Railroad Equipment
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'History of Rail Transport in the U.S.' page at Wikipedia
Articulated Locomotives
Frenchman Jean-Jacques Meyer [1804-77] designed a locomotive with two pivoting power wheelsets; the design was popular in Europe, from 1868. Kitson-Meyer locomotives, built in England by Kitson & Company of Leeds, were popular in South America from 1894. W.G. Bagnall of Stafford, England built several small 'modified Meyer' locomotives for sugar cane railways in South Africa thru 1953.
The Fairlie articulated locomotive design was popular in Wales, and American railroads purchased several engines of the Mason Bogie design.
Swiss engineer Anatole Mallet [1837-1919] invented a locomotive with powered wheels on the frame under the boiler and a pivoting set of steam-powered wheels in front; part of the design was the compound cylinder arrangement: steam expelled from the high-pressure main cylinders was sent at lower pressure to the cylinders on the 'bogie truck' (patented in 1884). The Baltimore & Ohio RR ordered the first American Mallet-design locomotive in 1903; problems developed as American lines ordered larger and larger Mallet engines. The Chesapeake & Ohio RR improved the design by specifying a simple steam system; their 45 simple Mallets built in 1924 and 1926 were very successful. The last major order of Mallet locomotives was Union Pacific's 'Big Boy' engines of 1941-44; 25 units were built, seven units remain on static display, and U.P. 4-8-8-4 locomotive #4014 was restored to full operation by U.P. in May 2019.
'Mallets In The Tall Timber' logging engines fansite
Beyer, Peacock & Company of Manchester, England built Garratt-design articulated locomotives from 1908 to 1968 for customers
around the world, especially in Africa and South Africa.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pacific_Big_Boy
1941 ALCO simple articulated U.P.R.R. 4-8-8-4 'Big Boy' #4004 is on static display at Holliday Park in Cheyenne, Wyoming
1941 ALCO simple articulated U.P.R.R. 4-8-8-4 'Big Boy' #4005 is at the Forney Transportation Museum [] in Denver, Colorado
1941 ALCO simple articulated U.P.R.R. 4-8-8-4 'Big Boy' #4006 is at the Museum of Transportation [] in St. Louis, Missouri
1941 ALCO simple articulated U.P.R.R. 4-8-8-4 'Big Boy' #4012 is stored outdoors {in 'good condition'}
at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, Pennsylvania
1941 ALCO simple articulated U.P.R.R. 4-8-8-4 'Big Boy' #4014 was restored to full operation
by Union Pacific Railroad at their shops in Cheyenne, Wyoming in May 2019 •
U.P. official webpage •
entry at Wikipedia
1941 ALCO simple articulated U.P.R.R. 4-8-8-4 'Big Boy' #4017 is on climate-controlled display
at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin
1941 ALCO simple articulated U.P.R.R. 4-8-8-4 'Big Boy' #4018
last operated 1957, retired 1962, donated 1965 to Museum of The American Railroad [est. 1963] in Texas.
1944 ALCO simple articulated U.P.R.R. 4-8-8-4 'Big Boy' #4023 is on outdoor display
at Kenefick Park in Omaha, Nebraska
up big boy issue & DVD
http://www.kalmbachhobbystore.com/product/special-issue/tr6140401
http://www.kalmbachhobbystore.com/product/dvd/15109
Lionel Union Pacific Big Boy 4-8-8-4 Steam Locomotive with LionChief© Plus [2014]
Lionel O-Scale steam locomotive #4014 [2014] for $1,199.99 Lionel O-Scale steam locomotive #4014 [2014] for $1,199.99 Lionel O-Scale steam locomotive #4024 [2013] not found on Amazon (6/2020) Lionel Union Pacific Sherman Hill Big Boy 4-8-8-4 Steam Locomotive Train Set [2014] Lionel O-Scale steam locomotive #4004 & 5 cars, 4 Sherman tanks [2014] for $1,479.99 you will find more information on Spirit of America Bookstore's Lionel Trains Page |
Of the 256 cab-forward articulated steam locomotives built for the Southern Pacific, the only survivor is #4294,
which is preserved at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento.
Southern Pacific 4-8-8-2 cab-forward locomotives entry at Wikipedia
http://www.steamlocomotive.com/cabforward/
http://www.northeast.railfan.net/steam24.html
"Those Amazing Cab Forwards" [] by George Harlan
http://www.amazon.com/Southern-Pacific-Cab-Forward-Collection/dp/B000RGI7SO/
http://www.amazon.com/Cab-Forward-Southern-Pacific-Articulated-Locomotives/dp/B0006EA6UE/
http://www.amazon.com/Cab-Forward-Southern-Pacific-Articulated-Locomotives/dp/B00M8N7GQ8/
Lionel Challenger 4-6-6-4 Steam Locomotive [various]
Lionel D&RGW O-Scale steam locomotive #3800 [2015?] for $1,999.99 Lionel O-Scale D&RGW steam locomotive #3805 green boiler [2015?] for $1,999.99 Lionel O-Gauge D&RGW steam locomotive #3803 green boiler [2015] list price $999.99 Lionel O-Scale U.P. steam locomotive #3949 [undated] for $1,999.99 Lionel/American Flyer S-Guage D&RGW steam locomotive #3805 [2010] list price $999.99 Lionel HO-Scale 4-6-6-4 steam locomotives [2/2004] list price $699.99 - not found on Amazon (6/2020) you will find more information on Spirit of America Bookstore's Lionel Trains Page |
1934 Baldwin 2-6-6-2 Weyerhauser Timber Company #4; Sierra Rwy #38; Rayonier Inc.; now privately owned in Merrill, Oregon
"American Locomotive Co. Articulated Compound Locomotives" catalogue [1908] 40-page catalogue facsimile illustrated with photos and diagrams; Text by C.J. Mellin, who was the Chief Engineer of the Richmond Works and holder of a number of patents related to the articulated compound locomotive. Periscope Film, LLC 8x5¾ pb [3/2010] for $8.96 | |
"The Fairlie Locomotive" [1970] by Rowland A.S. Abbott David & Charles Locomotive Studies pb [1975] out of print/used David & Charles Locomotive Studies hardcover [7/70] out of print/used | |
"Articulated Locomotives" [orig 1930, rev 1970] by Lionel Wiener, with Preface & Epilogue by Robert A. LaMassena Kalmbach Publng 8¾x6 hardcover [1970] out of print/used | |
"Articulated Steam Locomotives of North America" [1979] by Robert A. Le Massena Sundance Publns, Ltd. 11¼x9 hardcover [6/79] out of print/many used "Articulated Steam Locomotives of North America, Volume 2" [1991] Sundance Publns, Ltd. 11½x8½ hardcover [1991] out of print/used | |
"Kitson Meyer Articulated Locomotives" [1993] by Donald Binns Paul Catchpole, Ltd. pb [12/93] out of print/scarce Wyvern Books hardcover [1985] out of print/used | |
"America's Articulateds: The Challenger and The A" [1998] 82-minute video of Union Pacific Challenger locomotive #3985 - "the world's largest operating steam locomotive" - and Norfolk & Western Class A locomotive #1218 - "the world's most powerful operating steam locomotive" Goodheart color DVD [1998] available at TrainVideo website for $27.95 | |
"U.P. Railroad Challenger 3985: The Worlds Largest Operating Steam Locomotive" 2002 hour-long color documentary about Union Pacific Railroad's last 4-6-6-4 articulated locomotive, built in 1943 and restored in 1981, which runs today as part of the railroad's public relations program Produced & directed by Les Jarrett Railway Prodns color DVD [11/2002] for $24.95 bare credits at IMDb | |
"Steam Giants Across America" on DVD [2007] 57-minutes of color footage of articulated giants at work on the Union Pacific, the Duluth Missabe & Iron Range, and the Norfolk & Western from photographers Robert Flack, Emery Gulash, Tom Strid, and Jerry Carson Written & directed by Frank Kyper Green Frog Prodns/CustomFlix DVD-R [1/2007] for $24.95 | |
"American Trains: The Challenger" [2008] 83-minute color documentary about Union Pacific Railroad's last 4-6-6-4 articulated locomotive Produced & directed by Les Jarrett Amazon Instant Video [12/2016] rental $2.99, purchase $9.99 available on Blu-ray at producer website/store [2008] for $24.95 DVD available at producer website/store [2008] for $29.95 not listed at IMDb • watch official trailer [10/2008 upload; 2:39] online at YouTube | |
"Baltimore & Ohio's Magnificent 2-8-8-4 EM-1 Articulated Locomotive" [2008] by Thomas W. Dixon, Jr. & Bob Withers T.L.C. Publng 11x8½ pb [11/2008] out of print/over-priced |
Geared Locomotives
Ephraim Shay [1839-1916] of Michigan began to develop his design for a geared steam locomotive for logging in 1872; he sold manufacturing rights to Lima Machine Works in Ohio circa 1880, then received his first patent in June 1881. 2,767 Shay-geared engines were built by Lima between 1878 and 1945; 117 still exist, mostly on display with a few dozen that are operational.
The Climax design was invented by Charles Darwin Scott in 1878; patent granted in 1888. Climax built at least 1,030 geared locomotives between 1888 and 1928; approximately 20 Climax locomotives survive in North America (5 operational), two survive in Australia (1 operational), and four in New Zealand.
The first Heislers were built by Dunkirk Engineering Company of New York in 1891; in 1894, the Stearns Manufacturing Company of Erie, Pennsylvania started to produce Heislers, and did so until 1904, then reorganised in 1907 as the Heisler Locomotive Works, which produced locomotives until 1941.
Roughly 625 Heislers were produced; some 35 still exist, of which eight are operational.
When the original Shay patents expired, other companies began to build Shay-geared locomotives with altered details; Willamette Iron Works of Portland, Oregon shifted the three re-arranged pistons slightly forward, chose Walschaerts valve gear, and added superheaters. 33 Willamette engines were built; six survive;
only one is operational (Rayonier Lumber #2 at Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad in Mineral, Washington).
Geared Steam Locomotives Page at Spirit of America Bookstore
top of page • short history • Shay-geared locomotives • Climax-geared locomotives • Heisler-geared locomotives • Willamette-geared locomotives •
books • videos & other media • lumber & railroad companies • image gallery • locos you can visit • links
'geared steam locomotives' page at Wikipedia
Geared Steam Locomotive Works website [est. 1998] based in Arkansas
Diesel Locomotives
Illinois Central Railroad #121 was a diesel streamliner built in 1936 by Pullman-Standard and powered by Electro-Motive Corporation;
IC 121 operated on the Green Diamond passenger train until 1950, when it was retired and scrapped.
IC #121 entry at Wikipedia
"Vintage Diesel Power Gallery" [2010] by Brian Solomon
Over 250 modern and historic photos showing every prominent manufacturer of the period - Electro-Motive, Alco, Baldwin, and General Electric - as well as iconic models like Geeps, E and F units, PAs and FAs, sharknoses, U-boats — and more. Kindle Edition from Voyageur Press [11/2010] for $9.99 Voyageur Press 8¼x6½ pb [11/2010] for $13.51 | |
"Modern Diesel Power Gallery" [2010] by Brian Solomon
Over 250 modern and historic photos showing every prominent manufacturer of the period - Electro-Motive, Alco, Baldwin, and General Electric - as well as iconic models like Geeps, E and F units, PAs and FAs, sharknoses, U-boats — and more. Kindle Edition from Voyageur Press [11/2010] for $9.99 Voyageur Press 8¼x6½ pb [11/2010] for $13.51 |
General Motors Electro-Motive Division [est. 1922]
Founded as Electro-Motive Engineering Corp. in 1922; purchased by General Motors in 1930; merged several units as the Electro-Motive Division in 1941; sold by G.M. to Greenbriar/Berkshire in 2005; re-sold in 2010 to Progress Rail Services Corp., which is a subsidiary of Caterpillar; renamed as Electro-Motive Diesel. E.M.D.'s major operations are located in McCook, Illinois and Muncie, Indiana and San Luis Potosí, Mexico and Sete Lagoas, Brazil. The company's share of the North American diesel freight locomotive market is about 30%.
official Progress/E.M.D. website •
entry at Wikipedia
General Electric Transportation [est. 1938]
General Electric surpassed E.M.D. for market share in the 1980s and currently sells 70% of diesel locomotives in North America;
new products include locomotives powered by natural gas.
official website •
entry at Wikipedia
passenger diesel locomotive builders for U.S. railroads include:
Siemens Mobility of Germany, which has a factory in Sacramento, California
official website •
entry at Wikipedia
Electric-Powered Locomotives
http://www.amazon.com/Electric-Railways-1880-1990-History-Technology/dp/0852968051/
http://www.amazon.com/Electricification-Railways-George-Westinghouse/dp/1117512096/
Railroad Equipment Pages at Spirit of America Bookstore
back on page 1: top of page • short history • Whyte's notation system • locomotive power • steam locomotives
here on page 2: top of page • articulated locomotives • geared locomotives • diesel locomotives • electric locomotives
on page 3: top of page • gasoline-powered locomotives • streetcars, subways & interurban • other designs
on page 4: top of page • passenger trains • freight cars • maintenance equipment • stations, tunnels & bridges
books • videos & other media • image gallery • links
Spirit of America Bookstore's American Railroads Pages
on page one: top of page • links • museums • Class I railroads • Class II railroads • shortline railroads
on page two: top of page • games • RR history • narrow gauge RRs • historic RR lines
on page three: top of page • transcontinental railroads • railroad moguls • railroad recordings
Spirit of America Bookstore's 'Railroads in Fiction' Pages
Spirit of America Bookstore's Railroads in Fiction - Books For Young Railfans Page
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Railroad Equipment Pages at Spirit of America Bookstore « « you are here
Geared Steam Locomotives
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