Heavy Consolidations

The K Classes on the A&Y

The Southern Railway's K-class Consolidations were heavier and more powerful than the H and J classes, and their use on the A&Y was correspondingly more constrained. The A&Y's trackage was built with 60-lb. rail, and the K-class engines were considered too heavy for most of the main line. Evidence places them working Greensboro yard, Pomona Yard, and the "A&Y Belt Line" serving the Proximity and White Oak textile mills. Some sources suggest the K class worked as far north as Walnut Cove, though this is not firmly established.

Class K (Nos. 644, 704, 845) were Pittsburgh and Richmond-built engines from 1904–1906. Nos. 644 and 845 were formally transferred to the A&Y assignment effective 8/20/1943, operated by Danville Division crews but appearing in A&Y records as yard engines. No. 704 appears only in delay reports, suggesting a brief or informal assignment.

Class Ks adds superheating to the K-class design. Nos. 655 and 659 were requested by the A&Y (their 22-inch wide fireboxes with superheat were desirable) but both requests were held in abeyance due to cost. No. 578 was rented briefly to handle a Jordan Spreader when No. 803 could not do the job; No. 803 itself had the more substantial assignment — first rented then leased for the period 9/3/1946 to 10/1/1948, working between Greensboro and Walnut Cove.

Photographs

Class K & Ks Roster