All of the A4b’s were equipped with wide Wooten fireboxes, allowing them to burn the Reading’s precious Anthracite coal. They lacked the steaming capacity for extended running, so the constantly back and forth, starting and stopping allowed them to build pressure back up after a quick push or pull. Saddled on 50″ drivers, and producing 20,900 lbs of tractive effort, the A4b’s were ideal as yard switchers. From 1906-1907, they were upgraded with larger tenders with (2) 4 wheel trucks, and they also had their boiler pressure increased to 200 psi, increasing their weight to 108,000 lbs, resulting in a re-classification to A4b. Built original at an A4a, they weighed in at 98,200 lbs, and carried a 4 wheel sloping-back tender. The A4 was an 0-4-0 Mother Hubbard type Camelback built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1901-1903 for the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad.
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