If a 4-4-0 was called an American
a 4-6-2 a Pacific
a 4-6-4 a Hudson etc etc
what was a 2-6-6-4 called? The only thing I’ve ever seen was simply a Class A.
Jarrell
The practice of naming the different wheel arrangements began early, led to some controversy later (just what do YOU call a 4-8-4?) and sort of went away at the end of steam.
Even before the end of steam, there were wheel arrangements which never got a name. All of the various wheel arrangements of compound semi-articulateds, from 2-4-4-2 to 2-10-10-2, were lumped as Mallets, which described their combination of compounding and hinged frames but didn’t mention wheel arrangement. The PRR had three wheel arrangements of Duplexes with two engines in a single rigid frame (4-4-4-4, 4-4-6-4 and 4-6-4-4,) none with individual names (at least, none with names suitable for public consumption!) Likewise, the two 6-8-6 designs had informal designations (‘The Big Engine’ and ‘The Turbine,’) but no official wheel arrangement name. As for the Norfolk and Western, they ‘lettered’ their locos and paid no attention to the names others used. Hence, their finest were and are recognized as A, J and Y, not as (name.)
Back to the 4-8-4, which became known as the ‘Northern’ when the Northern Pacific put the first one in service - except on the NYC (Niagara, named after the most powerful river on the Water Level Route,) NdeM (Niagra, influenced by the NYC,) NC&StL (Dixie - 'No xxxxyankee Nawthuhns on THIS railroad, suh!) N&W (J,) SP (GS, meaining Golden State in California and General Service elsewhere…) Nothing like a generally accepted name, is there.[(-D]
As for the 2-6-6-4, I believe that the only railroad other than N&W to run them was the PL&E. If they had a name, I’ve never heard it.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
A document I found a few years ago on the Internet about the Whyte System of Locomotive Classifications gives no name to the 2-6-6-4 wheel arrangement.
Chuck, I think the Pittsburg & West Virginia had the first 2-6-6-4s, not P&LE. Seaboard also had some, which wound up on the Beano, IIRC.
Cheers,
Mark.
The PRR’s “Big Engine” was it’s first (of 4) duplex types and was a 6-4-4-6 ( w/ 84" drivers yet…big and FAST!), but nameless.
Some have suggested “Monongahela” as the P&WV was the first railroad to have 2-6-6-4 steam locomotives. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monongahela_River) They were built by Baldwin, with boilers resembling extended PRR M1 4-8-2.
Baldwin had previously proposed a 2-6-6-4 to the Erie, which did not bite. The proposal had dimensions and weight very similar to the later N&W class A, but not the cast engine frames and roller bearings.
See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2-6-6-4
The P&WV locos had 64" drivers, the SAL and N&W had 70" drivers.
To add to the 4-8-4 list, Chuck, the C&O called theirs Greenbriers after their premier hotel for the same reason as the NC&StL - hard feelings left over from the war between the states. They also called their 2-8-4’s Kanawhas.
Mallet is the correct term for compound articulated locomotives where steam was used twice: first in the high-pressured smaller cylinders for the rear set of drivers and low-pressured larger cylinders for the front set. “Simple” engines which used high pressure steam to all cylinders were simply known as articulateds. Each railroad had its own classification system for distinguishing locomotive types and variations, some seemingly more rationale than others. For example, on the SP most cab-forwards were classified as AC-whatever to designate a 4-8-8-2 where “A” meant articulated and “C” meant consolidation (as in four axle driver sets). The mallets acquired from the Verde Tunnel & Smelter Ry the S.P. were known as MM-3, where the first “M” designated mallet and the second “M” designated mogul (as in three axledriver sets). The earlier cabforwards were orginally mallets (with compound cylinders) and had an MM or MC designation depending on wheel arrangment, and when the engines were “simplified” there classifications were changed to AM or AC types. S.P. enginemen did not identify their 2-10-2s as the “Santa Fe” type, for the reason the AT&SF was a direct competitor. They were called by the F-whatever class (F-1, F-2, F-3 and so on) or as a “Deck,” a corruption of “Decapod” (the 2-10-0 type).
Mark
The 2-6-6-4 came along fairly late, a product of the superpower steam concept, from the Lima Locomotive Works, which encouraged the use of large fireboxes supported by four-wheel trailing trucks. A large firebox could sustain a rate of steam generation to meet any demands of the locomotive’s cylinders, even at high speed. High speeds were certainly among the design parameters for a 2-6-6-4; most of the type were intended for use on fast freight trains. The first 2-6-6-4s built in the US were for the Pittsburgh & West Virginia Railroad, and these were heavy mountain luggers. They received three in 1934 and four more in 1937. The next of the type were a successful class of ten ordered by the Seaboard Air Line in 1935 and 1937. These were high speed freight engines. Upon dieselisation, the road sold the locomotives to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in 1947, who operated them until 1953. The final class of 2-6-6-4s was the Norfolk & Western Railway’s Class A, built starting in 1936. 43 were built until 1950. They were the largest and most powerful 2-6-6-4s, capable of 6,300 drawbar horsepower (4.7 MW) at 45 mph (72 km/h) and able to run at over 70 mph (110 km/h). They were used until dieselisation in 1959. One locomotive, #1218, was preserved and in 1987 was restored to running order, running on frequent excursions until 1994. The Class A is believed by some to be the best class of steam locomotive produced in North America. In all, 60 2-6-6-4s were constructed in North America.
Quoted from Wikipedia
Jeff quoted this from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2-6-6-4
Jeff - it is appropriate to credit your source.