Pennsylvania Railroad No. 7688
1915
A Standard Freight Locomotive:
With more than 3000 Consolidations on the roster by 1907, the 2-8-0 was clearly the Pennsylvania's locomotive of choice for freight service. Despite the success of current designs, the railroad continuously strove to make a better and bigger locomotive. The ultimate result of those refinements was the H10 class. It took three builders to fulfill the Pennsylvania's requirements of more than 1,200 units during their period of construction, 1907 to 1915. Most were built by the Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio, or by the Pennsylvania itself in their Juniata Shops. Additional units were supplied by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in Schenectady, New York.
All of the H10's were built for the Pennsylvania Lines West, a semi-independent corporation within the Pennsylvania Railroad that operated all of the tracks west of Pittsburg. The locomotives retained their "Pennsylvania Lines" lettering and assignments until the operations were consolidated in 1920. The H10's formed the backbone of the railroad's freight roster through World War I until new L1's and M1's bumped them into local freight, work train, and yard service. Most of the class survived into the 1940's and 1950's when the conversion to diesels began in earnest.
Builder: Lima Locomotive Works, Lima, OH
Build Date: September 1915
Retirement Date: October 15, 1957
Wheel Arrangement: 2-8-0
Class: H10s "Consolidation"
Number Built: 1,200+
Weight of Engine: 113.5 tons
Length: (including tender) 70 ft. 3 in.
Driving Wheel Diameter: 62 in.
Tractive Effort: 53,197 lbs.
Fuel Capacity: Coal: 19 tons, Water: 9,090 gal.
Boiler Pressure: 205 psi.
PHMC Cat No. RR79.40.14
* Listed on the National Register of Historic Places *
No. 7688:
No. 7688 was one of a group of 25 class H10s' built for the Pennsylvania by the Lima Locomotive Works in 1915. Originally assigned to the Cleveland and Pittsburgh, a Pennsylvania Lines West subsidiary, the locomotive was used on heavy coal and ore trains between Lake Erie and the blast furnaces of the Steel City.
Like most freight locomotives, little else is known about its service life. Once all Lines West operations were consolidated in 1920, the locomotive made its way east to various poitns on the system working on freight, coal, ore, and maintenance of way trains.
Retired at the very end of steam in October of 1957, No. 7688 was selected for preservation in the Pennsylvania's Historic Collection. It is a fitting addition that completes the story of the development of the Consolidation. The collection also includes the 1888-built H3, No. 1187, representing the type's earliest design, and H6sb No. 2846, representing one of the largest rosters of Consolidations in the world. All three consolidations were moved to Strasburg in 1969, becoming part of the Museum's permanent collection.
(Banner at Bottom):
The Pennsylvania's H10s were among the largest Consolidations ever built.
Marker is on Gap Road / Strasburg Road (Pennsylvania Route 741), on the right when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
