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Bessemer & Lake Erie classes D1A and D1B
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United States | 1916
20 produced
No. 507 in February 1938 at Albion, Pennsylvania
No. 507 in February 1938 at Albion, Pennsylvania
Paul W. Prescott / Taylor Rush collection

The B&LE used two types of 2-10-2 “Santa Fe” locomotives. The 20 locomotives designed by Baldwin for this railroad was the D1A shown here, while five of the Heavy USRA design were delivered in 1919 as D2A. The D1A had drivers of 60 inches and cylinders with a diameter of 30 inches and a stroke of 32 inches. When delivered between August and November 1916, they carried different works numbers between 43950 and 44208. The B&LE numbered them 501 to 520.

Originally the firebox had a surface of 259 square feet in its walls and 129 in the combustion chamber. Additionally, the arch tubes had a surface of 42 square feet. Their four-axle Vanderbilt tenders had a capacity of 10,000 gallons of water and 16 tons of coal. In the thirties, some were equipped with massive six-axle tenders which carried 22,000 gallons and 23 tons. These weighed around 400,000 pounds and brought the total weight to nearly 800,000 pounds. No. 505 got the same tender, but with two booster engines, each of which powered two axles in each truck. Both together added 26,250 pounds of tractive effort, for a total of more than 110,000 pounds

To increase the power, they got thermic syphons around 1940. These added 99 square feet to the direct heating surface, what increased their boiler output to 3,947 hp. At least three locomotives also received overfire steam jets. These added fresh air to the fire, resulting in a cleaner combustion and reducing smoke. They were retired between 1948 and 1951.

Variantas builtwith thermic syphonsD1B
General
Built1916
ManufacturerBaldwin
Wheel arr.2-10-2 (Santa Fé) 
Gauge4 ft 8 1/2 in (Standard gauge)
Dimensions and Weights
Length88 ft 6 3/8 in103 ft 3 in
Wheelbase40 ft 7 in
Rigid wheelbase21 ft 4 in
Total wheelbase77 ft 8 1/4 in77 ft 8 1/2 in91 ft 3 1/2 in
Empty weight361,100 lbs362,100 lbs
Service weight404,250 lbs411,550 lbs412,550 lbs
Adhesive weight332,700 lbs336,830 lbs337,430 lbs
Total weight585,000 lbs602,300 lbs813,700 lbs
Axle load60,300 lbs60,400 lbs
Water capacity10,000 us gal22,000 us gal
Fuel capacity32,000 lbs (coal)40,000 lbs (coal)46,000 lbs (coal)
Boiler
Grate area88 sq ft
Firebox area431 sq ft514 sq ft
Tube heating area4,760 sq ft4,738 sq ft
Evaporative heating area5,191 sq ft5,252 sq ft
Superheater area1,237 sq ft
Total heating area6,428 sq ft6,489 sq ft
Variantas builtwith thermic syphonsD1B
Power Plant
Driver diameter60 in
Boiler pressure210 psi
Expansion typesimple
Cylinderstwo, 30 x 32 in
Power
Power sourcesteam
Indicated power3,947 hp (2,943 kW)
Estimated power3,400 hp (2,535 kW)
Starting effort85,680 lbf
Booster26,250 lbf
Calculated Values
steam locomotive
freight
powered tender
last changed: 04/2026
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