Steam & Excursion > MILW 4-8-4 #217

Don't have info on this pic .... can you ID location?

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That's the Milwaukee shops in the Menominee River Valley in Milwaukee, WI. === === = === JLH

Yep, definitely Milwaukee, WI. The TMER&L towers in the background give it away. 
Nice looking locomotive.

Nice looking locomotive, but is the tender a hand me down?   Looks like a little patching with either steel or paint?

Washing brush handle, not long enough....or washer-person not tall enough...probably a little rushed, too

Were these War Babies?  
Why the “plain bearings” on the trailer truck’s axles & tender’s axles....?
I like plain bearings*, just wondering how it came about,on this class...

​W.

* Easy to care for, easy to fix, cheap to maintain.  But,
Nervous-Nellies in Ooerating Departments get spooked by ancient, 
traumas and wild, baseless stories.  

Conversion to rollers can be easy, ...
I’d expect that on these locos: the pilot truck & drivers were roller-equipped...from the factory..
We’ll see what devotees of these locos tell us..

W.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/11/19 13:52 by wcamp1472.

The 40 Milwaukee S2 class 4-8-4's were all built by Baldwin in 1937, '38, and '40.  Depression era babies, not war babies.  The Milwaukee had no money to spare, so roller bearings were applied to the drivers in the cast steel frame, but plain bearings were used elsewhere (not sure about front truck - I'd suspect plain bearings).

Intended to replace USRA heavy 2-8-2's in freight service on the 915 mile long Minneapolis to Harlowton mainline, they soon found themselves working alongside rather than replacing the Mikados.  They were also adept at passenger service when required.

There were 40 engines in the S-2 class, numbered 200 to 240.   Question of the day - What's wrong with that statement???  A pat on the head and a scratch behid the ears for the correct answer.

-Larry Doyle



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/11/19 18:22 by LarryDoyle.

Numbered 200 thru 240 would equal 41 locomotives.  Two Milwaukee Road steam rosters that I looked at DO NOT list a locomotive #200!  I have to presume that they were numbered 201 thru 240.

lynnpowell Wrote:
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> Numbered 200 thru 240 would equal 41
> locomotives.  Two Milwaukee Road steam rosters
> that I looked at DO NOT list a locomotive #200! 
> I have to presume that they were numbered 201 thru
> 240.

Correct!

30 locomotives built in 1937 and '38 were originally numbered 200 thru 229.  In 1939 management apparently decided that to save money in every way possible it would be necessary to renumbeir entire locomotive roster.  Among other changes, the electrics lost their numbering in the 101xx and 102xx series and took Exx numbers.  The lone S1 4-8-4 No. 9700 became the 250, and the S2 4-8-4's became No's 201 thru 230 by simply renumbering the 200 as 230.  Talk about rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic!

When the last 10 S2's arrived in 1940 they took numbers 231 thru 240.

-Larry Doyle



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/11/19 20:40 by LarryDoyle.

Tominde Wrote:
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> Nice looking locomotive, but is the tender a hand
> me down?   Looks like a little patching with
> either steel or paint?

None of the above.  the tender is original.  What appears to be dark paint patches half way up the side of the tender is actually condensation due to cold water in the cistern.  The areas where there is no condensation is the location a hot well for the tender mounted Wilson feedwater heater and for an access hatch to the stoker engine.  That large pipe from the cylinders to under the cab (where it connects to the tender) is steam for the Wilson heater.

-LD



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/11/19 18:51 by LarryDoyle.

Thanks for condensation explanation.  Condensation was my first thought, but it did seem to make sense with the gap in the middle.  Neat about hot well feedwater heater.  I never knew that.   Was this type "common" across America?

Tominde Wrote:
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> Thanks for condensation explanation. 
> Condensation was my first thought, but it did seem
> to make sense with the gap in the middle.  Neat
> about hot well feedwater heater.  I never knew
> that.   Was this type "common" across America?

No.  I know of no one else who used it than the Milwaukee.  Used on 4-8-4-s, 4-6-4's, 2-8-2's.

-LD

I’m a little late to the S2 party here. LarryDoyle pretty much said it all. Only thing I’d add is that the systemwide renumbering was 1938, if I’m not mistaken. Photos of the 200 are pretty rare, as it was delivered in late ‘37. These are my favorite locomotives. A builders plate off the pictured 217 sits on my shelf alongside plates from 201, 215, 219, 221, 235 and 236.

Mike

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