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PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD CLASS S-2 6-8-6 After decades of virtual stagnation in steam locomotive design, in the late 1930's and 1940's, the Pennsylvania Railroad went wild in testing and accepting radical new projects designed to extend to new limits the potential of the steam locomotive. While most of these new designs used steam in a conventional reciprocating manner (i.e. the cylinders drove a set of drivers via rods), the most radical of the new designs involved the use of a steam turbine. Over the years, most coal or gas primary turbine locomotives have involved an electrical transmission to transfer power between the primary turbine and the drivers. The Pennsy experiment was different, it used a turbine directly geared to the drivers. One result was that the design used no cylinders, main rods, pistons or valve motion. The turbine allowed a uniform application of torque to the wheels, which could be perfectly balanced (instead of counterbalancing used on conventional steam locomotives). The PRR's Class S-2 also used a very unusual 6-8-6 wheel arrangement, used by no other steam locomotive. Pennsylvania Number 6200 was out shopped from the Baldwin locomotive Works in 1944, as a joint venture between the PRR, Baldwin and Westinghouse, who applied the turbines used to drive the locomotive. Two turbines were used, one for forward and one for reverse, and both were adaptations of marine power plants. The turbine was rated at 6900HP and drove on the two middle driving axles through double reduction gears. As built, Number 6200 was equipped with every modern steam locomotive appliance, including roller bearings on every engine and tender axle, and on the side rod bearings. The tender used a Class 180-P-85 behemoth capable of holding 19,500 gallons of water and 411/2 tons of coal was not new, but had been built for service behind an I-Isa 2-10-0, was used for a time behind a streamlined K-4s and was rebuilt extensively (including 8 wheel tender trucks) for use behind the new turbine. On delivery, Number 6200 entered service between Chicago east to Crestline, Ohio, where many of the PRR's new duplex drive steam locomotives were also employed. The engine was used on heavy and fast passenger service, including such trains as the "Broadway Limited", and fast mail/express trains. The locomotive also saw service on fast freight trains. In service it was found that the tractive effort of the locomotive exceeded that of conventional locomotives of the same weight, size and builder capacity. Above 40 miles an hour the locomotive was able to outperform a 6000HP diesel-electric. Exhaust smoke drifting into the cab of steam locomotives at speed caused vision and safety problems with the crew, and the S-2 was later equipped with smoke defectors. Small ones were tried briefly, but the larger design proved more effective. Although one of the most well-known engines of all time, the service life of the 6200 was a short one. Even though the design had many excellent points, and pointed to a possible future direction of steam, the diesel era was at hand and the unique drive made the locomotive difficult to maintain by shop crews used to more conventional steam locomotives. Within a few years of its delivery, the PRR was buying passenger diesels in large numbers after they proved to be more economical to run and especially maintain. These passenger diesels could also run through without servicing at intermediate points and once the railroad became aware of these advantages, the experimentation with steam locomotives ended. Number 6200 became one of the earlier casualties of this program, and by the summer of 1949, the engine as stored in the Crestline roundhouse, never to run again. The locomotive was officially dropped January 1952 and was scrapped soon after. Key Imports is pleased to offer this landmark of steam development in two O Scale Versions marking early and late stages in its experimental life. Early Version has small smoke lifters and Modified Version has piping and running board changes with large smoke lifters in final form. SPECIFICATIONS Drivers: 68" Total Engine Weight: 589,920 Lbs. Boiler Pressure: 310 Lbs. Tractive Effort: 70,500 Lbs. 6900HP from Steam Turbine
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