Canadian Pacific Railway no. 1246

Canadian Pacific Railway no. 1246 was one of three 1200-series Canadian Pacific Railway locomotives in the Steamtown, USA collection. Like CP 1293 and CP 1278, this locomotive was one the operational engines at Steamtown. When Steamtown left its Bellows Falls, Vermont location in the fall of 1983, the engine led the "farewell to Vermont" excursions. There were two such 100-mile (160 km) excursions "through a landscape of covered bridges, rushing streams and scenic countryside".[1] The train had the capacity of 800–1000 passengers. Built in 1946, CPR 1246 is a 4-6-2 type, class G5c locomotive.[1] In June 1967, Canadian Pacific 1246 was sold to the Green Mountain Railroad and relettered to GMRy 1246. It remained under Green Mountain ownership until was sold back to Steamtown six years later in July 1973 and relettered back in its Canadian Pacific lettering.[2]

Canadian Pacific 1246
The Canadian Pacific 1246 at Brockway Mills, VT, October 24, 1981
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Montreal Locomotive Works Serial number 74906 Build date June 1946
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-6-2 "Pacific" Gauge 4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Leading dia. 33 in (838 mm) Driver dia. 70 in (1,778 mm) Trailing dia. 45 in (1,143 mm) Length 76 ft 4 ^1⁄8 in (23.3 m) Height 14 ft 10 in (4.5 m) Axle load 50,333 lb (22,830.7 kg; 22.8 t) Adhesive weight 151,000 lb (68,492.4 kg; 68.5 t) Loco weight 229,500 lb (104,099.4 kg; 104.1 t) Tender weight 191,000 lb (86,636.1 kg; 86.6 t) Total weight 420,500 lb (190,735.6 kg; 190.7 t) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 28,000 lb (13,000 kg; 13 t) Water cap 11,529 US gal (43,642 l; 9,600 imp gal) Firebox:  • Firegrate area 45.6 sq ft (4.24 m^2) Boiler pressure 250 psi (1.72 MPa) Heating surface 3,320 sq ft (308.4 m^2)  • Firebox 199 sq ft (18.5 m^2) Superheater: ​  • Heating area 744 sq ft (69.1 m^2) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 20 in × 28 in (508 mm × 711 mm)
Performance figures Tractive effort 34,000 lbf (151.2 kN) Factor of adh. 4.44
Career Operators Canadian Pacific Railway Steamtown, U.S.A. Green Mountain Railroad Steamtown National Historic Site Connecticut Valley Railroad Naugatuck Railroad Class G5c Number in class 15 of 40 Numbers 1246 Last run 1986 Disposition Stored, out-of-doors.

After operating in Steamtown in Scranton between 1984–1986, it was determined that 1246 was inadequate for service as it was "too light for the heavy grades and sharp curves of the Steamtown line".[3] The National Park Service sold it in 1988, and it was on static display from 1996–2008 at the Essex Steam Train in Essex, Connecticut. In 2008, it was moved to the Naugatuck Railroad which is operated by the Railroad Museum of New England, in Thomaston, Connecticut.[3]

Canadian Pacific 1246 pulling a passenger train at Steamtown USA in Bellows Falls, Vermont August 1970. Note that it has Green Mountain lettering on the tender.

References

1. Van Gelder, Lawrence (September 25, 1983). "Steamtown's Autumn Outing is a Farewell". The New York Times. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
2. |url=http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr2426.htm
3. "Canadian Pacific 1246". News From the Naugy: Occasional News of the Railroad Museum of New England. The Railroad Museum of New England. Retrieved March 13, 2012.