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7 Responses to The Meaning Of Locomotive Numbers?
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The numbers refer to the arrangement of wheels on the loco. First the front carrying wheels, then the main drivers followed by the rear carrying wheels. Some arrangements are also nicknamed for example 4-6-2 is a Pacific (4 little wheels, then 6 big ones and finally 2 little ones).
Basically, those numbers refers to the wheel arrangement of the locomotive, A 4-6-2 Pacific’s wheel arrangement means that the loco has four smaller wheels under the pilot (cowcatcher); six large driving wheels; and two wheels supporting the firebox.
Generally, a Pacific type of locomotive pulled passenger trains. The most common passenger locomotive was a 4-8-4 Northern class; or a 4-8-2 Mountain class.
A 2-8-4 type was used for pulling freight trains. If you’ll notice, freight locomotives have smaller drivers than passenger locomotives. Smaller drivers meant more power to the rails.
Hope that answered the OP’s question.
It is called the Whyte Locomotive Classification System. It classifies all steam locomotives by the , number of wheels on the front truck, the number of drivers and the number of wheels on the rear truck. 0-8-0 is no front truck, 8 drivers, no rear truck. An articulated locomotive has 2 sets of drivers. 2-8-8-4, 2 front wheels on the front truck, 4 front drivers, 4 rear drivers and 4 wheels on the rear truck. You can see the Whyte Classification System on line.
Steam engines follow as everyone say but diesels don’t. Some railroads the first number in the engine serial number follows the class in other words like the Union pacific Centennial engine serial number started with a 69 plus 2 more numbers for the serial number. The Union Pacific Big Boy was 40 plus the 2 digits of the serial number, The UP challenger was 39 plus the 2 digits. The different engines with CSX such as 87 plus the 2 digits and such was different designs or horsepower with that line of engines. Some railroads will follow different numbering systems. 2000 numbers were usually your older road engines used as switching or short haul engines today.
from Newman Atkinson
This is what you want:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whyte_notation
Thanks Frank I will have to check that out from Newman
I enjoyed finding out what the 0-5-0 was. Think it was called ‘the hand of God’.
Used in Fiddle Yards and out of the way places.