The Berkshire locomotive came about because of the hope of the Lima Locomotive Works, an established and well-known manufacturer of steam locomotives, to improve the USRA Mikado design (2-8-2), which lacked sufficient speed and horsepower. Based initially from a New York Central Railroad H-7 Mikado design, what Lima ultimately came up with was a locomotive that included a larger, 100-square-foot (9.3 m2) firebox that necessitated the need for an extra trailing axle giving the locomotive (designated a Class A-1) a 2-8-4 wheel arrangement.
This new locomotive would get its name, Berkshire, again because of where it was first tested, the Berkshire Hills on the Boston & Albany Railroad in 1925. After very successful tests against a Class H-10 Mikado where the Class A-1 easily outperformed the Mikado (the Class A-1 left Selkirk Yard nearly 50 minutes after the Class H-10 and pulled a train that was over 600 tons heavier, yet arrived at North Adams Junction ten minutes ahead of the Mikado!), the B&A quickly ordered 45 Berkshires.
In all some nineteen different railroads would purchase the successful Berks with the Erie Railroad owning the most, 105; in all over 600 of the locomotives were built from the three largest manufacturers, American Locomotive Company, Lima and Baldwin Locomotive Works. Of note regarding the Berkshire Locomotives was the 90 owned by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway who called them Kanawhas.
Specifications of the Nickel Plate Road (NKP) Berkshire Locomotives
Builder – Lima, Baldwin, and Alco (NKP Berkshires were built by Lima)Fuel - 22 tons
Cylinders(2) - 25" x 34"
Water - 22,000 Gallons
Weight – 802,500 Pounds
Diameter of Drivers – 69 Inches
Steam Pressure - 245 PSI
Tractive Effort – 64,100 Pounds
Today, impressively two of these large steamers still operate; Nickel Plate Road (NKP) #765 and Pere Marquette #1225 (who has become quite famous in recent years as The Polar Express (film)), with a third to be operational in the coming years, #765’s sister #763 owned by shortline, Ohio Central. Along with these operational Berkshire locomotives another of Pere Marquette Railway’s survive and four other of the Nickel Plate’s. Additionally twelve of the C&O’s Kanawhas also survive.