| Built by Burnham, Wms & Co (Baldwin) in 1902, this is the unique sole member of class 824. According to SteamLocomotive.com "This Vauclain compound is notable for the large number of tubes it had stuffed in its boiler and their relatively small diameter and length; both were characteristic of the Vanderbilt boiler. This variant was still more unusual, however, in that the firebox was subdivided into three separate corrugated furnaces. Each of the fireboxes measured 32" in diameter and 86" long connected to the rear plate of the combustion chamber and the back head. Just inside the back plate of each of these flues was a trapezoidal firebrick structure described as an "obstruction to the flame". The combustion chamber supplied a critical 70 sq ft to the firebox heating surface area. Another weird feature is the grate area, which is expressed as "3 flues 3 1/2" x 7'" and appears to refer to the oil burner's nozzle layout. After being simpled within a decade of its introduction, the lone 824 was converted to an 0-8-0 switcher in 1937" using boiler from 1404 (BLW s/n 26153). Date and location are approximations and no photographer was listed for this unique loco's photo. |