PRR K5

PRR K5

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class K5 was an experimental 4-6-2 "Pacific" type, built in 1929 to see if a larger Pacific than the standard K4s was worthwhile. Two prototypes were built, #5698 at the PRR's own Altoona Works, and #5699 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works. Although classified identically, the two locomotives differed in many aspects, as detailed below. They were both fitted with a much fatter boiler than the K4s, but dimensionally similar to those of the I1s 2-10-0 "Decapods". Most other dimensions were enlarged over the K4s as well; the exceptions being the 70 square feet (6.5 m2) grate area and the 80 in (2.0 m) drivers.

In comparison:

The K5's factor of adhesion was much worse than the K4s'. This is because the K5 was more powerful than the K4s but with little more weight on drivers (and thus adhesion). Factors of adhesion below 4 are often considered undesirable for steam locomotives, and the K5 design did prove to be rather less sure-footed because of it. For this reason, 4-8-2 "Mountain" and 4-8-4 "Northern" designs with more drivers (and thus a greater allowable weight on drivers within the same axle load limit) were generally considered preferable for locomotives as powerful as the K5.

Both K5 locomotives were given a 130-P-75 tender carrying 12,475 US gallons (47,223 l) of water and 22 tons (20,000 kg) of coal. Surprisingly for such large locomotives built at such a late date, both were equipped for hand firing. Both were fitted with Worthington-pattern feedwater heaters, power reverse, unflanged main drivers, and both used nickel steel boiler shells. As built, both carried their bell on the smokebox front, hung below the headlight; this arrangement was common on other roads but at the time unique on the PRR.