Does anyone know what the first U.S. steam locomotive equipped with roller bearing rods was? I'm guessing it was one of the D&H experimental locomotives in the 1930's.

The Four Aces, no?

The Four Aces had roller bearings on all axles, but not on the rods. The N&W J's are the earliest class of locomotives I can find that were roller-rod-equipped when built. Otherwise, I've found a photo of Delaware & Hudson 4-6-2 #605 from I'd guess the mid-1930's that shows roller bearings on the main rod big ends. The UP put roller rods on the 4-6-2 and 4-8-2 that they streamlined in ~1938. Any earlier examples?

NYC put rollerbearing rods on some of their streamlined Hudsons in the late 30s.

I think it was the N&W A Class...I belive they were developed in the mid 1930's and they have Roller Rod Bearings.Andy J

I'm not shure, but the 2926 has them, but they were installed after WWII, AT&SF asked for them but the war production board said no (no new tech for the duration)a photo of a bearing equiped side rod.Again Im not shure but we may be the only locomtive with all roller/needle bering equiped running gear, undergoing restoration or restored, but it shure will help out during lube halts.Gunns

Andy, It was definitely not the "Class A's", only the last batch of A's built after WWII had the roller rods. Warbaby "A" 1218 (a locomotive I am intimately familiar with, having spent several hundred hours helping reassemble her for display) has conventional rods. I am tending to agree with Hugh, I think the "J"s were the first locomotives built new with roller rods.

I stand corrected!!

According to NYC loco diagrams, J3a 5447 was built with roller bearing rods in March 1938. Additional J3a's built with roller rods were 5451-5454 in April 1938.The Commodore Vanderbuilt (J1e 5344 IIRC) was conventional as built in 1931, was shrouded (still with original running gear), then later equipped with roller bearing rods sometime in the 1930's. This transition is supported by various photos, but I haven't found a consistent date.

I am curious, as of yet have you folks taken the rods of and had Steam Operations Corporation out there to inspect them and there oil resevoir system? If so, what condition are they in after all of these years? Granted it's a fairly dry climate but one never knows. Something I've been curious about with your group is as to whom you have heading up the steam mechanical side of things and who in your group has mainline steam experience for the post restoration activities?