Canadian National class S 2-8-2


Class S locomotives were a Class of 421 2-8-2 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. 52 were renumbered between 4045 and 4097 in 1956.

Sub-classes

Preservation

Number 3239 was preserved by the Canadian Railway Historical Association. Number 3254 by W.F. Barron of Ashland, Pennsylvania. The 3254 is the only member of the surviving S Class 2-8-2s to operate in excursion service, finding its home on the rails of Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, Pennsylvania. 3254 operated excursions at Steamtown from 1987 to 2012 when it was taken out of service indefinitely due to severe frame issues. Number 3377 was first owned by the Edaville Railroad, but later moved to Steamtown as a source of spare parts for No. 3254. Number 3734 is now owned by the National Museum of Steam Propulsion at Middleville, Michigan.