Western Maryland Scenic Railroad 1309

Western Maryland Scenic Railroad 1309
No. 1309 heading to Cumberland, Maryland with the Frostburg Flyer excursion in August 2022
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) Order number 48001 Serial number 74278 Model H-6 Build date November 1949 Rebuild date 2014–2020
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-6-6-2 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Leading dia. 30 in (762 mm) Driver dia. 56 in (1,422 mm) Trailing dia. 44 in (1,118 mm) Minimum curve 20° Wheelbase 48.8 ft (14.87 m) Length 99.7 ft (30.39 m) Height 15 ft (4.57 m) Adhesive weight 366,700 lb (166,332 kg) Loco weight 434,900 lb (197,267 kg) Tender weight 208,200 lb (94,438 kg) Total weight 643,100 lb (291,705 kg) Tender type 12-RC Fuel type Soft coal Fuel capacity 15 short tons (14 t) Water cap. 12,000 US gal (45,425 L; 9,992 imp gal) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 72.2 sq ft (6.71 m2) Boiler 96 in (2,438 mm) Boiler pressure 210 psi (1.45 MPa) Heating surface: ​  • Firebox 363 sq ft (33.7 m2)  • Tubes and flues 4,436 sq ft (412.1 m2)  • Total surface 4,825 sq ft (448.3 m2) Superheater: ​  • Type Type A  • Heating area 975 sq ft (90.6 m2) Cylinders 4 High-pressure cylinder 22 in × 32 in (559 mm × 813 mm) Low-pressure cylinder 35 in × 32 in (889 mm × 813 mm) Valve gear Walschaerts Valve type Piston valves Valve travel 6+1⁄2 in (165 mm) (HP) 6 in (152 mm) (LP) Valve lap 1 in (25 mm) (HP) 1+1⁄8 in (29 mm) (LP) Valve lead 1⁄8 in (3 mm) (HP) 3⁄16 in (5 mm) (LP) Loco brake Air Train brakes Air
Performance figures Tractive effort 98,300 lbf (437.26 kN) (simple) 77,900 lbf (346.52 kN) (compound) Factor of adh. 3.73 (simple) 4.7 (compound)
Career Operators Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Class H-6 Number in class 10 Numbers C&O 1309 WMSR 1309 Nicknames Super Choo Retired 1956 Preserved 1972 Restored December 31, 2020 Current owner Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Disposition Undergoing repairs
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Western Maryland Scenic Railroad 1309 (nicknamed Super Choo) is a compound articulated class "H-6" "Mallet" type steam locomotive with a 2-6-6-2 (Whyte notation) wheel arrangement. It was the very last steam locomotive built by Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) in November 1949 and originally operated by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) where it pulled coal trains until its retirement in 1956. In 1972, No. 1309 was moved to the B&O Railroad Museum for static display until 2014 when it was purchased by the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (WMSR), who undertook a multi-year effort to restore it to operating condition. The restoration was completed on December 31, 2020, and the locomotive entered tourist excursion service for the WMSR on December 17, 2021. This was the first time an articulated locomotive operated in the Eastern United States since the retirement of Norfolk and Western 1218 in November 1991.