What's in a name...??

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hope this isn’t a silly question, but is there any meaning behind the loco names out there? For example, Bachmann 4-8-2. Does the 4-8-2 mean anything?

Thanks

2

Do you mean the wheel configuration or the name.

3

Well, here’s another example…

Bachman Spectrum® HO 2-10-2. What do “2-10-2” stand for?

4

Basically the numbers generally associated with Steam loco’s have to do with their wheel configuration. This is usually in reference to the pilot wheels, the driver wheels, and the trailer wheels. So a 4-8-2 refers to a steam loco with 2 axles of pilot wheels (4 wheels), 4 axles of driver wheels (8 wheels), and 1 axle of trailer wheels (2 wheels), therefore 4-8-2. Most steamers also have an associated nickname. The 4-8-2 is also called the Mikado. There are of course many more.

Some steamers have an additional set of driver wheels, so you’ll see configurations like 2-6-6-2.

Hope this helps,
Trevor

5

that is the wheel arrangement, 2 (lead truck) 10 (driver wheels) 2(under cab truck) simple explanation.

6

The above is incorrect… The 4-8-2 is a Mountain. A 2-8-2 is a Mikado.

The 0-0-0 is the Whyte Classificiation system of locomotives - used mostly to classify steam, though it can be used for diesels and electric. It covers the wheel arrangments.

Here is a list:

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/misc/wheels.shtml

Without getting confusing here’s the other systems.

This one designates powered trucks vs. unpowered.

One single powered axle is known as an “A” axle.
Two powered axles on a truck is a “B” truck, and so on.
Diesels un-powered axles are numbers.

SO, a New Haven FL-9 goes like this

B - A-1-A

OR

0-4-6-0

Meaning the front truck is two powered axles, the next has 3 axles (first is powered, second is an idler axle, third is powered).

Articulated gets more complicated.

A NH EP-1 “Pony” ELECTRIC would be (in rebuilt state):

1-B-B-1

One idler, two powered, non articulated, two powered, one idler - axles per truck

A NH EP-3, EP-4, EF-3 or GG1 is:

2-C+C-2

two unpowered, three powered, articulated, three powered, two unpowered axles on each truck.

A steamer can be done the same way technically:

A 2-8-8-2 would be a
2-D+D-2

Hope you get that.

7

Also, each railroad had their own designations for the “types” of locos. The PRR called their big 2-10-4 a J1, while the C&O called their nearly identical, but earlier, version a T1, and the AT&SF called theirs a “Texas” 3800 Class.

So the numbers you see are the wheel configuration using the Whyte system, as stated above, but even though the first user/builder got to call the class a name (Mountain, Mikado, Consolidation, etc), each corporation gave their own modified versions a corporate name or class.

Seems confusing at first, but as you spend time with steam, you’ll get the hang of it.

8

If you really want to confuse him guys, just start calling locos by their handles such as Consolidation, Mikado, Pacific, Mountain, Northern, Berkshire, etc…

Tracklayer