0-6-0 what does this mean?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I know that this is a silly question, but I’m one of those silly few that don’t know. I know that it is used to describe a locomotive but how? What exactly does this mean?

thanks Norman…

2

Front pilot truck - 0 (zero, no wheels)

Driving wheels - 6 (3 to a side)

Trailing truck - 0 (zero, no wheels)

Larger steamers such as 4-8-2 have four pilot wheels in front, 8 driving wheels, and 2 in the trailing truck. Easy!

3

Thanks railphotog, for the quick response. I thought that it had something to do with the wheels but was unsure.

Thanks again Norman…

4

It’s the Whyte system of classification. This list gives the wheel arrangements and names of the ones with names http://www.steamlocomotive.com/misc/wheels.shtml

Enjoy

Paul

5

The only dumb question is the one not asked. No one knows everything about everything. Every person in here had that explained to him (or her) at some point in their life.

Every person in here is here to A) Share what they know, and B) Learn what they don’t know. Through that sharing, we all become better at this hobby.

6

If you ever come across the term “0-5-0”, don’t get confused, there aren’t 2-1/2 wheels per side - it refers to ones’ hand - the “0-5-0 switcher”, picking up cars with your hand!

7

also referred to as the “five finger discount.”

8

You may occasionally encounter an 0-1-0 switcher; it looks exactly like an 0-5-0 switcher but its all thumbs.

9

Someone bigger’n me who objected to my use of the 0-1-0 gave me a black eye for my trouble.

[B)]

10

…well, only if the cars you’re picking up don’t belong to you !! [(-D]

Just to confuse things, diesels (and electrics) use a combination letter + number system:

A=1 powered axle, B= a truck with two powered axels, C= a truck with three powered axles, D= a truck with 4 powered axles. Numbers are used to show non-powered axles.

So for example a GP-9 is a B-B engine - 2 two-axle trucks with both axles powered. An SD-9 is C-C, 2 three-axle trucks all powered.

An E unit, say a E-9 passenger engine, at first looks to be C-C also, but it really is A-1-A / A-1-A, meaning the it has 2 three-axle trucks, but only the outside axles are powered, the middle one is an idler (the “1”) and unpowered.

Confused yet?? [%-)]

11

Ot he HOG method. (Hand of God)

12

Well, there are no dumb questions, but it appears there are plenty of dumb answers![D)][(-D]

Lee

13

I’m just gonna keep telling myself that the more questionable answers are a result of today being April Fools day…

14

The only part that confused me was…A=1 powered…confused yet. Maybe if you wouldn’t mind explaining that system with an engine I can look at would help like say a GP-40.

thanks Norman…

15

t_valley,
About the ABC’s (literally) of diesel wheel arrangements…

The Whyte classification system was created in the days of steam and assumed that all powered wheels are in the center of the loco. Also, it assumed that pilot and trailing wheels on either side of the center wheels were not powered. This leads to “0-6-0”, “4-8-2”, etc. If they were articulated steam engines with multiple sets of drivers, they would get added in the middle as well. Such as “4-8-8-4” for a Big Boy, or “2-6-6-6” for an Allegheny.

Diesels, of course, are very different in that most diesels have all powered axles and no pilot or trailing axles as on a steam engine. If one were to use the Whyte system for a GP40, it would be “0-4-4-0”. This is cumbersome, and not very descriptive. Therefore, a separate system has been developed that uses letters for powered axles and numbers for idler (or unpowered) axles. A GP40 thus becomes “B-B”.

Paul A. Cutler III

Weather Or No Go New Haven

16

I believe the diesel style of classifying locomotives is an adaptation of European classification in which they count AXLES rather than total number of WHEELS. (Though I could be mistaken on this)

17

Wouldn that be a 0-1-0-0 ? [:-^]

18

As Mr Garrison on South Park would say “There are no stupid questions, only …”

Oh …well nevermind [:-^][;)][:D]

As stated above, 3 pairs of driving wheels with no lead or trailing wheels = 0-6-0, if the locomotive had no tender but carried its water and fuel on tanks attached to the engine its reffered with a T as in 0-6-0T.

Example, my ohhh-six-ohhh

Sorry it doesnt include the tender, this was a progress pic during construction[swg]

19

NeO6874,
That’s pretty much the case. A Pacific in certain Euro countries would be 2-C-1 (Whyte: 4-6-2).

The one thing that did not translate to American practice was the small “o” for nose hung traction motors. For example, in the Euro method, that GP40 would be a Bo-Bo. If it doesn’t have the “o”, it meant that it was connected to siderods as on a steam loco (something fairly rare on US RR’s). I don’t know what they would have called a E-unit (Ao1Ao-Ao1Ao?).

Paul A. Cutler III

Weather Or No Go New Haven

20

Paul, me being steam guy, what about dismals that had idler wheels, like the Alco PA-1, where the center axle in the 6 wheel truck was there just for weight distribution? Now would that be refered to as a A-2-A ? or how is that?