J Class Changes

NW Mailing List nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Tue Sep 2 17:41:57 EDT 2008


Rick,

The new rods were designed by the N&W's Motive Power Department and I'm
almost positive that these rods were made in the Smith Shop of the Roanoke
Shops. I need someone like Louis Newton to verify this.

Just a word of caution about the "first" edition of my book: it did not have
the information about the single rods. The revised edition has a lot of data
and information that I got access in the ensuing 25 years of research after
publishing the original edition.

Bud Jeffries

----- Original Message -----
From: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2008 5:14 PM
Subject: Re: J Class Changes



> Thanks to Bud Jeffries for the details on the J rod replacements. I write

> most of my comments from my computer at work, and my reference books are

> at home. I forgot about the 610 getting new rods. I should keep my first

> edition of Bud's book at work.

>

> Bud--Were these rods cast in Roanoke shops, and who designed the change?

>

> Rick Morrison

> -

> Subject: Re: J Class Changes

>

>

>> Dave is correct, there were four J's that got the redesigned single rods:

>> 600, 605, 610 and 611. These were applied from 1952 to 1956-7 as needed

>> when a stress fracture appeared on a crankpin. This rod change involved

>> replacing the front, rear and intermediate side rods, the main and

>> eccentric rods, the intermediate driving wheels, and all of the

>> crankpins. This was very costly, therefore was only done when required.

>> These rods were designed in 1952 and were not interchangeable with tandem

>> rods.

>>

>> Other changes noticeable on the J's. Previously someone wrote about the

>> change in design of the steps on the pilot and this was done beginning in

>> 1944. The bell was moved from the boiler top in the cowling to the pilot

>> deck in front of the left cylinder; this treatment was applied to the

>> streamlined K2's as well beginning in 1953. And the spoke pilot wheels

>> began being replaced in 1948 for the first 11 J's with solid rolled steel

>> wheels; the 611-13 get these as built. Beginning in 1953 these wheels

>> were replaced with cast steel wheels that were also solid.

>>

>> One J, no. 602, was built in 1942 with a trailer truck booster which

>> required some external piping. This was removed in December 1945 along

>> with the piping.

>>

>> Of course the six J-1's were built in 1943 with heavy non-roller bearing

>> rods and not being streamlined. From September to November 1944, the

>> J-1's were streamlined, received lightweight roller bearing rods and then

>> classed as J.

>>

>> These were the visible changes. There were quite a few changes that were

>> not visible.

>>

>> Bud Jeffries

>>

>>

>

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