G5 was a class of 4 6 0 steam locomotives built by the PRR s Juniata Shops in the mid late 1920s It was designed for passenger trains particularly on commuter lines and became a fixture on suburban railroads notably the Long Island Rail Road until the mid 1950s The G5 was the largest and most powerful 4 6 0 locomotive except for a single Southern Pacific 4 6 0 that outweighed it by 5 500 lb 1 Pennsylvania Railroad G5Type and originPower typeSteamBuilderJuniata ShopsBuild date1923 1929Total produced121SpecificationsConfiguration Whyte4 6 0Total weight237 000 lbs 107 501 kg CareerOperatorsPennsylvania Railroad Long Island Rail RoadRetired1955 Contents 1 History and Design 2 Service on the Pennsylvania Railroad 3 Service on Long Island 4 Preservation 5 ReferencesHistory and Design EditIn the 1920s the Pennsylvania Railroad needed a locomotive for commuter trains When the first G5s rolled out of the Juniata Shops in 1923 the Pennsylvania Railroad hadn t built a 4 6 0 in more than two decades Mechanical Engineer William F Kiesel Jr who designed the engine used the boiler from an E6s Atlantic and designed one of the largest and most powerful ten wheelers ever built Smaller drive wheels than an Atlantic and the lack of a trailing truck put more weight on the drivers and produced an engine with great power and acceleration but a lower top speed The 4 6 0 wheel arrangement could provide sufficient tractive effort 41 000 lbs of tractive force while at the same time allowing the locomotive to accelerate the train more quickly Such a design was ideal for the frequent stops on PRR commuter lines 90 G5 locomotives were built for the PRR between 1923 and 1925 at the railroad s Juniata Shops in Altoona Pennsylvania Thirty one more were built between 1924 and 1929 for the Long Island Rail Road then a PRR subsidiary Like the I1s Decapod the G5 was infamous among enginemen for rough riding locomotive historian Alvin Staufer said Riding qualities were sacrificed for power when Pennsy designed these G5s Ten Wheelers 2 Service on the Pennsylvania Railroad EditPRR s 90 G5 locomotives were used between cities and suburban areas Many G5 s were in the Pittsburgh area but the class was also used in New Jersey and around Chicago and Fort Wayne However the class was not limited to commuter service In his book Pennsy Power Alvin Staufer cites a G5 led milk train that ran 145 miles daily through rural Pennsylvania trailing an old combine for the occasional passenger which sometimes included a hunter that the crew would let off at a clearing in the woods Fan trips as early as the 1930s also were headed by ten wheelers Off the Beaten Track excursions covering branch lines frequently drew G5s power since larger engines were prohibited Work trains were another assignment too menial for mainline power but fine for the versatile G5s which often elicited adjectives such as gutsy squat tough or husky By 1929 it was the only 4 6 0 class remaining in service on the PRR 2 Service on Long Island EditThe G5 was the primary passenger locomotive on the Long Island Railroad until the end of steam operations sharing the duty with K4s s and other G5s leased from the PRR as well as diesels such as the Alco RS3 that ultimately replaced them The G5 locomotives on Long Island differed slightly from those produced for the PRR with a larger tender typically used by the K4s 1 The G5s were the last steam locomotive to operate in revenue service on Long Island The last seven in operation numbers 21 24 32 35 38 39 and 50 were in service until late 1955 In October of that year a special End of Steam Ceremony was held at Hicksville Engines 35 and 39 each pulled a single coach to the station with local Boy Scouts on board Upon arriving the coaches were uncoupled from the two steam engines and each coupled to an Alco RS3 diesel locomotive 35 and 39 were then coupled nose to nose and ran west to the shops at Morris Park 35 would run one more fantrip the following week 3 Preservation EditThe G5s is one of the best preserved classes of PRR steam locomotives with three surviving examples Freight Locomotive No 5741U S National Register of Historic Places PRR No 5741 on display at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Show map of the United StatesNearest cityStrasburg PennsylvaniaCoordinates39 58 56 N 76 9 40 W 39 98222 N 76 16111 W 39 98222 76 16111 Coordinates 39 58 56 N 76 9 40 W 39 98222 N 76 16111 W 39 98222 76 16111Area0 1 acres 0 040 ha Built1924ArchitectPennsylvania Railroad Co MPSPennsylvania Railroad Rolling Stock TRNRHP reference No 79002268 4 Added to NRHPDecember 17 1979PRR 5741 Selected by the PRR itself for preservation upon its retirement currently on permanent static display in the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania 5 5741 was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 as Freight Locomotive No 5741 LIRR 35 Donated by the LIRR to Nassau County 35 was displayed in Eisenhower Park until 1978 and is now based at the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum in Oyster Bay NY The museum is working to secure funding for the full restoration of the locomotive This includes a conversion to oil firing and possibly a new tender Engine 35 was recently inspected by contractors from Steam Operations Corps and thoroughly cleaned in preparation for the locomotive being shipped to Alabama for further restoration It is currently sitting in pieces at the museum site 6 LIRR 39 Offered by the LIRR to Suffolk County it was rejected by the Suffolk County Board of Supervisors in 1956 LIRR then offered 39 for display to the Carriage Museum in Stony Brook New York presently The Long Island Museum of American Art History amp Carriages where it was exhibited until 1980 In 1980 the Project 39 Restoration Committee moved the locomotive to Riverhead New York for restoration In 1992 the engine came under the care of the Railroad Museum of Long Island RMLI based at Greenport and Riverhead New York The boiler and firebox are currently being restored at the Strasburg Railroad Company Strasburg Pennsylvania while the rest of the locomotive remains at Riverhead In 2013 the RMLI initiated a nationwide fundraising effort to raise 900 000 towards the restoration of the locomotive The restoration included an agreement to lease it to the Strasburg Rail Road for a period of 48 years with Strasburg Rail Road contributing over 1 million additional towards its restoration The locomotive may possibly be in full operation on the Strasburg Railroad in three to five years after fundraising goals are met 7 References Edit a b Pennsy Steam Locomotives October 16 2001 Archived from the original on December 3 2013 a b Pennsylvania Railroad G5s Class 4 6 0 Ten Wheelers The Pennsylvania Railroad Homepage Long Island Rail Road Historical Society Continuation Page 1 May 19 2003 Archived from the original on April 9 2005 National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service March 13 2009 Rolling Stock Collection and Roster Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania Engine 35 Oyster Bay Railroad Museum Archived from the original on July 25 2009 Railroad Museum begins 1 Million Fundraising Campaign Partners with Strasburg Rail Road Company to Restore and Operate LIRR G5s Locomotive PDF Press release Railroad Museum of Long Island March 15 2013 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pennsylvania Railroad G5 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pennsylvania Railroad class G5 amp oldid 1143721398, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
