The Chicago Burlington and Quincy O-5 was a class of 36 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1930 and the CB&Q between 1936 and 1940 and operated by the CB&Q until the late 1950s.

Chicago Burlington and Quincy O-5 class
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad 5633 in Douglas, WY, USA. Built 1940 until 1956 in service, moved to Douglas in 1962
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works, CB&Q Serial number 61443-61444, 61496-61499, 61522-61523, Build date August-October 1930, 1936-1940 Total produced 36
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-8-4  • UIC 2′D2′ h2 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Leading dia. 37 in (940 mm) Driver dia. 74 in (1,880 mm) Trailing dia. 43 in (1,092 mm) Wheelbase Loco & tender: 90.69 ft (27.64 m) Length 103 ft 3+1⁄8 in (31.47 m) ( O-5) 107 ft 3⁄8 in (32.62 m) (O-5A/B) Width 10 ft 7 in (3.23 m) Height 16 ft 2 in (4.93 m) Axle load 69,340 lb (31,450 kilograms; 31.45 metric tons) (O-5) 69,757.5 lb (31,641.5 kilograms; 31.6415 metric tons) (O-5A/B) Adhesive weight 272,000 lb (123,000 kilograms; 123 metric tons) (O-5) 281,410 lb (127,650 kilograms; 127.65 metric tons) (O-5A/B) Loco weight 454,600 lb (206,200 kilograms; 206.2 metric tons) (O-5) 476,050 lb (215,930 kilograms; 215.93 metric tons) (O-5A/B) Tender weight 337,000 lb (153,000 kilograms; 153 metric tons) (O-5) 362,000 lb (164,000 kilograms; 164 metric tons) (O-5A/B) Total weight 791,600 lb (359,100 kilograms; 359.1 metric tons) (O-5) 838,050 lb (380,130 kilograms; 380.13 metric tons) (O-5A/B) Fuel type Coal Fuel oil (O-5B) Fuel capacity 24 t (24 long tons; 26 short tons) (O-5) 27 t (27 long tons; 30 short tons) (O-5A) 7,300 US gal (28,000 l; 6,100 imp gal) (O-5B) Water cap. 18,000 US gal (68,000 l; 15,000 imp gal) Firebox:  • Firegrate area 106.50 sq ft (9.894 m2) Boiler pressure 250 lbf/in2 (1.72 MPa) Heating surface:  • Firebox 439 sq ft (40.8 m2) (O-5) 433 sq ft (40.2 m2) (O-5A/B) Superheater: ​  • Heating area 2,403 sq ft (223.2 m2) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 28 in × 30 in (711 mm × 762 mm) Valve gear Baker Valve type Piston valves
Performance figures Maximum speed Over 75 mph (121 km/h) Power output 4,100 hp (3,100 kW) Tractive effort 67,541 lbf (300.44 kN) 80,741 lbf (359.15 kN) with booster Factor of adh. 4.03 (O-5) 4.13 (O-5A/B)
Career Operators Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Class O-5 O-5A O-5B Numbers 5600–5635 Retired Mid to late 1950s Preserved Four preserved (Nos. 5614, 5629, 5631 and 5633) Disposition Nos. 5614, 5629, 5631 and 5633 on display, remainder scrapped

The locomotives saw service pulling both freight and passenger trains and four have been preserved, all of which are on display.

History

With an increase of traffic on the CB&Q, the railroad needed more powerful locomotives to pull the heavier loads and increased number of cars hauled.[1] In 1930, the railroad ordered eight 4-8-4 locomotives (Nos. 5600-5607) from the Baldwin Locomotive Works and classified them as O-5.[2] The CB&Q were satisfied with the locomotives and lead the railroad to build an additional twenty-eight 4-8-4 locomotives classed as O-5A in its own West Burlington, Iowa shops. Of the first eight O-5s, the first had fireboxes burning lignite coal while the last two took bituminous coal. No. 5607 had a booster that added 13,200 lbs (5,987 kg) tractive effort. One of the locomotives was reported pulling an 82 car mail train on October 17, 1944.[3] Nos. 5600, 5602, 5604, 5605 and 5606 were fitted with Security circulators and reclassified O-5A. Between 1936 and 1940, the CB&Q built their own versions of the O-5 following the success of the class and were classified as O-5A. Nos. 5609, 5618, 5619, 5620 were fitted with Security circulators and 5610 received thermic syphons. The last 15 O-5s (nos. 5621-5635) were fitted with roller bearings on every axle, lightweight rods, all-weather vestibule cabs and a solid pilot. Nos. 5614, 5620, 5626, 5627, 5629, and 5632 were converted to burn oil later in their service lives and were reclassified as O-5B.

Between the mid and late 1950s, all of the O-5s have been retired from revenue service.[4] After being retired from revenue service, No. 5632 was brought out of retirement and was used to haul excursions for the CB&Q steam program[5][6] until November 1, 1964, when it hauled its last CB&Q excursion and was due for an overhaul. However, by 1966 the railroad got a new president, Louis W. Menk, who ended the program and the repairs on 5632 were halted. The locomotive was sold to caretaker, Richard Jensen, who moved it to the Chicago and Western Indiana Roundhouse for storage. In 1969, the locomotive was moved to a scrapyard, where the locomotive derailed on a switch and it was subsequently scrapped in November 1972.[7][8]

Preservation

Four of the Burlington Route's "Northerns" have been preserved, all of which are of the O-5A/B batch.

• #5614 is on display at Patee Park in St. Joseph, Missouri.[9]
• #5629 is on display at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Colorado.[1]
• #5631 is on display at a depot in Sheridan, Wyoming.[10]
• #5633 is on display at the Douglass Railroad Interpretive Center in Douglas, Wyoming.[11]

Roster

References

Further reading

• Corbin, Bernard G.; Kerka, William F. (1960). Steam Locomotives of The Burlington Route (1st ed.). Bonanza Books. ISBN 0-517-26195-2.