Monster of the rails C&O 7,400 HP Allegheny, H8,

The mighty H8, Allegheny owned by the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad was one of the heaviest and most powerful steam locomotives of all time. With a combined locomotive and tender weight of 1,183,540 pounds, only the Big Boy was slightly heavier. With a staggering driving axle weight of 42 1/2 tons per driver, this locomotive had the heaviest driving axle weight of any locomotive. At nearly 7,500 horsepower this locomotive set a all time record but fell short in tractive effort. There is records of one of these locomotives pulling a 162 car coal train weighing 14,075 tons! Now that's some serious power.

These locomotives ended up being overweight after it was built. Lima weighed the locomotive with no sand in the domes, no boiler insulation, no boiler jacketing, many missing pipes, and various other items to lower the official weight. Later after track started to suffer, C&O had the locomotive re-weighed and found the official weight to be far higher then was was told. C&O sued Lima pretty much into bankruptcy after the court ruled in their favor.

Many consider this locomotive to be the most powerful locomotive of all time. With the high driving axle weight this locomotive, in theory, it should be able to out pull nearly anything. Many historians believe this locomotive never reached it's peak power. Had they increased boiler pressure to 300 PSI there is little doubt this will locomotive would set records all around. The 162 car, 14,075 tons up a slight grade is testimony to this locomotives awesome power.

This locomotive was steamed under it's own power into the Ford museum. It is one of the most complete and well preserved locomotives in the World. It could likely be steamed back up as it sits with few problems. Although many would like to see this engine run again, it is unlikely due to the high axle weight of the locomotive. Even back in the steam era this locomotive was too heavy. There is also a second locomotive preserved in Baltimore. See link below for more information about this locomotive.
https://www.steamlocomotive.com/locob...
https://www.southernsteamtrains.com/a...

This locomotive is located in Dearborn, Michigan at the Ford museum. More information can be found here. https://www.thehenryford.org/visit/he...

For a excellent book about the life and history of the Allegheny written by a ex C&O President check out ...The Allegheny - Lima's Finest https://www.amazon.com/Allegheny-Fine...