The M1 was a class of steam locomotive of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR). It was a class of heavy mixed-traffic locomotives of the 4-8-2 "Mountain" arrangement, which uses four pairs of driving wheels with a four-wheel guiding truck in front for stability at speed and a two-wheel trailing truck to support the large firebox needed for sustained power. Although built for both passenger and freight work, they spent most of their service lives hauling heavy high-speed freight trains. Many PRR men counted the M1 class locomotives as the best steam locomotives the railroad ever owned.
31-470: A single prototype, #6699, was built in 1923 at the railroad's Altoona Works . It spent three years in testing, including all kinds of main line service as well as a session on the railroad's static test plant. Having received favorable reports, a further 200 were ordered from commercial locomotive builders; 175 from the Baldwin Locomotive Works and 25 from Lima Locomotive Works . Breaking with
62-474: A household in the borough was $ 31,891, and the median income for a family was $ 38,807. Males had a median income of $ 31,162 versus $ 22,203 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $ 18,229. About 4.5% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line , including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over. A seven-seat Council governs the Borough of Northumberland, with
93-571: A mayor taking on a largely ceremonial role. Council members serve for four-year terms, as does the mayor. The current mayor, Dan Berard, was elected to serve a second term in November 2023 and sworn in January 2024. English chemist and codiscoverer of oxygen Joseph Priestley lived in Northumberland for the last decade of his life, until his death in 1804. The Joseph Priestley House remains standing, as
124-549: A museum. World War II Major General Uzal Girard Ent , who had led the August 1943 raid on the Romanian oil refineries in Ploiești , chose Colonel Paul Tibbets to lead the 509th Composite Group, asking him to organize and lead a combat force to deliver a new type of explosive device that is so powerful that its full potential was unknown. Tibbets did so, and was the commander and pilot of
155-602: A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , founded the town of Northumberland in 1772, attempting to set it up as an English village. The land that became Northumberland was purchased from the Iroquois in the first Treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1768, and the village was laid out in 1772. During the American Revolution , Northumberland was evacuated during the Big Runaway in 1778, and only finally resettled in 1784. Northumberland
186-478: A novel light source, the " Moore lamp ," and a business that produced them in the early 1900s. The Moore lamp was the first commercially viable light-source based on gas discharges instead of incandescence; it was the predecessor to contemporary neon lighting and fluorescent lighting. In his later career, Moore developed a miniature neon lamp, which was extensively used in electronic displays, and vacuum tubes, which were used in early television systems. David Fulmer ,
217-498: A surplus of K4s locomotives available for passenger trains. While they were mostly used on freight, their dual service purpose entitled them to have smokebox mounted keystone shaped numberplates. Freight engines on the Pennsy had circular numberplates. Like most PRR steam locomotives, the M1 and M1a featured the square-shouldered Belpaire firebox . The square-topped section continued ahead of
248-549: Is a large railroad industrial complex in Altoona, Pennsylvania . It was built between 1850 and 1925 by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), to supply the railroad with locomotives , railroad cars and related equipment. For many years, it was the largest railroad shop complex in the world. In 1849, PRR officials developed plans to construct a repair facility at a town newly established for this purpose, Altoona . Construction
279-518: Is currently planning to build a river boat in Northumberland's Pineknotter Park in order to boost tourism in the area. The group expects the river boat to be ready for its maiden voyage by the summer of 2025. As of the census of 2000, there were 3,714 people, 1,657 households, and 1,045 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,368.2 inhabitants per square mile (914.4/km ). There were 1,772 housing units at an average density of 1,129.9 per square mile (436.3/km ). The racial makeup of
310-770: Is now in the possession of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania , in Strasburg, PA. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 as Locomotive No. 6755 . The tender of M1 #6659, minus the engine, has also been preserved and was purchased by the Pennsylvania Railroad T1 Steam Locomotive Trust in August, 2017. The tender will be restored for eventual use behind the new-build T1 class locomotive #5550 . Altoona Works Altoona Works (also known as Altoona Terminal )
341-520: The Enola Gay , the plane that delivered the first atomic bomb (Little Boy) on Hiroshima, Japan , on August 6, 1945. The Enola Gay's navigator on the mission was Captain Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk , also a native of Northumberland, who was among the men hand-selected by Tibbets to accomplish the mission. Daniel McFarlan Moore was born in Northumberland and was an electrical engineer and inventor, who developed
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#1732851066724372-836: The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission . There is one other property in the borough on the NRHP: the Priestley-Forsyth Memorial Library , built by a great-grandson of Joseph Priestley. Much of the borough is part of the Northumberland Historic District , which is also on the NRHP. Northumberland is located at 40°53′38″N 76°47′46″W / 40.89389°N 76.79611°W / 40.89389; -76.79611 (40.893935, -76.795975), approximately 60 miles northeast of Harrisburg . It sits at
403-530: The 1920s, the site consisted of 125 buildings on 218 acres (0.88 km ), and the shops employed over 16,000 workers. Portions of the complex are still in use by Norfolk Southern Railway (NS). During World War II, PRR facilities (including the Altoona Shops) were on target lists of German saboteurs involved in Operation Pastorius . They were caught before they could complete their missions. By 1945,
434-575: The Altoona Works expanded in adjacent Juniata . Inventor Alexander Graham Bell sent two assistants to the Altoona shops in 1875 to study the feasibility of installing telephone lines. In 1875, the Altoona Works started a testing department for PRR equipment. In following years, the Pennsylvania Railroad led the nation in the development of research and testing procedures of practical value for
465-597: The Altoona Works had grown to be one of the largest repair and construction facilities for locomotives and cars in the world. In 2019, the shops employed nearly 700 employees. After a series of layoffs between 2019 and 2021, NS reduced the staff at the Juniata locomotive shop to about 450 employees. The mass layoffs began on November 7, 2019 (95 employees) again in May 2019 (50 employees) and another round in July 2021 (86 employees) reduced
496-504: The K4s, including sheet steel drop-coupler pilots, the moving of the headlight to the smokebox top in front of the stack, the moving of the steam-driven generator to the smokebox front for easier maintenance, and the addition of a wide step above the air tank to service the air compressor. A variety of tenders were fitted to M1 locomotives, of steadily-increasing size. During later years some hauled sixteen-wheel 210-F-75B tenders almost as long as
527-545: The M1 locomotives were assigned to heavier trains, while the diesels were assigned the high-speed freight trains that were previously the M1s' preserve. Their final years of service saw them hauling heavier trains than ever. Many remained in service until the withdrawal of steam from the PRR in mid-1957. One locomotive, M1b #6755, was saved from the scrapper's torch for the PRR's historical collection housed at Northumberland, Pennsylvania . It
558-526: The PRR tradition of random locomotive numbering, these were numbered in a solid block from #6800-#6999. In 1930, 100 more were ordered; this class M1a had several improvements. Instead of separate cylinder block and smokebox saddle castings, the M1a had a one-piece casting (first seen on the K5 Pacific) with inside steam delivery pipes, instead of the outside, visible pipes of the M1. A Worthington feedwater heater
589-402: The author of a series of seven novels about Storyville, New Orleans and five other works of fiction and the writer-producer of the documentary film "Blind Willie's Blues," was born in Northumberland in 1950 and resided there until he was eighteen. Fulmer's mother and father were lifelong residents of the borough. Helen Taggart Clark (pen name, H. T. C.; 1849–1918), born in Northumberland, was
620-546: The borough was 98.38% White , 0.73% African American , 0.13% Native American , 0.19% Asian , 0.40% from other races , and 0.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.62% of the population. There were 1,657 households, out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who
651-644: The confluence of the north and west branches of the Susquehanna River . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the borough has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km ), all land. Notable things to visit in Northumberland include Pineknotter Park, the Joseph Priestly House, King Street Park, the Northumberland High School Museum, 2nd Street Playground, and Howling Hollow Dog Park. The Central Susquehanna River Boat Society
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#1732851066724682-442: The firebox proper, revealing the presence of a combustion chamber - an extended firebox, giving more room for complete combustion of burning gases. The standard M1/M1a boiler used a working pressure of 250 pounds per square inch (1.72 MPa). 40 locomotives were later converted into class M1b ; the differences were all in the boiler, those being the addition of firebox circulators —large tubes carrying water passing through
713-637: The firebox space, increasing water circulation and heating area, and thus steam generation—and an increase in boiler pressure to 270 psi (1.86 MPa). The only externally visible difference was extra cleaning plugs in the firebox sides, for washing out the circulators. The M1b had greater tractive effort , thanks to the greater pressure, and more power at speed. All were fitted with 72-inch (1.829 m) driving wheels, two 27 in × 30 in (686 mm × 762 mm) cylinders, and cast-steel KW pattern trailing trucks , similar to those fitted to K4s Pacifics. M1 and M1a tractive effort
744-405: The locomotives themselves. All were fitted with scoops to pick up water from track pans . On the rear tender decks, all were later fitted with "doghouses" for the head-end brakeman on freight trains, giving him a view backward over the train and placing him out of the way of the engineer and fireman. Many had railing-like trainphone antennas added during the 1940s. As dieselization progressed,
775-755: The railroad industry. In 1905, a Stationary Testing Plant was installed at Altoona, after originally being installed and used for locomotive testing in 1904, as one of the PRR System exhibits at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. Locomotives tested on the plant included T1 4-4-4-4 No.6110 and Baldwin No. 60,000 Use of the testing facilities was discontinued in 1968, and many of the structures were demolished. In May 1877, telephone lines were installed for various departments to communicate with one another. In
806-604: The workforce in Altoona by nearly 36% as part of Norfolk Southern's new long-term business plan. The Railroaders Memorial Museum is located next to the Juniata Shops on the site of the Altoona Machine Shops. Northumberland, Pennsylvania Northumberland is a borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania , United States. The population was 3,911 at the 2020 census. A brewer named Reuben Haines ,
837-490: Was 64,550 pounds-force (287.1 kN) while that of the M1b was 69,700 pounds-force (310.0 kN). Weight was 385,000 pounds (174.6 t). PRR standard small steel cabs were used. A spotting feature was a large cross-mounted air tank at the front of the locomotive above the pilot . There was a family resemblance with other PRR locomotives. After World War II , the M1 locomotives underwent similar front-end changes to those made to
868-451: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.79. In the borough the population was spread out, with 21.7% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males. The median income for
899-489: Was installed, with a boxlike mixing chamber behind the stack. Twin cross-compound air compressors were hung next to each other on the left side, instead of the single compressor of the M1. The M1a locomotives had larger tenders than the previous locomotives. The M1a locomotives were intended for passenger as well as freight service, and some bore decorative gold-leaf lining on tender and cab sides, but they proved better suited to freight work, and extensive electrification saw
930-601: Was started in 1850, and soon a long building was completed in the 12th Street area that housed a machine shop , woodworking shop, blacksmith shop, locomotive repair shop and foundry . The 12th Street area facilities were replaced later by the Altoona Machine Shops. The first locomotive was built there in 1866. A total of 6,783 steam , diesel and electric locomotives were manufactured in Altoona between 1866 and 1946. In time, additional PRR repair facilities were located in Harrisburg , Pittsburgh , Renovo and Mifflin , and
961-454: Was the American home of eighteenth-century British theologian , Dissenting clergyman , natural philosopher , educator, and political theorist Joseph Priestley (1733–1804) from 1794 until his death in 1804. The Joseph Priestley House still stands on Priestley Avenue and is a National Historic Landmark on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and a museum administered by