When the East Broad Top received its heaviest 2-8-0 in 1881, #7 it was one of a series of similar, say identical engines turned out in the summer of 1881 by Baldwin. A dozen like it were made for the Denver Rio Grande, to be known as their Class 70 (since 1923 as Class C-19). After a few years the EBT made a major change in #7, the main rod now being extended to connect with the third driver wheels, This meant considerable other changes to the machinery, no small task. Or expense. Why was this change from second to third drivers?

From 1887 onward, I have noticed that orders for engines in either gauge came from the manufacturers with long main rods. Evidently something was learned in the period between 1882 (when Baldwin built many engines with short main rods) and 1887 when we see them turning out half a dozen with long main rods in 1887 for the D&RG.

We know that at least some engines with long main rods ran smoother than those with short main rods, The last example of this on the narrow gauge was the Ouray Branch of the D&RGW. Two engines were on hand, one a C-18 with long main rod, the other a C-19 with short main rod. The engine crew preferred the C-18 for its smoother riding, so most of the time the branch used that engine. But railroad management’s in the 1880’s were not likely to have made such expensive changes just to provide smoother riding engines. There had to be other reasons for the change.

Is there someone in the Mini-Bunch with access to the Boilermakers library at Purdue? Buried, forgotten, recorded in the annual printed volumes of the Master Mechanic's Conventions is undoubtedly much discussion which led to these changes. These volumes it should be added, contain a world of information, with scale drawings of many things.

Anyway, EBT #7 ended up as #9669 on the Ohio River & Western and was the road engine on that last run in 1931, It carried to the end the ornate dome rings of 1881 and when in 1950, I bought the 346, I mused at the similarity in appearance of both engines not at the time knowing that the 9669 should have looked like 346 because they were built to the same plans way back in that Philadelphia summer of 1881.

Bob Richardson

Editors Note - Does anyone have an idea why the change?