Canadian National Railway (CN) Class S locomotives were a Class of wheel arrangement in the Whyte notation, or 1′D1′ in UIC classification. These locomotives were designed for 16° operating curvature. The first examples of this very successful class were built for the Grand Trunk Railway in 1913. Major purchases of the class continued through 1924. Sub-classes S-3 and S-4 employed higher pressure boilers with smaller diameter cylinders to achieve similar tractive effort with higher efficiency. The class remained in freight service until the final replacement of steam with diesel-electric locomotives. 53 were renumbered between 4045 and 4097 in 1956.

Sub-classes

Note - sub-class letters as assigned by Canadian National. CN received the GT engines after the CGR engines, thus the later-built engines received lower sub-class letters. Sub-class Builder Works numbers Dates CN numbers NotesS-1-aCLC1353–14021916–19173200–324950 built as CGR numbers 2800–2849 3239 preserved at the Canadian Railway Museum. Rest scrapped.S-1-bCLC1459–15081917–19183250–329950 built as CGR numbers 2850–2899. 3254 preserved in Steamtown. Rest scrappedS-1-cMLW58347–5837619173300–332930 built as CGR numbers 2900–2929 S-1-dCLC1535–15941918–19193330–338960 built as CGR numbers 2930–2989. 3377 source parts for 3254. Rest scrappedS-1-eCLC1673–16871920–19213390–340415 builtS-1-fALCO52788–5281219133405–342925 built as GT numbers 500–524S-1-fBLW40210–4021140255–4025840269–4027440339–4034240365–4037040379–4038119133430–345425 built as GT numbers 525–549S-1-fMLW53920–5396919133455–350450 built as GT numbers 550–599S-1-gCLC1449–145819173505–351410 built as GT numbers 485–494S-1-gALCO59950–5995419183515–3519 5 built as GT numbers 480–484S-1-hALCO58315–5831919183520–3524 5 built as GT numbers 495–499S-1-jCN53928, 5395419263198–3199 2 builtS-2-aMLW64475–6450919233525–355935 built. 3538 was wrecked in 1950 Canoe River train crash, remainder scrapped.S-2-bCLC1712–172119233560–356910 builtS-2-cMLW65633–6566219243570–359930 builtS-3-aALCO59563–5957760300–6032419183700–3739 40 USRA Light Mikados built as GT numbers 440–479. 3734 preserved.S-3-bALCO64510–6451719233740–37478 builtS-3-cALCO65317–6532619243748–375710 builtS-4-aCN162319303800 1 built S-4-bCLC1914–191819363801–3805 5 built The S-1-g/h classes were rebuilt by the GTW as 0-8-2 locomotives, making them capable transfer and switching engines while also hosting an improved ride quality due to the trailing truck. Their ride quality was so good that crews would come to nickname them "the Queen Mary". They also had their valve gear swapped, the "g" and "h" subclasses receiving Baker and Young valve gear respectively.https://www.steamlocomotive.com/locobase.php?country=Canada&wheel=0-8-2&railroad=cnr#16314

Preservation

Number 3239 was preserved by the Canadian Railway Historical Association. Number 3254 was saved by W.F. Barron of Ashland, Pennsylvania. No. 3254 first operated in excursion service at the Gettysburg Railroad in Gettysburg and Mount Holly Springs from 1985 until being put into storage again in 1986, it was then sold to Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton where it ran from 1987 to 2012 when it was taken out of service indefinitely due to severe frame issues. No. 3377 was first owned by the Edaville Railroad, but soon moved to Steamtown, and eventually became a source of spare parts for No. 3254. Number 3734 (renumbered 4070) is now owned by the Midwestern Railway Preservation Society in ex Baltimore and Ohio Railroad roundhouse in Cleveland Ohio.

Notes and references