The Chesapeake and Ohio Greenbrier was a class of 12 4-8-4 "Greenbrier" type steam locomotives built by the Lima Locomotive Works between 1935 and 1948 and operated by the C&O. Like a handful of railroads, the C&O didn't name their 4-8-4s "Northerns", and instead went with the name "Greenbrier" after the Greenbrier Hotel in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, a major resort on the C&O mainline.

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Chesapeake & Ohio Greenbrier
It was a late spring evening when the family gathered in Clifton Forge to wait for the train to Cincinnati. Everyone was pretty excited as a train trip on the C&O was always a great experience.
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Lima Locomotive Works Serial number 7627-7631, 7842-7843, 9302-9306 Build date 1935-1948 Total produced 12
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-8-4  • UIC 2′D2′ h2 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Leading dia. J-3: 36 in (914 mm) J-3a: 38 in (965 mm) Driver dia. 74 in (1,880 mm) Trailing dia. J-3: 36 in (914 mm) J-3a: 42 in (1,067 mm) 44 in (1,118 mm) on last axle Height 15 ft 8+7⁄8 in (4.80 m) Axle load J-3 (Batch 1): 69,700 lb (31,600 kilograms; 31.6 metric tons) J-3 (Batch 2): 73,200 lb (33,200 kilograms; 33.2 metric tons) J-3a: 71,700 lb (32,500 kilograms; 32.5 metric tons) Adhesive weight J-3 (Batch 1): 278,300 lb (126,200 kilograms; 126.2 metric tons) J-3 (Batch 2): 292,800 lb (132,800 kilograms; 132.8 metric tons) J-3a: 285,200 lb (129,400 kilograms; 129.4 metric tons) Loco weight 482,200 lb (218,700 kilograms; 218.7 metric tons) Tender weight 386,130 lb (175,150 kilograms; 175.15 metric tons) Total weight 868,330 lb (393,870 kilograms; 393.87 metric tons) Fuel type Coal Tender cap. J-3: 22,000 US gal (83,000 l; 18,000 imp gal) water; 50,000 lb (23,000 kilograms; 23 metric tons) coal J-3a: 21,500 US gal (81,000 l; 17,900 imp gal) water; 50,000 lb (23,000 kilograms; 23 metric tons) coal Firebox:  • Firegrate area 100.3 sq ft (9.32 m2) Boiler 100 in (2,540 mm) Boiler pressure 255 lbf/in2 (1.76 MPa) J-3: (Originally: 250 lbf/in2 (1.72 MPa)) Heating surface:  • Firebox J-3a: 482 sq ft (44.8 m2) Superheater: ​  • Heating area J-3a: 2,058 sq ft (191.2 m2) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 27.5 in × 30 in (698 mm × 762 mm) Valve gear J-3: Walschaert J-3a/batch 2: Baker
Performance figures Maximum speed Over 100 mph (160 km/h) Tractive effort 66,453 lbf (295.60 kN) Factor of adh. 4.29
Career Operators Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Class J-3 J-3a Numbers 600-606, 610-614 Retired 1952-1955 Preserved One preserved (No. 614) Disposition C&O 614 on static display, based in Clifton Forge, Virginia, remainder scrapped.

They were built with the primary purpose of hauling long, heavy, high speed express passenger trains for the C&O Railway such as the George Washington and the Fast Flying Virginian. All retired by the mid 1950s, only 614 survives and is on display.

History

Built in three batches, all 12 of the Greenbriers were built for fast passenger service, hauling trains such as the "George Washington" or the "Sportsman".[1] They also saw service pulling freight and even in pusher service for eastbound coal trains.

First batch

The first batch consisted of five "Greenbriers" (600-604) and were built in 1935 and were named Virginia statesmen; Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Benjamin Harrison, James Madison and Edmund Randolph and classified as J-3.[1] They were delivered with spoked driving wheels and 250 lbf/in2 boiler pressure. They were the only "Greenbriers" built with Walschaert valve gear.

Second batch

Only two were part of the second batch, built in 1942, numbered 605-606 and were also classified as J-3. They were also given Virginia statesmen names; Thomas Nelson, Jr and James Monroe. This batch was built with Baker valve gear and aside from the reverse domes, there were no major physical differences from the first batch. They also had a bit more boiler pressure, at 255 lbf/in2 and were the heaviest of the "Greenbriers".

Third batch

The final batch of "Greenbriers" were numbered 610-614 and were built in 1948 and classified as J-3a. They weren't named after any Virginia statesmen like the earlier batches, but they were among the most modern and efficient steam locomotives ever built, with Boxpok driving wheels, Timken roller bearings on every axle, including every tender axle, as well as on the main and side rods, crank pins, pistons, piston rods, and crossheads. No. 613 was also fitted with experimental smoke deflectors.[1] Despite having a smaller heating surface than the earlier class J-3s, the class J-3as have firebox circulators, a larger combustion chamber and larger-diameter flues to accommodate the superheater tubes, improving their steaming capacity.[2] They were also fitted with a streamlined pilot and were the last 4-8-4s built by Lima and were the last commercially built 4-8-4s.

Driving wheel size conflict

Lima Engineering Department records show every "Greenbrier" had 72 inch driving wheels. C&O diagrams of 1948, however, showed every "Greenbrier" with 74 inch driving wheels. This conflict was never resolved.

Preservation

Only one "Greenbrier" has survived into preservation, No. 614. 614 ran in a number of excursions, starting with the Chessie Safety Express in the early 1980s and ending pulling excursions in conjunction with New Jersey Transit (NJT) and co-sponsored by the Volunteer Railroaders Association between 1996 and 1998.[3] No. 614 was also used as a test locomotive for the ACE 3000 project, hauling coal trains between Huntington and Hinton, West Virginia in 1985 and "T" was added next to her number to indicate testint. During 614's excursion career, her tender was modified, reducing its water capacity from 21,500 gallons to 18,200 gallons, but increased its coal capacity from 23 metric tons to 45 metric tons. To compensate the reduced water capacity, an auxiliary tender was given to 614, increasing her overall water capacity to 50,000 gallons, these changes increased distance traveled with fewer coal and water stops.[4] Today, 614 is on display at the C&O Railway Heritage Center in Clifton Forge, Virginia in the Greenbrier Presidential Express scheme, a luxury passenger train which never came to be.

Roster

References