The Clinchfield was the last railroad to be built east of the Mississippi in 1915. from then on, it was from 1909 to 1947 they acquired articulated motive power from the 2-6-6-2 to the 500-ton 4-6-6-4 Challengers (which I will be talking in this forum). later acquisitions were later the 2-8-2, the 2-6-6-2, the 4-6-2, the 2-8-0, etc. In 2001, I was trying to find some photos on the Clinchfield E- class challengers I read this information on the Clinchfield 4-6-6-4's. It was said that they look similar to the Delaware and Hudson Class J-95 Challengers, in which they were. It kinda took me four years to find the photos I was looking for, but I finally found some. I may have to find a photo of a Clinchfield E-1 Challenger to compare it with a D&H J Challenger very soon. Anyway back to the story, The Clinchfield needed a locomotive to speed up its freight train across the Appalachian Mountains. the eight Class E Challengers were built by Alco in 1942 and/or 1943 and were soon put to use to coal trains and Merchandise trains 92, 93, 94, 95 and 97. The locomotives were so successful that the Clinchfield saw the need to dispose of some older Mikados some of them were sold to other railroads. Years later. They would acquire some more locomotives, Including some more copies, and six E-3 Class Challengers purchased second hand from the Denver & Rio Grande Western. They sat on 69” drivers and weighed 303 tons, developing 101,120 lbs. Of tractive force, The cylinders measured 22 x 32 at 265 psi. They did well on the Clinchfield, and lasted well into the diesel era, Often used as pushers. They were Officially retired from service (653 the last train ran on 4/16/1954) on 5/1/1954. None of the locomotives were preserved. And since then, the road has never been the same. COMING SOON - The E-2 Challengers
