The 'Pioneer': Light Passenger Locomotive of 1851: United States Bulletin 240, Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology, paper 42, 1964White, John H.
History
The 'Pioneer': Light Passenger Locomotive of 1851: United States Bulletin 240, Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology, paper 42, 1964
White, John H.
Locomotives
In 1871 the _Pioneer_ was remodeled by A. S. Hull, master mechanic of
the railroad. The exact nature of the alterations cannot be determined,
as no drawings or photographs of the engine previous to this time are
known to exist. In fact, the drawing (fig. 8) prepared by Hull in 1876
to show the engine as remodeled in 1871 is the oldest known illustration
of the _Pioneer_. Paul Westhaeffer, a lifelong student of Cumberland
Valley R. R. history, states that according to an interview with one of
Hull's descendants the only alteration made to the _Pioneer_ during the
1871 "remodeling" was the addition of a handbrake. The road's annual
report of 1853 describes the _Pioneer_ as a six-wheel tank engine. The
report of 1854 mentions that the _Pioneer_ used link motion. These
statements are enough to give substance to the idea that the basic
arrangement has survived unaltered and that it has not been extensively
rebuilt, as was the _Jenny Lind_ in 1878.
By the 1870's, the _Pioneer_ was too light for the heavier cars then in
use and by 1880 it had reached the end of its usefulness for regular
service. After nearly thirty years on the road it had run 255,675 miles.
Two new passenger locomotives were purchased in 1880 to handle the
heavier trains. In 1881 the _Pioneer_ was dropped from the roster, but
was used until about 1890 for work trains. After this time it was stored
in a shed at Falling Spring, Pennsylvania, near the Chambersburg yards
of the C.V.R.R.
Mechanical Description of the _Pioneer_
[Illustration: Figure 11.--"PIONEER," ABOUT 1901, scene unknown. (_Photo
courtesy of Thomas Norrell._)]
After the early 1840's the single-axle locomotive, having one pair of
driving wheels, was largely superseded by the 8-wheel engine. The
desire to operate longer trains and the need for engines of greater
traction to overcome the steep grades of American roads called for
coupled driving wheels and machines of greater weight than the 4--2--0.
After the introduction of the 4--4--0, the single-axle engine received
little attention in this country except for light service or such
special tasks as inspection or dummy engines.
[Illustration: Figure 12.--THE "PIONEER" IN CARLISLE, PA., 1901. (_Photo
courtesy of Thomas Norrell._)]
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