2-8-2
Encyclopedia
Whyte notation
The Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement was devised by Frederick Methvan Whyte and came into use in the early twentieth century encouraged by an editorial in American Engineer and Railroad Journal...
for the classification of steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s, 2-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement
Wheel arrangement
In rail transport, a wheel arrangement is a system of classifying the way in which wheels are distributed beneath a locomotive.. Several notations exist to describe the wheel assemblies of a locomotive by type, position, and connections, with the adopted notations varying by country...
of two leading wheel
Leading wheel
The leading wheel or leading axle of a steam locomotive is an unpowered wheel or axle located in front of the driving wheels. The axle or axles of the leading wheels are normally located in a truck...
s on one axle (usually in a leading truck), eight powered and coupled driving wheel
Driving wheel
On a steam locomotive, a driving wheel is a powered wheel which is driven by the locomotive's pistons...
s on four axles, and two trailing wheel
Trailing wheel
On a steam locomotive, a trailing wheel or trailing axle is generally an unpowered wheel or axle located behind the driving wheels. The axle of the trailing wheels was usually located on a trailing truck...
s on one axle (usually in a trailing truck). This configuration of steam locomotive is most often referred to as a Mikado (frequently shortened to Mike), but it is also referred to as a MacArthur. The 2-8-2 was particularly popular in North America, but was also used in continental Europe and elsewhere.
Other equivalent classifications are:
UIC classification
UIC classification
The UIC classification of locomotive axle arrangements describes the wheel arrangement of locomotives, multiple units and trams. It is set out in the International Union of Railways "Leaflet 650 - Standard designation of axle arrangement on locomotives and multiple-unit sets". It is used in much...
: 1D1 (also known as German classification and Italian classification)
French classification: 141 (also known as Spanish classification
Spanish classification
With the Spanish classification system for locomotive wheel arrangements, the system for steam machines.- Steam :With steam locomotives, there are three digits normally and more with articulated locomotives...
)
Turkish classification
Turkish classification
In the Turkish classification system for railway locomotives, the number of powered axles are followed by the total number of axles. It is identical to the Swiss system except that the latter places a slash between the two numbers.Thus0-6-0 becomes 33...
: 46
Swiss classification: 4/6
The 2-8-2 arrangement allows the locomotive's firebox to be placed behind, instead of above, the driving wheels, allowing a large firebox that could be both wide and deep. This supported a greater rate of combustion and thus a greater capacity for steam generation, allowing for more power at higher speeds. Allied with the larger driving wheel
Driving wheel
On a steam locomotive, a driving wheel is a powered wheel which is driven by the locomotive's pistons...
diameter possible when they did not impinge on the firebox, this meant that the 2-8-2 was capable of higher speeds with a heavy train than a 2-8-0
2-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels...
.
The notation 2-8-2T indicates a tank locomotive
Tank locomotive
A tank locomotive or tank engine is a steam locomotive that carries its water in one or more on-board water tanks, instead of pulling it behind it in a tender. It will most likely also have some kind of bunker to hold the fuel. There are several different types of tank locomotive dependent upon...
of this wheel arrangement (its water is carried in tanks mounted on the locomotive, rather than in an attached tender).
History
The very first 2-8-2 locomotive was built in 1884. They were originally named Calumets by Angus Sinclair, in reference to the 2-8-2 engines built for the Chicago & Calumet Terminal railroad. However, this name did not stick.The class name Mikado originates from a group of 2-8-2 locomotives (JNR type 9700 (:ja:国鉄9700形蒸気機関車)) that were built by Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
in 1897 for the 42 inch (1067mm) gauge
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
Nippon Railway
Nippon Railway
was the first private railway company in the history of Japan. The company built trunk lines connecting Tokyo with the Tōhoku region to the northeast...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. In 1885, the Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan . The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S...
opera The Mikado
The Mikado
The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations...
premiered, so the name was on the minds of many in America, where the opera achieved great popularity.
The 2-8-2 was one of the more common configurations in the first half of the 20th century before dieselization. The total U.S. production was about 14,000, of which 9,500 were for U.S. customers and the rest exported. Nearly 2,200 of this type were constructed by ALCO
American Locomotive Company
The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
, Lima
Lima Locomotive Works
Lima Locomotive Works was an American firm that manufactured railroad locomotives from the 1870s through the 1950s. The company took the most distinctive part of its name from its main shops location in Lima, Ohio. The shops were located between the Baltimore & Ohio's Cincinnati-Toledo main line...
and Baldwin based on designs of the USRA
United States Railroad Administration
The United States Railroad Administration was the name of the nationalized railroad system of the United States between 1917 and 1920. It was possibly the largest American experiment with nationalization, and was undertaken against a background of war emergency.- Background :On April 6, 1917, the...
between 1917 and 1944. Of all of the USRA designs, the Mikado proved to be the most popular.
Mikado remained the class name until the Attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
in 1941. Seeking a more "American" name, MacArthur came into use to describe the locomotive type, after General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
. Since the war, the class name Mikado has again become the most common name for this locomotive type.
Canada
Canadian National RailwayCanadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
operated a few Mikado locomotives:
- R-1 class - 1 (#3000)
- R-2 class - 29 (#300-329)
- S-1/S-4 class - ? (#3198-4097)
Canadian Pacific used Mikado locomotives for passenger and freight trains throughout Canada. Mostly in the Rocky Mountains where the standard 4-6-2 Pacifics and 4-6-4 Hudsons could not provide enough traction to handle the steep mountain grades. A perfect example of a preserved Canadian Pacific Mikado is Canadian Pacific 5468, on display in Revelstoke
Revelstoke
Revelstoke refers to:*Revelstoke, British Columbia, a city in British Columbia, Canada*Revelstoke Airport, the airport serving the city of Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada...
, B.C.
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, mostly as a freight locomotive. It largely replaced the 2-8-0
2-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels...
"Consolidation" type as the heavy freight locomotive type in the second decade of the 20th century. Tractive effort
Tractive effort
As used in mechanical engineering, the term tractive force is the pulling or pushing force exerted by a vehicle on another vehicle or object. The term tractive effort is synonymous with tractive force, and is often used in railway engineering to describe the pulling or pushing capability of a...
was similar to the best 2-8-0s, but a developing requirement for higher speed freight trains drove the shift to the 2-8-2. The type was in turn pushed from the top-flight trains by larger freight locomotive arrangements such as 2-10-2
2-10-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-10-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, ten powered and coupled driving wheels on five axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle, usually in a trailing truck...
, 2-8-4
2-8-4
In the Whyte notation, a 2-8-4 is a railroad steam locomotive that has one unpowered leading axle followed by four powered driving axles and two unpowered trailing axles. This locomotive type is most often referred to as a Berkshire, though the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway used the name Kanawha for...
, 2-10-4
2-10-4
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, a 2-10-4 locomotive has two leading wheels, ten driving wheels , and four trailing wheels...
and articulated locomotives, but no successor type became ubiquitous and the "Mike" remained the most common road freight locomotive with most railroads until the end of steam. More than 14,000 were built for North American service, about one-fifth of all locomotives in service at the time. The heaviest Mikados were Great Northern's class O-8, with an axle load
Axle load
The axle load of a wheeled vehicle is the total weight felt by the roadway for all wheels connected to a given axle. Viewed another way, it is the fraction of total vehicle weight resting on a given axle...
of 81,250 lb.
Boston and Maine Railroad
The Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
, Delaware and Hudson Railway
Delaware and Hudson Railway
The Delaware and Hudson Railway is a railroad that operates in the northeastern United States. Since 1991 it has been a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway, although CPR has assumed all operations and the D&H does not maintain any locomotives or rolling stock.It was formerly an important...
, St. Louis Southwestern Railway
St. Louis Southwestern Railway
The St. Louis Southwestern Railway , known by its nickname of "The Cotton Belt Route" or simply Cotton Belt, was organized on January 15, 1891, although it had its origins in a series of short lines founded in Tyler, Texas, in 1870 that connected northeastern Texas to Arkansas and southeastern...
and Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
. The largest users included New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
(715 examples), Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
(610), Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
(579), Illinois Central Railroad
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
(565), Milwaukee Road (500), and the Southern Railway (435).
Currently or recently operational survivors
There are more than 125 Mikados remaining in the USA of which about 40 are narrow gauge. Half of those are from the D&RGW. Thirty of the 125 are operational.
- East Broad Top Railroad and Coal Company owns six narrow-gauge Mikados of which only number 15 is operational
- DollywoodDollywoodDollywood is a theme park owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and the Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation. It is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Dollywood has 3,000 people on its payroll, making it the largest employer in that community....
operates three Baldwin 2-8-2 steam trains, originally from the White Pass & Yukon Railroad (two original and one USRA S118 classUSATC S118 ClassThe United States Army Transportation Corps S118 Class is a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotive. Built to either or Cape gauge, they were used in at least 24 different countries across the World....
). - There are two Denver and Rio Grande Western K-27sD&RGW K-27The D&RGW K-27 class are 3 foot narrow gauge, Mikado type, 2-8-2 steam railway locomotives built for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1903...
remaining:- 464 is on the Huckleberry RailroadHuckleberry RailroadThe Huckleberry Railroad is a narrow gauge heritage railroad located in Flint, Michigan, just north of Flint.The railroad received its name due to its slowness; it was said a person could jump off the train, pick huckleberries, and re-board the train as it traveled without difficulty.Former Denver...
- 463 was operational on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad until it broke a side rod in 2002
- 464 is on the Huckleberry Railroad
- D&RGW K-28s:
- 473 and 478 are in service on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
- 476 is in the D&SNG museum in Durango, ColoradoDurango, ColoradoThe City of Durango is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau said that the city population was 16,887 in 2010 census.-History:...
- D&RGW K-36s:
- 480, 481, 482, and 486 are operational on the D&SNG
- 483, 484, 487, 488, and 489 are operational on the C&TS
- Southern Pacific 745Southern Pacific 745Southern Pacific 745 is a Mikado-type or 2-8-2 steam locomotive that has been restored to operating condition. It has also been known as Texas & New Orleans 745 and Galveston, Harrisburg, & San Antonio 745, reflecting two Southern Pacific Railroad subsidiaries that operated it at times.-Historic...
is operational, based in Jefferson, LouisianaJefferson, LouisianaJefferson is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, on the East Bank of the Mississippi River. Jefferson is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 11,843 at the 2000 census... - Canadian National 3254Canadian National 3254The Canadian National 3254 is a preserved Canadian National class S-1-b 2-8-2 type steam locomotive. It is a part of the operating fleet at the Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, Pennsylvania.-History:...
operates at Steamtown National Historic SiteSteamtown National Historic SiteSteamtown National Historic Site is a railroad museum and heritage railroad located on in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania, at the site of the former Scranton yards of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad . The museum is built around a working replica turntable and a roundhouse that is...
Static displays
- Southern Railway 4501 was operational until 1998, but is now undergoing an operational restoration
- Soo Line 1003Soo Line 1003Soo Line 1003 is a restored 2-8-2 Mikado type steam locomotive of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway L-1 class. It is occasionally operated on the major railroads of the American Upper Midwest....
has also run in railfan service. - Elk River Coal and Lumber Company No.10Elk River Coal and Lumber Company No.10Elk River Coal and Lumber No. 10 is a 2-8-2, Mikado type steam locomotive built by American Locomotive Company in 1924 and used by its owners to haul mine waste from Rich Run Mine in Widen, West Virginia. It was retired in 1959 and moved to its present location at Huntington, West Virginia in...
is on display at Huntington, West VirginiaHuntington, West VirginiaHuntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at... - Nickel Plate 587Nickel Plate 587Nickel Plate Road 587 is a USRA Light 2–8–2 steam locomotive built in September 1918 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Lake Erie and Western Railroad as their number 5541. In 1923 the LE&W was merged into the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, , and allocated 587 as its new number in...
is undergoing restoration in Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S... - PRR 520PRR L1sClass L1s on the Pennsylvania Railroad comprised 574 2-8-2 "Mikado" type steam locomotives constructed between 1914 and 1919 by the railroad's own Juniata Shops as well as the Baldwin Locomotive Works and the Lima Locomotive Works ....
is on display at the Railroad Museum of PennsylvaniaRailroad Museum of PennsylvaniaThe Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is a railroad museum in Strasburg, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.The museum is located on the east side of Strasburg along Pennsylvania Route 741... - D&RGW K-37D&RGW K-37Denver & Rio Grande Western K-37s are 2-8-2, Mikado type, narrow gauge steam locomotives. They were originally built by Baldwin as part of an order for thirty standard gauge 2-8-0, Consolidation type, locomotives, class 190, in 1902...
s:- 492, 494, 495, and 497 are on the C&TS; only 497 was recently operational
- 493 and 498 are on static display on the D&SNG
- 499 is on static display in Canon City, ColoradoCañon City, ColoradoThe City of Cañon City is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Fremont County, State of Colorado. The United States Census Bureau estimated that the city population was 16,000 in 2005. Cañon City is noted for being the location of nine state and four ...
- 491 is on static display at the Colorado Railroad MuseumColorado Railroad MuseumThe Colorado Railroad Museum is a non-profit railroad museum The museum is located on at a point where Clear Creek flows between North and South Table Mountains in Golden, Colorado....
- SLSF #1355 is on display on Garden Street in Pensacola, FloridaPensacola, FloridaPensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
Argentina
In 1930 Vulcan FoundryVulcan Foundry
Vulcan Foundry was a British locomotive builder sited at Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire .-History:It was originally opened in 1832 as Charles Tayleur and Company to produce girders for bridges, switches and crossings, and other ironwork following the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway...
supplied the Central Argentine Railway
Central Argentine Railway
The Central Argentine Railway was one of the Big Four broad gauge, , British-owned companies that built and operated railway networks in Argentina...
with twenty 2-8-2s (works numbers 4427–4446). They were cross-compound
Compound locomotive
A compound engine unit is a type of steam engine where steam is expanded in two or more stages.A typical arrangement for a compound engine is that the steam is first expanded in a high-pressure cylinder, then having given up heat and losing pressure, it exhausts directly into one or more larger...
s with one 21 inches (533 mm) high-pressure cylinder and one 31+1/2 in low-pressure cylinder, with a stroke of 26 inches (660 mm). These gauge locomotives had 55+1/2 in driving wheels.
Austria
The 4-cylinder compound class 470, developed in 1914 by Karl GölsdorfKarl Gölsdorf
Karl Gölsdorf was an Austrian engineer and locomotive designer.-Early Life:Karl Gölsdorf was born on 8 June 1861 in Vienna, the son of Louis Adolf Gölsdorf. Even as a schoolboy he was introduced to locomotive design by his father, the chief mechanical engineer of the Imperial and Royal Southern...
, was built for express trains on mountain lines. From 1927 some the locomotives were rebuilt to 2-cylinder superheated steam locomotives class 670. Numbered class 39 from 1938 on, they remained in service until 1957.
France
France built a fairly large number of 2-8-2s, both tender-hauling and tank locomotives. Of the pre-nationisation companies, the Chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la MéditerranéeChemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée
The Compagnie des chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée was a French railway company ....
(PLM) had the most. Their first 12, initially 1001–1012, later 141.A.1 to 141.A.12 were copied by the Chemin de Fer du Nord
Chemin de Fer du Nord
Chemin de Fer du Nord , often referred to simply as the Nord company, was a rail transport company created in September 1845, in Paris, France. It was owned by among others de Rothschild Frères of France, N M Rothschild & Sons of London, England, Hottinger, Laffitte and Blount...
, who had 50 (4.1101 to 4.1150). The PLM's second series, 1013–1129, later 141.B.1 to 141.B.117, were built by Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
in the USA. Their third and largest class was 141.C.1 to 141.C.680; although those locomotive fitted with feedwater heater
Feedwater heater
A feedwater heater is a power plant component used to pre-heat water delivered to a steam generating boiler. Preheating the feedwater reduces the irreversibilities involved in steam generation and therefore improves the thermodynamic efficiency of the system...
s had the class letter changed from "C" to "D". The PLM also rebuilt 44 C/Ds to 141.E. The Chemins de Fer de l'État also had a class of 250 mikados, 141-001 to 141-250
141 C Ouest
The 141 C, was a 2-8-2 steam locomotive of the Chemins de Fer de l'État.-Overview:The series of 250 engines, numbered 141-001 to 141-250 were built in 1921. They were renumbered 141 C 001 to 141 C 250 by the SNCF in 1938 and ended their career in the West of France at the end of...
, later SNCF 141.B.1 to 141.B.250, although with modifications, the "B"s became "C"s, as well as one "D" (141.D.136) and one "E" (141.E.113) class locomotive.
SNCF 141.P
The most powerful French Mikado was the 141.P. At about 3,300 drawbar hp, these engines were among the most efficient steam locomotives in the world thanks to their Compound design. They could burn 30% less fuel and 40% less water than their "R" counterparts, but could not compete when it comes to reliability. Every unit of the 318-strong class has been scrapped.
SNCF 141.R
The American and Canadian-built 141.R
SNCF 141R class
The SNCF 141.R was a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotives of the Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français . They were used all over the French rail network from 1945–1974.- History :...
were the most widespread locomotives France has ever had, with 1340 units ordered and 1323 operated (sixteen engines were lost at sea in a storm off the coast of Newfoundland en route to France, one was lost in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
harbour). They were praised for being easy to maintain and have proved very reliable, that is why they served until the very end of the steam era (1975). Today, twelve locomotives have been preserved.
Tank locomotives
Alsace-Lorraine
Imperial Railways in Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Railways in Alsace-Lorraine were the first railways owned by the German Empire.They emerged in 1871, after France had ceded the region of Alsace-Lorraine to the German Empire under the terms of the peace treaty following the Franco-Prussian War...
had a class of 40, the T 14, later SNCF 141.TA.501 to 141.TA.540; they were copies of the Prussian T 14
Prussian T 14
The Prussian T 14s were German, 2-8-2T, goods train, tank locomotives operated by the Prussian state railways and the Imperial Railways in Alsace-Lorraine. They were later incorporated by the Deutsche Reichsbahn into their renumbering plan as Class 93.0–4....
. The Chemins de fer de l'Est
Chemins de fer de l'Est
The Compagnie des chemins de fer de l'Est , often referred to simply as the Est company, was an early French railway company. The company was formed in 1853 by fusion from Compagnie de Paris à Strasbourg, operating the Paris-Strasbourg line, and Compagnie du chemin de fer de Montereau à Troyes...
had two classes, 4401–4512, later 141.401 to 141.512, later SNCF 141.TB.401 to 141.TB.512; and 141.701 to 141.742, later SNCF 141.TC.701 to 141.TC.742. The Nord had two classes, 4.1201 to 4.1202, later 4.1701 to 4.1702, later SNCF 141.TB.1 to 141.TB.2; and 4.1201 to 4.1272, later SNCF 141.TC.1 to 141.TC.72. The État had two classes, 42.001 to 42.020
141 TC Ouest
The 141 TC, or 141 TC Ouest, was 2-8-2 tank engine of the Chemins de Fer de l'État.-Overview:This series of 20 engines, numbered 42-001 to 42-020, was built by Fives Lille and was allocated to the Batignolles motive power depot. Although they were designed in 1913, production was delayed by World...
, later SNCF 141.TC.1 to 20; and 42.101 to 42.140, later SNCF 141.TD.101 to 141.TD, which were copies of the Est 141.700-series. The Chemin de fer de Paris à Orléans (PO) had two classes, 5301–5490, later SNCF 141.TA.301 to 141.TA.490; and 5616 to 5740, later SNCF 141.TB.616 to 141.TB.740.
Germany
2-10-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-10-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, ten powered and coupled driving wheels on five axles, and no trailing wheels...
designs, many successful 2-8-2 freight locomotives were also built, all of type BR 41
DRG Class 41
The German Class 41 steam locomotives were standard goods train engines operated by the Deutsche Reichsbahn and built from 1937 - 1941.- History :...
. The third type of German 2-8-2 locomotive was the tank locomotive
Tank locomotive
A tank locomotive or tank engine is a steam locomotive that carries its water in one or more on-board water tanks, instead of pulling it behind it in a tender. It will most likely also have some kind of bunker to hold the fuel. There are several different types of tank locomotive dependent upon...
(BR 86, BR 93).
The Mollibahn
Mollibahn
The Molli short: is a narrow-gauge steam-powered railway in Mecklenburg, running on gauge track. It operates between Bad Doberan, Heiligendamm and Kühlungsborn West over a total distance of 15.4 km with a running time of 40 minutes...
operates a fleet of 3, 900 mm gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
2-8-2T locomotives.
Italy
Spain
The broad gauge network of Spain (1668 mm) had two mikado series. The first one was built by the American Locomotive CompanyAmerican Locomotive Company
The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
in 1917 (15 by Brooks
Brooks Locomotive Works
The Brooks Locomotive Works manufactured steam railroad locomotives and freight cars from 1869 through its merger into the American Locomotive Company until 1934.-History:...
, 40 by Schenectady
Schenectady Locomotive Works
The Schenectady Locomotive Works built railroad locomotives from its founding in 1848 through its merger into American Locomotive Company in 1901.After the 1901 merger, ALCO made the Schenectady plant its headquarters in Schenectady, New York....
). They were a slightly minored version of a USRA Light Mikado
USRA Light Mikado
The USRA Light Mikado was a USRA standard class of steam locomotive designed under the control of the United States Railroad Administration, the nationalized railroad system in the United States during World War I...
and served well in the Norte system (4501–4555 series), where they were nicknamed “Chalecos”. In 1953, RENFE, the nationalized company, acquired 25 units from North British Locomotive Company
North British Locomotive Company
The North British Locomotive Company was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp Stewart and Company , Neilson, Reid and Company and Dübs and Company , creating the largest locomotive manufacturing company in Europe.Its main factories were...
of Glasgow. Some Spanish builders (MTM, MACOSA, Babcock & Wilcox, Euskalduna) added 213 more (1953–60) with only minor details such as double chimney, llubera sanders, ACFI pre-heaters or oil fuel. They worked well in both freight or passenger service and lasted until the official end of steam in common service in 1975. They weighed 94,000 kg (empty) and has 1560 millimetre drivers. One Norte and eighteen RENFE
RENFE
Renfe Operadora is the state-owned company which operates freight and passenger trains on the 1668-mm "Iberian gauge" and 1435-mm "European gauge" networks of the Spanish national railway infrastructure company ADIF .- History :The name RENFE is derived from that of the former Spanish National...
are preserved, three of them in good working condition. MTM build six 2-8-2 tank locomotives to the Madrid-Caceres-Portugal in 1925. A project from 1942 of a MTM big 2-8-2 was never build.
United Kingdom
The 2-8-2 type saw little success on British rails. Sir Nigel Gresley of the London and North Eastern RailwayLondon and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
designed two Mikado types of note; the P1
LNER Class P1
The London and North Eastern Railway Class P1 Mineral 2-8-2 Mikado was a class of 2 steam locomotives designed by Nigel Gresley. They were some of the most powerful freight locomotives ever designed in Britain, and it was initially intended they be a more powerful 2-10-0 version of the earlier...
was a freight derivative of his famed A1
LNER Class A1
Class A1 in the London and North Eastern Railway's classification system may refer to any of the following British steam locomotives :* The GNR Class A1 or "Gresley A1", a class of 52 Pacific locomotives designed by Sir Nigel Gresley, including the famous Flying Scotsman * The LNER Thompson Class...
4-6-2
4-6-2
4-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics...
s, inspired by the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
's twin K4s
PRR K4s
The Pennsylvania Railroad's K4s 4-6-2 "Pacific" was their premier passenger-hauling steam locomotive from 1914 through the end of steam on the PRR in 1957....
4-6-2s and L1s
PRR L1s
Class L1s on the Pennsylvania Railroad comprised 574 2-8-2 "Mikado" type steam locomotives constructed between 1914 and 1919 by the railroad's own Juniata Shops as well as the Baldwin Locomotive Works and the Lima Locomotive Works ....
2-8-2s. Two were built, but there was never really much call for their ability and they remained underutilised throughout their short existence.
Gresley's other class of Mikados was his P2
LNER Class P2
The London and North Eastern Railway Class P2 was a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotives designed by Sir Nigel Gresley for working heavy express trains over the harsh Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line...
class. These were express passenger locomotives rather more inspired by European influences than American. They were built to haul heavy expresses north of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
in hilly terrain, where Gresley thought the extra adhesion possible with a 2-8-2 might serve well. Unfortunately, poor self-centering on the leading truck meant that the lead driving wheels wore against the rails on tighter curves, being hard on both track and wheels. Gresley's successor Edward Thompson
Edward Thompson
Edward Thompson is the name of:* Edward Thompson , English landowner and politician* Edward Thompson , MP and Lord of the Admiralty...
converted the P2s into (rather unattractive, by most opinions) Pacifics.
The Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
operated a class of 54 2-8-2 tank engines designed by C. B. Collett
Charles Collett
Charles Benjamin Collett was chief mechanical engineer of the Great Western Railway from 1922 to 1941. He designed the GWR's 4-6-0 Castle and King Class express passenger locomotives.-Career:...
. As early as 1906 their then chief mechanical engineer, G. J. Churchward
George Jackson Churchward
George Jackson Churchward CBE was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Great Western Railway in the United Kingdom from 1902 to 1922.-Early career:...
, planned a class of 2-8-2 tank engines to handle heavy coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
trains in South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
. However the plan was abandoned as it was feared they would be unable to handle the sharp bends found on Welsh mineral branches. Instead, Churchward designed the 4200 Class
GWR 4200 Class
The Great Western Railway 4200 Class is a class of 2-8-0T steam locomotives. They were designed for short-haul coal trips from coal mines to ports in South Wales. The principal role of the class was working the 1000+ ton coal trains up through the Welsh valleys. A job which needed much tractive...
of 2-8-0
2-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels...
tank engines, of which nearly 200 were built. In the 1930s, coal traffic declined, and many of these engines stood idle; they could not be switched to other duties because of their limited operating range. Collett, as Churchward's successor, decided to rebuild some of the 4200 Class engines as 2-8-2s. The addition of a trailing axle increased the engines' operating ranges by allowing more coal and water storage. In all 54 engines were modified in this way. The 7200 Class
GWR 7200 Class
The Great Western Railway 7200 Class is a class of 2-8-2T steam locomotive. They were the largest tank engines to run in Great Britain....
tank engines as they were known remained in service until the end of steam in Britain in the early 1960s.
Yugoslavia
Borsig built 2-8-2s were delivered in in 1930 to the railway of the Kingdom of SHSKingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
. These became JDZ class 06, and a few remain in the former Yugoslav nations.
South Africa
The narrow gauge, two feet or 610 mm, Avontuur Railway line from Port Elizabeth to Avontuur operated 21 locomotives of the NG15 class from 1960 onwards. These locomotives had been moved to the line after the narrow gauge, 600 mm, Otavi Railway in South West Africa had been replaced by a Cape standard gauge, 42 inches (1,066.8 mm), railway.The NG15s had been built in five batches from 1931 to 1957 specifically for service on the Otavi Railway and were a development of a design dating from 1912.
India
Vulcan Foundry
Vulcan Foundry was a British locomotive builder sited at Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire .-History:It was originally opened in 1832 as Charles Tayleur and Company to produce girders for bridges, switches and crossings, and other ironwork following the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway...
, North British Locomotive Company (NBL), Armstrong Whitworth
Armstrong Whitworth
Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. Headquartered in Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong Whitworth engaged in the construction of armaments, ships, locomotives, automobiles, and aircraft.-History:In 1847,...
and Škoda Works
Škoda Works
Škoda Works was the largest industrial enterprise in Austro-Hungary and later in Czechoslovakia, one of its successor states. It was also one of the largest industrial conglomerates in Europe in the 20th century...
. Production after the war resumed, and 110 were built by NBL in 1945–1946, and Vulcan Foundry built the last six in 1948. There was also an XE class that was built by William Beardmore and Company
William Beardmore and Company
William Beardmore and Company was a Scottish engineering and shipbuilding conglomerate based in Glasgow and the surrounding Clydeside area. It was active between about 1890 and 1930 and at its peak employed about 40,000 people...
and Vulcan Foundry. Wartime designs were the AWE and AWD classes built by Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
, and the CWD built by Canadian Locomotive Company
Canadian Locomotive Company
The Canadian Locomotive Company, commonly referred to as CLC, was a Canadian manufacturer of railway locomotives located in Kingston, Ontario. Its works were located on Ontario Street and Gore Street on Kingston's waterfront....
and Montreal Locomotive Works
Montreal Locomotive Works
Montreal Locomotive Works was a Canadian railway locomotive manufacturer which existed under several names from 1883–1985, producing both steam and diesel locomotives. For a number of years it was a subsidiary of the American Locomotive Company...
.
After the war, a new design was produced and put into production in 1950. The WG class was IR's main post-WWII freight type. The first order of 200 was split evenly between NBL and Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW). Examples were built in England, Scotland, Germany, Austria, USA, Japan, Italy, and of course in India. By the time production finished in 1970, 2450 had been built.
On the metre gauge, prior to World War I, the main heavy freight type was the BESA 4-8-0
4-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels. The type was nicknamed the Mastodon or Twelve-wheeler in North America....
heavy goods locomotive design. Post-WWI, this design was supplanted by the Indian Railway Standards 2-8-2 classes: the YD class with a 10-ton axle load, and the YE class with a 12-ton axle load. None of the latter class were built. During WWII, many of the war-time S118 class
USATC S118 Class
The United States Army Transportation Corps S118 Class is a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotive. Built to either or Cape gauge, they were used in at least 24 different countries across the World....
locomotives were sent to India, and 33 copies were ordered after the war. The post-WWII design was the YG class, 1074 of which were built between 1949 and 1972, with nearly half being manufactured in India.
On the narrow gauge, the Bengal Nagpur Railway has a saturated B class, a superheated BS class, and a BC class comprising B class locomotives that had been converted from saturated to superheated. The Barsi Light Railway
Barsi Light Railway
The Barsi Light Railway was a -long, -gauge railway in western India. It was the brainchild of British engineer Everard Calthrop, and regarded as having revolutionised narrow gauge railway construction in India.-History:...
had an F class of thirteen locomotives — ten built by Nasmyth, Wilson and Company in 1926–29, and three by Hunslet Engine Company
Hunslet Engine Company
The Hunslet Engine Company is a British locomotive-building company founded in 1864 at Jack Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England by John Towlerton Leather, a civil engineering contractor, who appointed James Campbell as his Works Manager.In 1871, James Campbell bought the company for...
in 1949. The Great Indian Peninsula Railway had a B/1 class of seven locomotives — four by North British Locomotive Company in 1917, one more in 1922, and two by Nasmyth, Wilson and Company in 1926. The Scindia State Railway had 16 locomotives of five classes – NH/1 through NH/5 built between 1914 and 1959.
The main standard narrow gauge 2-8-2 was the ZE class, with 65 built between 1928 and 1954 by five companies – Nasmyth Wilson (10 in 1928), Hanomag
Hanomag
Hanomag was a German producer of steam locomotives, tractors, trucks and military vehicles. Hanomag first achieved international fame by delivering a large number of steam locomotives to Romania and Bulgaria before World War I....
(16 in 1931), Corpet, Louvet & Cie.
Corpet-Louvet
Corpet-Louvet was a steam locomotive manufacturer based in Paris, France.-History:Founded in 1855 as Anjubault, based in the Avenue Phillippe-Auguste in Paris, the firm was taken over by Lucien Corpet in 1868. Corpet's daughter Marguerite married Lucien Louvet, the engineer of the Compagnie...
(12 in 1950), Kawasaki
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....
(10 in 1954), Krauss-Maffei
Krauss-Maffei
The Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co KG or simply Krauss-Maffei is an injection molding machine manufacturer and defence company based in Munich, Germany...
(15 in 1952 and 10 in 1954). The six ZD class locomotives were built in Japan in 1957–58 by Nippon Sharyo
Nippon Sharyo
, , formed in 1896, is a major rolling stock manufacturer based in Nagoya, Japan. In 1996, it abbreviated its name to "日本車両" Nippon Sharyō. Its shortest abbreviation is Nissha "日車". It was a listed company on Nikkei 225 until 2004. It is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and Nagoya Stock Exchange...
.
Indonesia
After the independence of Indonesia in 1945, the government of Indonesia started to nationalizing all of Dutch-owned railway companies, including SS (Staatspoorwegen). This company later changed its name to DKA (Departmental Agency of Railway/Djawatan Kereta Api). As a follow-up, DKA bought 100 new steam locomotives of D52 type from Krupp (Germany), where its wheel arrangement was 2-8-2 (Mikado). This is the most modern steam locomotive in Indonesia at that time because of its large physical appearance and equipped with electric lighting. In addition to these features, this locomotive had its physical appearance similar to the Deutsche Reischbahn 41 series locomotive.D52 locomotives in Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
were placed in service as passenger engine, or in some occasions as a freight locomotive. Some people even idolized these locomotives because of its loyalty for taking passengers anywhere. As happened on the Rapih Dhoho Train from Madiun
Madiun
Madiun is a city in the western part of the province of East Java Indonesia, an agricultural centre. It is the capital of the regency of the same name....
to Kertosono, D52 was a mainstay for this train until the end of steam operation in Indonesia. In contrast to the Java-based units, Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
-based D52 were used for pulling freight trains, mainly coal trains from Tanjung Enim coal mine (now owned by PT Bukit Asam mining company) to coal dumping site at Kertapati or Tarahan (the dumping site at Tarahan has been upgraded to Rotary Coal Dumping (RCD) system, allowing coal cars operating there (most of today's coal cars are built without bottom unloading bays) to be easily unloaded at the site).
This locomotive mainly used coal as its fuel, so they were classified as coal-firing D52 locomotives. But from mid-1956, 28 locomotives (D52002-D52029) were successfully converted as oil-firing version of D52 locomotive. It was the work done by the locomotive repairment shop at Madiun
Madiun
Madiun is a city in the western part of the province of East Java Indonesia, an agricultural centre. It is the capital of the regency of the same name....
(now PT. INKA) in stages over five years.
There have been one locomotive from this class that written off from service because of accident. On August 1977, D52 locomotive number D52084 was taking a short mixed train (both freight and passenger cars were coupled in one consist) from Prupuk toward Purwokerto
Purwokerto
Purwokerto is a city on the island of Java in Indonesia. It is the capital of Banyumas Regency, Central Java region. The estimated population of the city in 2005 was 249,705.-Geography:...
, When the clock showed 5 p.m, the D52084 was exploded near Linggapura station, and killed its engineer. The explosion was identified as a result of steam pipe failure, because one of the surviving crew explained that the internal steam pipe was in leaky condition. Apparently, though quite large and very useful on its job, this locomotive was known for its prone to explosion.
Only one example from 100 locomotives that survived until 21st century. D52 number D52099 is on display at Transport Museum in TMII (Taman Mini Indonesia Indah), but some of its Walschaerts valve gear components are reported lost from the locomotive.
Japan
JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
built the JNR Class D51 for use on the Japanese Mainland and its former colonies.
Australia
The need to build locomotives that could be converted from 5 in 3 in (1,600.2 mm) broad gaugeBroad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
to standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
operation without major reengineering led to the introduction of Mikado locomotives by Victorian Railways
Victorian Railways
The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations...
in the 1920s. Whereas previous 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type locomotives featured long, narrow fireboxes between the frames that made gauge conversion impractical, the N class
Victorian Railways N class
The N class was a branch line steam locomotive that ran on Victorian Railways from 1925 to 1966. A development of the successful K class 2-8-0, it was the first VR locomotive class designed for possible conversion from 5 ft 3 in broad gauge to 4 ft 8½ in standard gauge.-History:In 1923, in...
light lines and X class
Victorian Railways X class
The X class was a mainline goods locomotive of the 2-8-2 'Mikado' type that ran on the Victorian Railways between 1929 and 1961. They were the most powerful goods locomotive on the VR until the advent of diesel-electric traction, and operated over the key Bendigo, Wodonga, and Gippsland...
heavy goods locomotives both featured a wide firebox positioned behind the driving wheels and above the frames.
South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways built and operated railways in South Australia from 1854 to the incorporation of its non-urban railways into the Australian National Railways Commission in 1975, together with the former Commonwealth Railways and the former Tasmanian Government Railways...
employed no fewer than four distinct classes of 2-8-2 locomotive, the locally designed 700 and 710 class, the 740 class (originally built by Clyde Engineering for China, but purchased by SAR after the order was cancelled in the wake of the Chinese Communist Revolution) and the 750 class (a group of ten surplus VR N class locomotives).
American-design Mikado locomotives, such as the Baldwin-built NSWGR D59 class and the QR
Queensland Rail
Queensland Rail, also known as QR, is a government-owned railway operator in the state of Queensland. Under the control of the Queensland Government, Queensland Rail operates the inner-city and long-distance passenger services, as well as some freight operations and gives railway access to other...
AC16
USATC S118 Class
The United States Army Transportation Corps S118 Class is a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotive. Built to either or Cape gauge, they were used in at least 24 different countries across the World....
class, were also introduced after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to assist with the postwar rebuilding of Australian railways.
The last new class of mainline steam locomotive introduced in Australia, WAGR
Western Australian Government Railways
Western Australian Government Railways was most common name of the Western Australian government rail transport authority from 1890 to 1976. It is, in its current form, known as the Public Transport Authority of Western Australia....
's V class
WAGR V Class
-Engineering Background:The V class was the last locomotive to enter service with the Western Australian government railways. They were part of the post war regeneration plan for the WAGR, intended for the heavy coal traffic between the Collie coal fields and Perth. Twenty four locomotives were...
heavy freight locomotive of 1955, was a 2-8-2.
New Zealand
Only one 2-8-2 locomotive ever operated on New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's national rail network
Rail transport in New Zealand
Rail transport in New Zealand consists of a network of gauge railway lines in both the North and South Islands. Rail services are focused primarily on freight, particularly bulk freight, with limited passenger services on some lines...
, and it was not even ordered by the New Zealand Railways Department
New Zealand Railways Department
The New Zealand Railways Department, NZR or NZGR and often known as the "Railways", was a government department charged with owning and maintaining New Zealand's railway infrastructure and operating the railway system. The Department was created in 1880 and was reformed in 1981 into the New...
, who ran almost the entire network. The locomotive was ordered in 1901 from Baldwin
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company (WMR) for use on their main line's steep section between Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
and Paekakariki
Paekakariki
Paekakariki is a town in the Kapiti Coast District in the south-western North Island of New Zealand. It is 22 km north of Porirua and 45 km north-east of Wellington, the nation's capital city....
and entered service on 10 June 1902 classified as No. 17. At the time, it was the most powerful locomotive in New Zealand and successfully performed its intended tasks. When the WMR was incorporated into the national network in 1908, the Railways Department reclassified No. 17 as the solitary member of the BC class
NZR Bc class
The BC class comprised a single steam locomotive that operated on New Zealand's national rail network. Built for the Wellington and Manawatu Railway and classified simply as No...
, BC 463, and the locomotive continued to operate on the Wellington-Paekakariki line until it was withdrawn on 31 March 1927.
See also
- USATC S200 ClassUSATC S200 ClassThe United States Army Transportation Corps S200 Class is a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotive. They were introduced in 1941 and lent-leased to the United Kingdom for use in the Middle East during the Second World War....
– a class of standard gauge 2-8-2 that was built by American manufacturers for use in North Africa and the Middle East during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... - USATC S118 ClassUSATC S118 ClassThe United States Army Transportation Corps S118 Class is a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotive. Built to either or Cape gauge, they were used in at least 24 different countries across the World....
– a class of narrow gauge 2-8-2 that was built by American manufacturers in World War II, and used in many countries around the world.