(erielack) Erie Texas

[RJFlei_@_aol.com]

Schuyler,
    You may also want to look at the grate areas and the boiler diameters. 
The Erie boiler has a 104" OD and the C&O 108" OD. The Erie engine has a 
grate area of 117.5 sq. ft. and the the C&O T-1 121 sq. ft. It appears that 
the combustion chamber is about the same for both engines. The C&O boiler may 
have had a bit more oomph than the Erie, but really, they are very close. 
    The Erie engine should have been a good riding engine with those 77" 
drivers, which would have allowed better counterbalancing. The C&O T-1's were 
notorious rough riders until the C&O made some modifications. The PRR used 
the original C&O blueprints and didn't bother to incorporate the C&O's 
revisions when building the J's, and also got a rough riding engine. The PRR 
went back and made the same changes the C&O did and improved the riding 
qualities of their J's.
    I think the Erie's would have been a better high speed engine and 
certainly would have had lower piston speeds.
    I have always wondered why the Erie 3300's didn't have a combustion 
chamber. Have you ever heard why they didn't? The C&O had huge ones on their 
1910 designed H class 2-6-6-2's that were very successful. 
    It's nice to talk steam. Keep posting. Should mention that I model both 
Erie and C&O, and also belong to the C&OHS.
    
Merry Christmas to All,
    Rick Fleischer
    Cortland, Oh.
    ELHS 1426

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