Southern Pacific Berkshire - Photos?

Not a real proto pic, however, try this:

 

http://espee.railfan.net/sp_steam_berkshire.html

There is a book called 'Century of Southern Pacific Steam' which documents every steam engine SP had.  It's a thick book and can be pricey since it's out of print.  Dunscomb was the author.

http://www.amazon.com/Century-...2-1962/dp/B0007ELKUI

Then this book is another classic by Lucius Beebe.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Cent...lroads/dp/083107034X 

 

Greg

Some info and road numbers that might help track other info. Them Berkshires seemed to be avoiding photographers when they worked for SP?

 

http://espee.railfan.net/sp_steam_berkshire.html

Southern Pacific 'Berkshire' Class B-1

2-8-4 Steam Locomotives

10 units built by Lima

3500 3501 3502 3503 3504 3505 3506 3507 3508 3509

 

Did you see this thread?

Southern Pacific Lines Berkshire - Lionel 2012

https://ogrforum.com/d...ent/4949358372541920

I have the SF version of this engine, and it's really nice.  Extremely detailed, runs great, takes tight curves and has good sound.  K-Line really did a great job on these engines.

Here are a few links to some pics on da-bay...

 

First pic shows one after removal of the coffin feedwater heater and addition of the whaleback tender. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Southern-Pacific-3507-B-W-Vintage-Photo-/310393407948?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4844e389cc

 

This is prior to the above mentioned mods... 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Southern-Pacific-3506-B-W-Vintage-Photo-/310393407944?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4844e389c8

For what it's worth, don't plan on pulling long heavy trains with ANY of those K-Line Berks. Although the detailing is excellent, the electric drive motors are mounted in the front of the boiler, i.e. backwards, instead of in the firebox. Since the "standard" large motor, which is normally mounted in the firebox, was too large to go into the boiler, all those K-Line 2-8-4 model have a noticeably smaller motor, and thus don't pull much (or will burn out the motor).

 

Buyer beware. 

CWEX,

Tnx for the pics.  Those were just what I was looking for!  Matt

+1. What Greg says. Amazon has some at reasonable prices. 

 

Pete

Your welcome Matt, yeah I would save them...haven't seen too many pics of them...especially after the SP changed them.

 

Chris

Thank you, everyone, for all of your feedback.  Matt

You are only half right.  The kline berks due to the position of the motor are weak pullers but their drivers slip easily and unlikely to burn out the motor.  I have two B&A Kline berks and they pull just as many cars as my Challenger when they are lashed up.

Thanks to Chris, here are a couple of decent pics of SP Berkshires.  The first is with the Coffin Feedwater and a coal tender.  The second is with the feedwater removed and a Whaleback oil tender.  Matt

Boy, removing the Coffin feedwater heater did nothing to improve the looks.  Maybe if the SP at least moved the headlight up!

 

At least when the Santa Fe reconfigured one of their ex-B&M chooches, they did it justice:

 

Rusty

Another book - TheBerkshire and Texas Types -does justice to the SP Berk.  Not sure th K-Line version is the same as the SP- there were two different classes.  SP bought the earlier version, with four axle tender and shorter sand dome.

 

My sand dome is not accurate, either, and my smokebox is too short.  Otherwise . . .

Yeah they wouldn't win a beauty contest thats for sure, but the railroads were concerned with function not beauty.  All in all I'd say they are not too bad for a re-tread if you will.

I kinda like the brutish, ugly look!  It does look worse with the feedwater off and the low headlight.  Matt

A little Pixel Magic...

 

It didn't help much....

 

Rusty

There is something to be said about the "industrial" look. Really is an eye grabber.

Maybe if the number boards were moved forward and the bell raised to the top of the smoke box...hmmmm 

Southern Pacific Historical and Technical Society apparently featured the Berkshires in one of their publications:

 

http://www.sphts.org/SPHTS_SPT...ineIndex_v1-113a.pdf

Here is a pic of mine.  I also ran those two pics above thru Light Room but it didn't help that much.  They're kinda handsome in a brutish sort of way.  Matt

It's a very distinctive beast. Perhaps we could appreciate it better if we understood the design and operation of that appliance ...

 

http://www.steamlocomotive.com...feedwaterheaters.php

 

Open Feedwater Heaters

In an open feedwater heater both the feedwater and steam are allowed to mix. This required two pumps. One disadvantage of open feedwater heaters was that the valve lubrication oil present in the exhausted steam was mixed with the feedwater going into the boiler.  A Worthington feedwater heaters is an example of an open feedwater heater.

Closed Feedwater Heaters

In a closed feedwater heater the feedwater is run through a small pipe which is contained in a chamber of steam.  Condensed steam is collected and piped back into the tender. One disadvantage of closed feedwater heaters was that the additional small copper piping was prone to leaks.  The Elesco and Coffin feedwater heaters are examples of this type. The company name "Elesco" was taken from "Locomotive Superheater Company". "LSCo" is pronounced "El" "Es" "Co" or "Elesco".

Feedwater Heater Identification

Feedwater heaters on steam locomotives are easily identified by their location and shape.  Elesco bundle type feedwater heaters were often contained within a cylinder mounted horizontally above the smokebox. They can also be partially inset within the top of a smokebox. Coffin feedwater heaters were designed to be contained within the top of a smokebox.  However, when retrofitted, they were mounted in front of the smokebox. Worthington BL type feedwater heaters were often mounted on the side of a locomotive and may look like an air pump to the untrained eye.  Worthington SA type feedwater heaters were inset into the top of the smokebox.  By 1930 most steam locomotives were built with feedwater heaters and the Worthington SA type was the most popular.

I just got another pic of an SP Berkshire.  My friend took this photo.  He took it with 120 film and twin lens reflex.  This SP Berk was in Bakersfield, CA in May of 1950.  The photographer was Dick Donat.  Matt

 

 

Santa Fe did a good job at making the Lima T1 Berks look like their 4101 Class Baldwin Berks. At first, I thought I was looking at the Baldwin Berk. Both of the Santa Fe Berkshire locomotives were small, but I think that the Baldwin Berkshire was a little shorter.

 

Now that is an excellent photo.

 

Chris