Pennsylvania Railroad class K29s

The sole K29s, PRR 3395, was constructed by the American Locomotive Company's Schenectady works in 1911 as a demonstrator engine for the Pennsylvania Railroad. The success of the single experimental K29s lead to the development of the equally successful K4s class Pacific and L1s class Mikado locomotives. Despite its success, the K29s was one of only a handful of locomotives constructed by Alco Schenectady as the PRR preferred its own Altoona Works as well the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia for large scale locomotive production. The sole K29s spent its entire operating life on the PRR's Pittsburg Division main line pulling limited passenger trains and being used as a helper engine. Rumors circulated stating the K29s was able to haul 13 full sized passenger cars unassisted on an uphill grade between Gallitzin, Pennsylvania and Altoona, Pennsylvania. By 1929 however, the K29s was stricken from the PRR's locomotive roster. ==Specifications==

The K29s had six driving wheels measuring in diameter each and a total wheelbase. The total weight including engine and tender was , while the engine alone weighed . The K29s used the Walschaerts valve gear, with cylinders. The tractive effort was . It also had a total firebox heating surface of and a fire grate of . It was paired with a Class 80-P-83 tender that could carry of water and 14 tons of soft coal. The K29s had an unusually massive boiler for its time, measuring between and in diameter and in length from firebox to smokebox door. Most of the basic specifications can also be found on the succeeding K4s Pacifics, which was directly developed from the K29s. ==References==