The Atlantic Coast Line R-1 was a class of 12 4-8-4 Northern type steam locomotives built by Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) in 1938. Twelve of them were built to pull the Atlantic Coast Line's (ACL) demanding mainline passenger trains such as the Florida Special, Havana Special, and Tamiami, pulling 20 or 21 passenger cars without stopping for an engine change between Richmond, Virginia and Jacksonville, Florida.
History During the mid-1930s, the Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) Railroad's P-5-A class 4-6-2 Pacifics could not handle more than 12 passenger cars and would require double-heading due to an increase in passenger business. In 1938, ACL began a noble experiment with modern steam power and ordered twelve R-1 4-8-4 Northerns from Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) to handle the heavier passenger trains, eliminating the need for double-heading and ran extra sections of many of the Richmond, Virginia to Jacksonville, Florida passenger trains. While they were more powerful than the P-5-As as well as being faster, running as fast as 90 mph and probably 100 mph without much trouble reaching such speeds. However, the R-1s had poor counterbalancing and were returned to Baldwin to solve the problem. When delivered, they had a bad dynamic augment. Even after the rebuild with new disk driving wheels, they still had unacceptable amounts of dynamic augment at high speeds, as their counterbalancing weights were too high, which led to the locomotive's drivers pounding at high speeds and was said that the main drivers actually left the rails and repeatedly slammed back down, kinking rails and damaging track alignment for miles.
Despite their flaws, they were capable pullers. No. 1800 accelerated a 20-car, 1500-ton passenger train from a dead stop to 70 miles per hour in minutes and 11 miles in a test. The class also ran as many as 18,000 miles a month in passenger service. R-1s Nos. 1800, 1801, 1806, 1807, 1808 and 1809 ran even more smoothly once they were fitted with lightweight pistons by Timken, piston rods, cross heads, and, probably most important, tapered main rods with roller bearing wrist pins. The class is rated at 6,200 tons on the Richmond to Jacksonville mainline. With dieselization taking effect, the locomotives were put in freight service. Retirement started in 1951 and by 1952, all have been retired.
Tenders The R-1 class were equipped with very large tenders holding of water and of coal. They were mounted on a pair of eight-wheel trucks. The weight of the tender, fully loaded was In 1953, ten of the R-1 tenders were sold to the Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W), where they were paired with their Y4 class 2-8-8-2 compound mallets, until they were all scrapped in 1958.
Disposition None of the R-1s have been preserved, as all were scrapped by 1952 and the remaining ten tenders lasted on the N&W until 1958.
Roster NumberBaldwin serial numberDate builtDispositionNotes180062174March 1938Scrapped on December 20, 1951..180162175March 1938Scrapped on June 20, 1952.180262176March 1938Scrapped on June 20, 1952.180362177March 1938Scrapped on December 20, 1951..180462178March 1938Scrapped on December 20, 1951.180562179March 1938Scrapped on December 20, 1951.180662180May 1938Scrapped on December 31, 1952.180762181May 1938Scrapped on December 31, 1952.180862182May 1938Scrapped on June 20, 1952.180962183May 1938Scrapped on December 20, 1951.181062184May 1938Scrapped on December 31, 1952.181162185May 1938Scrapped on June 20, 1952.
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