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The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway's K-4 class were a group of ninety 2-8-4 steam locomotives purchased during and shortly after World War II.[1] Unlike many other railroads in the United States, the C&O chose to nickname this class "Kanawha", after the river in West Virginia, rather than "Berkshire", after the region in New England.

Chesapeake & Ohio K-4
K-4 class no. 2755 in Chief Logan State Park
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder American Locomotive Company (70) Lima Locomotive Works (20) Build date 1943–1947 Total produced 90
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-8-4  • UIC 1′D2 h2 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. 69 in (1.753 m) Length 105 ft 2 in (32.05 m) Width 10 ft 11 in (3.33 m) Height 15 ft 8 in (4.78 m) Axle load 73,000 lb (33 t; 33 long tons) Adhesive weight 292,000 lb (132 t; 130 long tons) Loco weight 460,000 lb (210 t; 210 long tons) Tender weight 388,000 lb (176 t; 173 long tons) Total weight 848,000 lb (385 t; 379 long tons) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 30 short tons (27 t) Water cap. 21,000 US gal (79,000 l; 17,000 imp gal) Firebox:  • Firegrate area 90.3 sq ft (8.39 m2) Boiler pressure 245 lbf (1.09 kN) Heating surface 4,773 sq ft (443.4 m2)  • Firebox 462 sq ft (42.9 m2) Superheater 1,932 sq ft (179.5 m2) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 26 in × 34 in (660 mm × 864 mm) Valve gear Baker
Performance figures Maximum speed 70 mph (113 km/h) Tractive effort 69,368 lbf (308.56 kN), 83,368 lbf (370.84 kN) with booster Factor of adh. 4.23
Career Operators Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Numbers 2700–2789 Nicknames Kanawha Big Mike Retired 1952–1957 Preserved Twelve (Nos. 2700, 2705, 2707, 2716, 2727, 2732, 2736, 2755, 2756, 2760, 2776, 2789) preserved; remainder scrapped Restored Ongoing with No. 2716 Disposition No. 2716 undergoing restoration, 11 on display, remainder scrapped
10 preserved built by ALCO and 2 preserved built by Lima

Several examples survive today, including at the National Railroad Museum, Science Museum of Virginia, Chief Logan State Park, and B&O Railroad Museum.

Details

During the 1940s, the C&O K-4's were being built to haul heavy freight services and were used mostly for high speed freight and passenger services throughout the north-eastern regions of the United States and part of Ontario, Canada by the Pere Marquette Railway. C&O Class K-4s were one of the few recognizable 2-8-4 (Berkshires) classes in North America along with the Pere Marquette Class N (road numbers 1201-1239), and Nickel Plate Road Class S (road numbers 715-779). Both the PM Class N and NKP Class S were manufactured by the Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio. NKP 779 was the last standard-gauge Berkshire to be built in the world, and the last steam locomotive built by Lima Locomotive Works. They were successful locomotives and were popular with crews, so popular with them that they referred to the locomotives as "Big Mikes".[2]

The Chesapeake and Ohio Class K-4 Kanawhas aren't the only 2-8-4 Berkshires of their size. Pere Marquette Nos. 1223 and 1225, and Nickel Plate Road Nos. 755, 757, 759, 763, 765, and 779 are other preserved examples of these workhorses.

One Kanawha (No. 2701) was on display in Buffalo, New York after retirement, but was vandalized beyond repair and was eventually scrapped a few months after being on display.[3]

Preserved Locomotives

Twelve Kanawhas have been preserved, with No. 2716 being restored to operation.

1. 2700 (On Display) Dennison Railroad Depot Museum - Dennison, Ohio. The first Kanawha built, cosmetically restored in 2017.[4]
2. 2705 (On Display) Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum - Baltimore, Maryland.
3. 2707 (On Display) Illinois Railway Museum - Union, Illinois.
4. 2716 (Undergoing Restoration to Operating Condition) Kentucky Steam Heritage Center - Ravenna, Kentucky.
5. 2727 (On Display) Museum of Transportation - St. Louis, Missouri.
6. 2732 (On Display) Science Museum of Virginia - Richmond, Virginia.
7. 2736 (On Display) National Railroad Museum - Green Bay, Wisconsin.
8. 2755 (On Display) Chief Logan State Park - Logan, West Virginia.
9. 2756 (On Display) Huntington Park - Newport News, Virginia.
10. 2760 (On Display) Riverfront Park - Lynchburg, Virginia.
11. 2776 (On Display) Eyman Park Dr - Washington Court House, Ohio.
12. 2789 (On Display) Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum - North Judson, Indiana. The last Kanawha built.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chesapeake and Ohio class K-4.

Further reading

• Dixon Jr., Thomas W. (2013). Chesapeake & Ohio K-4 Class 2-8-4 Steam Locomotives (1st ed.). The Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society. ISBN 978-0939487592.

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