#440 is one of fourteen Consolidation type (2-8-0) cross compound locomotives built in 1900 for the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste Marie (also known as the Soo Line) by Alco at its Schenectady, NY, works (#431-#444). Classified F-8, these brought the railroad’s fleet of Consolidation cross compounds to forty-five.
In 1920, the F-8s were simpled and superheated by the Soo. Two 22” x 30” cylinders replaced the 22½” x 30” high pressure and 35” x 30” low pressure cylinders. The boiler pressure dropped from 210 psi to 175 psi, although in later service, a few (not including #440) had their boiler pressure pushed up to 200 psi.
Superheating and simpling increased the engine weight from 180,450 lbs to 191,275 lbs, and weight on the 55” drivers from 160,000 lbs to 168,875 lbs. With a 159 sq ft grate, 46.04 sq ft firebox and total heating surface of 2,558 sq ft, including 449 sq ft superheating, they delivered 47,124 lbs tractive effort, an impressive additional 13,346 lbs compared to the original cross compounds.
#440 was donated to the City of Harvey, ND, in 1961 and is on display in a small open area near the railroad tracks on 7th Street West between Lincoln and Alder Aves.
A slightly larger tender was mated to the superheated F-8s weighing 168,875 lbs light with a capacity of 6,000 gallons of water and 10 tons of coal.
#440 appears to be quite well looked after, and surprisingly free of graffiti given that it is unenclosed.
