4-6-4 - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

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, 4-6-4 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 four 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 two axles (usually in a leading truck), six 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 three axles, and four 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 two axles (usually in a trailing truck).

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...

: 2C2 (also known as German classification and Italian classification)

French classification: 232

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...

: 37

Swiss classification: 3/7

Russian classification: 2-3-2

The type is sometimes called the Hudson or Baltic.

Usage

The 4-6-4 tender locomotive is best seen as combining the basic nature of the 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...

'Pacific' type with an improved boiler

Boiler

A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...

and larger firebox that required extra support at the rear of the locomotive. Generally the available 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 little different from that of the Pacific, but steam-raising ability was increased, giving more power at speed. 4-6-4s were best suited to high-speed running across flat country. The type has fewer driving wheel

Driving wheel

On a steam locomotive, a driving wheel is a powered wheel which is driven by the locomotive's pistons...

s than carrying wheels

Carrying wheels

The carrying wheels on a steam locomotive are those wheels that are not driven, i.e. they are uncoupled and run freely, unlike coupled or driving wheels. They are also described as running wheels and their axle may be called a carrying axle. Carrying wheels are referred to as leading wheels if they...

and thus a smaller percentage of the locomotive's weight is available for traction compared to other types. For starting heavy trains and slogging on gradients, a 4-6-4 really needs a booster engine

Booster engine

A booster engine for steam locomotives is a small two-cylinder steam engine back-gear-connected to the trailing truck axle on the locomotive or, if none, the lead truck on the tender. A rocking idler gear permits it to be put into operation by the engineer...

, but for sustained long grades, more pairs of driving wheels are better.

The world speed record for steam locomotives was at least twice held by a 4-6-4; the Milwaukee Road's class F6

Milwaukee Road class F6

The Milwaukee Road classes F6 comprised twenty-two steam locomotives of the 4-6-4 configuration, commonly nicknamed “Hudson” but known as “Baltic” on the Milwaukee Road...

#6402 in 1934 with 103.5 mi/h, and German 05 002 in 1936 with 124.5 mph (200.4 km/h).

History (tender locomotives)

4-6-4 tender locomotives were first introduced in 1911 and were widely used throughout the 1920s, 30s and 40s.

France

The first examples in the world were the two four-cylinder compound locomotive

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 designed by Gaston du Bousquet

Gaston du Bousquet

Gaston du Bousquet was a French engineer who was Chief of Motive Power of the Chemin de Fer du Nord and professor at École centrale de Lille .-References:...

for 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...

and built at the company's workshops in 1911. They were allegedly designed to pull the Paris - St Petersburg express, and hence the title Baltic. But the name was obviously a logical extension of the convention started with 'Atlantic' and 'Pacific'. Their most remarkable feature was perhaps the arrangement of the two low-pressure inside cylinders en echelon so as to accommodate the very large bore. One had a water-tube firebox. They were not multiplied, but gave place to the highly successful Nord Pacifics and Super-Pacifics which followed. One survives, in sectioned form in the Cité du train at Mulhouse in France. See http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/fr/steam/misc_Nord/pix.html

France also produced some of the last Baltics. In 1938 Marc de Caso, the last Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Nord, originated the construction of eight Baltics, all delivered to the newly created SNCF, the nationalised French railway system. Of these eight, the four 232.S class locomotives were built as four-cylinder compounds, with rotary cam poppet valve gear, later replaced by Walschaerts gear driving oscillating cams; the three 232.R class locomotives were built as three-cylinder simples, also with rotary cam poppet valve gear. The compounds clearly outperformed the simples.

The eighth, and final, French Baltic completed in 1949 as 232.U.1, and is also preserved in Mulhouse. This was another four-cylinder compound with Walschaerts valve gear, but in this final form driving very large and light piston valves. It proved capable of more than 4000 ihp.

One of those engines was the theme of a fashion photoshot in Stanley Donen's movie Funny face (1957).

There would have been further classes of French 4-6-4s had either Chapelon's pre-war (four-cylinder compound) or post-war (three-cylinder compound) schemes gone ahead.

Indonesia

The C27 steam locomotive was introduced to Indonesia

Indonesia

Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...

by the Dutch

Dutch people

The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...

colonial administration, between the years 1916-1922. 39 locomotives were ordered from several manufacturers: Werkspoor, Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

, Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

, 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,...

Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...

and SLM (Schweizerische Lokomotiv-und Maschinenfabrik

Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works

Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works were a railway equipment manufacturer based in Winterthur in Switzerland...

) Winterthur

Winterthur

Winterthur is a city in the canton of Zurich in northern Switzerland. It has the country's sixth largest population with an estimate of more than 100,000 people. In the local dialect and by its inhabitants, it is usually abbreviated to Winti...

, Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

.
The class was designed to meet the requirements, among others, of a tractive force of at least 6,000 kg, to haul trains weighing 400 tons at a speed of 50 km/h on a 0.5 percent incline and bends with a radius of 180 m. The locomotives must also be able to turn corners with a sharp radius of 120 m at a speed of 80 km/h. The C27 class was used on railway lines around Jakarta

Jakarta

Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...

, Bandung

Bandung

Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...

and Surabaya

Surabaya

Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...

.

In the years 1925-1930 railway electrification was carried out around Jakarta

Jakarta

. The C27 locomotives were moved to secondary lines, for example, in Banten

Banten

Banten is a province of Indonesia in Java. Formerly part of the Province of West Java, it was made a separate province in 2000.The administrative center is Serang. Preliminary results from the 2010 census counted some 10.6 million people.-Geography:...

(Merak-Tanah Abang), the lines around Kertosono-Blitar

Blitar

Blitar is a city which is the capital of a regency with the same name in East Java, Indonesia, about 73 kilometers from Malang and 167 kilometers from Surabaya. The area lies within longitude 111° 40' - 112° 09' East and its latitude is 8° 06' South...

, and also between 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:...

, Kutoarjo and Purworejo.

The C28 express passenger locomotive is one of the most popular in Indonesia

Indonesia

, achieving speeds of up to 95 km/h. This steam locomotive was named the world's fastest locomotive for the narrow gauge (1067 mm) which is 110 km/h. In addition, proven reliability because these locomotives could travel at the same speed in both directions. It was used on the Jakarta

Jakarta

-Bandung

Bandung

, Jakarta

Jakarta

-Surabaya

Surabaya

Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...

and Malang

Malang

Malang is the second largest city in East Java province, Indonesia. It has an ancient history dating back to the Mataram Kingdom. The city population at the 2010 Census was 819,708. During the period of Dutch colonization, it was a popular destination for European residents. The city is famous for...

-Surabaya

Surabaya

Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...

routes. During the Dutch colonial era the term 'VLUGGE VIER' was used for the Jakarta

Jakarta

-Bandung

Bandung

route with the distance 175 km, runs 4 times a day and takes about 2 hours 45 minutes and the speed of 65 km/h. Express trains only stop for 1 minute at Karawang, Cikampek and Purwakarta. In addition, this locomotive has also been used on a series of express trains Java Nacht Express and Eendaagsche Express.

C28 locomotive in Indonesia

Indonesia

there are 58 units made by three different manufacturers, namely Henschel, Sächsische Maschinenfabrik

Sächsische Maschinenfabrik

The Sächsische Maschinenfabrik in Chemnitz was one of the most important engineering companies in Saxony in the second half of the 19th century and the first two decades of the 20th century. Including its various predecessor businesses, the firm existed from 1837 until its liquidation in 1930, and...

and Maschinenfabrik Esslingen

Maschinenfabrik Esslingen

Maschinenfabrik Esslingen , was a German engineering firm that manufactured locomotives, tramways, railway wagons, roll-blocks, technical equipment for the railways, , bridges, steel structures, pumps and boilers.-Founding:...

in Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

). Locomotive C28 was also instrumental in helping to move the entourage of Ir. Soekarno

President

A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...

to Yogyakarta on 3 January 1948.

North America

The first example in North America was built in 1927 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:...

for the New York Central Railroad, and to the NYC's design. The locomotive proved very successful and was named the Hudson

NYC Hudson

Hudson was the name given to the 4-6-4 steam locomotive wheel arrangement by the New York Central Railroad which was the first to use locomotives of this type in North America.-History:...

type after the Hudson River

Hudson River

The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...

. The NYC and its Boston & Albany, Big Four and Michigan Central

Michigan Central Railroad

The Michigan Central Railroad was originally incorporated in 1846 to establish rail service between Detroit, Michigan and St. Joseph, Michigan. The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois in the United States, and the province of Ontario in Canada...

, subidiaries acquired 275 Hudsons, the largest fleet in North America, of several different types.

The Milwaukee Road could have produced the first American 4-6-4; its design was earlier than the NYC's, but financial constraints delayed the project, and Milwaukee's locomotives emerged later. The Milwaukee called them Baltics, following European practice started in France. The initial order of 14 class F6

Milwaukee Road class F6

The Milwaukee Road classes F6 comprised twenty-two steam locomotives of the 4-6-4 configuration, commonly nicknamed “Hudson” but known as “Baltic” on the Milwaukee Road...

locomotives was joined by 8 more of class F6a a year later in 1931, and in 1938 the road acquired 6 streamlined F7

Milwaukee Road class F7

The Milwaukee Road's class F7 comprised six high-speed, streamlined 4-6-4 "Baltic" or "Hudson" type steam locomotives built by ALCO in 1937–38 to haul the Milwaukee's Hiawatha express passenger trains...

Baltics with shrouds designed by noted industrial designer Otto Kuhler

Otto Kuhler

Otto Kuhler was an American designer, one of the best known industrial designers of the American railroads. According to Trains magazine he streamstyled more locomotives and railroad cars than Cret, Dreyfuss and Loewy combined...

. These took over the Milwaukee's crack Hiawatha
Hiawatha (Amtrak)
Hiawatha Service, or Hiawatha, is the name of an train route operated by Amtrak on the western shore of Lake Michigan, although the name was historically applied to several different routes that extended across the Midwest and out to the Pacific Ocean...

expresses from the class A

Milwaukee Road class A

The Milwaukee Road class A comprised four high-speed, streamlined 4-4-2 "Atlantic" type steam locomotives built by ALCO in 1935-37 to haul the Milwaukee Road’s Hiawatha express passenger trains. They were among the last Atlantic types built in the United States, and certainly the largest and most...

4-4-2

4-4-2 (locomotive)

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-2 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...

Atlantics, and were among the fastest steam locomotives of all time. Schedules of many of these trains required extended running at 100 mi/h.

The second-largest buyer of the type in North America was the Canadian Pacific Railway

Canadian Pacific Railway

The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...

, which bought 65 (numbered 2800-2864). designated "H1" class and were highly successful in improving service and journey times on the CPR's transcontinental routes. The newer CPR Hudsons were called Royal Hudson

Royal Hudson

The term Royal Hudson refers to a group of semi-streamlined 4-6-4 Hudson steam locomotives owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway and built by Montreal Locomotive Works . The engine was built in 1938. In 1939, King George VI allowed the CPR to use the term after Royal Hudson number 2850 transported...

s (numbered 2820-2864) and were semi-streamlined. Royal permission was given for these locomotives to bear the royal crown and arms after locomotive 2850 hauled King George VI

George VI of the United Kingdom

George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...

across Canada in 1939. A total of five CPR Hudsons survive today, Canadian Pacific 2816

Canadian Pacific 2816

Canadian Pacific 2816, named the Empress, is a 4-6-4 H1b Hudson used by the Canadian Pacific Railway in occasional excursion service. The 2816 is the only non-streamlined H1 Hudson remaining .-First career:Locomotive 2816 was one of ten H1b-class Canadian Pacific 2816, named the Empress, is a 4-6-4...

(H1b) is the sole remaining non-streamlined CPR Hudson remaining. 2816 is operational and pulls excursions for CP and was repatriated to CP in 1998. The other remaining H1 Hudsons are the famed royal hudsons. As of 2008 numbers 2839, 2850, and 2858 are on display in museums in California (2839), Quebec (2850) and Ontario (2858). 2860, the first CPR Hudson built Royal, is operational and based in British Columbia. The CP Hudsons are, as of 2008, the only Hudsons operational in North America.

Twenty railroads in North America owned 4-6-4s; these include, as well as the foregoing, the Santa Fe (16 locomotives), 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...

(4), Canadian National

Canadian 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"....

(5), Chesapeake & Ohio (18), Burlington

Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad

The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...

(14), Chicago & North Western

Chicago and North Western Railway

The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s...

(9), Lackawanna (5), Illinois Central

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...

(1 — the only example of a Hudson designed for freight haulage), Maine Central

Maine Central Railroad

The Maine Central Railroad Company was a railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. It operated a mainline between South Portland, Maine, east to the Canada-U.S...

(2), Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México

Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México

Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México, was Mexico's state owned railroad company from 1938 to 1998, and prior to 1938 a major railroad controlled by the government that linked Mexico City to the major cities of Nuevo Laredo and Ciudad Juárez on the U.S. border...

(National Railways of Mexico — 10), New Haven (10), Nickel Plate (8), Frisco

St. Louis-San Francisco Railway

The St. Louis – San Francisco Railway , also known as the Frisco, was a railroad that operated in the Midwest and South Central U.S. from 1876 to 1980.-History:...

, and Wabash

Wabash Railroad

The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including trackage in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Ontario. Its primary connections included Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, Detroit,...

(7).

Many 4-6-4s were similar in concept to the NYC's Hudsons, with 79–80 in (2–2 m) driving wheels, but most of these were a little larger than the NYC's locomotives. Included in this group are the Milwaukee's F6 and F6a, the Canadian National K-5-a and Canadian Pacific locomotives, the Burlington's S-4, the New Haven's I-5, and the Lackawanna's 1151 class

Delaware, Lackawanna and Western 1151 class

The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad's 1151 class comprised five 4-6-4 steam locomotives built by the American Locomotive Company in 1937. They were the last steam locomotives ordered by the railroad....

.

In the late 1930s three railroads ordered larger, faster 4-6-4s with 84 inches (2.1 m) drivers: Milwaukee's F7, the Santa Fe's 3460 class

ATSF 3460 class

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway's 3460 class comprised six 4-6-4 "Hudson" type steam locomotives built in 1937 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for service between La Junta, Colorado and Chicago, Illinois, a fairly flat division of the railroad suited for the 4-6-4 type...

, and the Chicago and Northwestern's class E-4

CNW Class E-4

The Chicago and North Western Railway's Class E-4 comprised nine coal-burning streamlined 4-6-4 "Hudson" steam locomotives built in 1937 by ALCO....

. The Milwaukee and CNW locomotives were all streamlined, while one of the Santa Fe's was.

The other main grouping of North American 4-6-4s are the lightweights, which include the Nickel Plate's L-1 class locomotives, the Maine Central's class D, and the Nacionales de México class NR-1. In these, the extra wheels were used to reduce the axle load in comparison to a 4-6-2 "Pacific".

Finally, there were many one-off and experimental 4-6-4s. A number were rebuilds from Pacifics, or in some cases other designs. Baltimore & Ohio

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad

built four examples as experimentals, using Colonel Emerson's water-tube fireboxes, but eventually turned to diesels instead. The Illinois Central rebuilt a 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...

into its only Hudson; Illinois Central No. 1

Illinois Central No. 1

The Illinois Central Railroad's No. 1 was the railroad's only 4-6-4 "Hudson" type locomotive and the only 4-6-4 in North America built for freight service. It was rebuilt in the railroad's own shops from Illinois Central 7000 class 2-8-4 "Berkshire" No...

was not a success, and was not repeated. The Wabash had rebuilt its class P1

Wabash class P1

The Wabash Railroad's class P-1 comprised seven 4-6-4 steam locomotives.The first five were constructed in 1943 and 1944 using the boilers from their unsuccessful K-5 class three-cylinder 2-8-2 locomotives that had been built by the American Locomotive Company's Schenectady works in 1925.Two...

from 2-8-2

2-8-2

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...

Mikados

North American 4-6-4 locomotives (in first order sequence)
Railroad (quantity)	Class	Road numbers	Builder	Build year	Notes
Grand Trunk Railway Grand Trunk Railway The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate... (6)	K2	1540–1545	Montreal 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...	1914	Tank engines. Later CN 45–50, class X-10-a
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... (195)	J-1 NYC Hudson Hudson was the name given to the 4-6-4 steam locomotive wheel arrangement by the New York Central Railroad which was the first to use locomotives of this type in North America.-History:...	5200–5344	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:...	1927–31
	J-3a NYC Hudson Hudson was the name given to the 4-6-4 steam locomotive wheel arrangement by the New York Central Railroad which was the first to use locomotives of this type in North America.-History:...	5405–5454	ALCO	1937–38
NYC (Boston and Albany Railroad Boston and Albany Railroad The Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail and CSX. The line is used by CSX for freight... ) (20)	J-2a NYC Hudson Hudson was the name given to the 4-6-4 steam locomotive wheel arrangement by the New York Central Railroad which was the first to use locomotives of this type in North America.-History:...	600–604	ALCO	1928	Renumbered NYC 5455–5459
	J-2b NYC Hudson Hudson was the name given to the 4-6-4 steam locomotive wheel arrangement by the New York Central Railroad which was the first to use locomotives of this type in North America.-History:...	605–609	ALCO	1930	Renumbered NYC 5460–5464
	J-2c NYC Hudson Hudson was the name given to the 4-6-4 steam locomotive wheel arrangement by the New York Central Railroad which was the first to use locomotives of this type in North America.-History:...	610–619	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...	1931	Renumbered NYC 5465–5474
NYC (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad) (30)	J-1d NYC Hudson Hudson was the name given to the 4-6-4 steam locomotive wheel arrangement by the New York Central Railroad which was the first to use locomotives of this type in North America.-History:...	6600–6619	ALCO	1929	Renumbered NYC 5375–5394
	J-1e NYC Hudson Hudson was the name given to the 4-6-4 steam locomotive wheel arrangement by the New York Central Railroad which was the first to use locomotives of this type in North America.-History:...	6620–6629	ALCO	1931	Renumbered NYC 5395–5404
NYC (Michigan Central) (30)	J-1b NYC Hudson Hudson was the name given to the 4-6-4 steam locomotive wheel arrangement by the New York Central Railroad which was the first to use locomotives of this type in North America.-History:...	8200–8209	ALCO	1927	Renumbered NYC 5345–5354
	J-1c NYC Hudson Hudson was the name given to the 4-6-4 steam locomotive wheel arrangement by the New York Central Railroad which was the first to use locomotives of this type in North America.-History:...	8210–8214	ALCO	1929	Renumbered NYC 5355–5359
	J-1d NYC Hudson Hudson was the name given to the 4-6-4 steam locomotive wheel arrangement by the New York Central Railroad which was the first to use locomotives of this type in North America.-History:...	8215–8229	ALCO	1930	Renumbered NYC 5360–5374
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859... (16)	3450 ATSF 3450 class The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway's 3450 class comprised ten 4-6-4 "Hudson" type steam locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1927. Built as coal-burners, they were converted to oil-burning during the 1930s. At the same time, the locomotives were given 79-inch driving wheels...	3450–3459	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...	1927
	3460 ATSF 3460 class The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway's 3460 class comprised six 4-6-4 "Hudson" type steam locomotives built in 1937 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for service between La Junta, Colorado and Chicago, Illinois, a fairly flat division of the railroad suited for the 4-6-4 type...	3460–3465	Baldwin	1937	One streamlined (#3460)
Nickel Plate Road (8)	L-1a	170–173	ALCO	1927
Nickel Plate Road (8)	L-1b	174–177	Lima	1929
Canadian Pacific Railway Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001... (65)	H1a Royal Hudson The term Royal Hudson refers to a group of semi-streamlined 4-6-4 Hudson steam locomotives owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway and built by Montreal Locomotive Works . The engine was built in 1938. In 1939, King George VI allowed the CPR to use the term after Royal Hudson number 2850 transported...	2800–2809	Montreal	1929
	H1b Royal Hudson The term Royal Hudson refers to a group of semi-streamlined 4-6-4 Hudson steam locomotives owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway and built by Montreal Locomotive Works . The engine was built in 1938. In 1939, King George VI allowed the CPR to use the term after Royal Hudson number 2850 transported...	2810–2819	Montreal	1930
	H1c Royal Hudson The term Royal Hudson refers to a group of semi-streamlined 4-6-4 Hudson steam locomotives owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway and built by Montreal Locomotive Works . The engine was built in 1938. In 1939, King George VI allowed the CPR to use the term after Royal Hudson number 2850 transported...	2820–2849	Montreal	1937	Streamlined
	H1d Royal Hudson The term Royal Hudson refers to a group of semi-streamlined 4-6-4 Hudson steam locomotives owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway and built by Montreal Locomotive Works . The engine was built in 1938. In 1939, King George VI allowed the CPR to use the term after Royal Hudson number 2850 transported...	2850–2859	Montreal	1938	Streamlined
	H1e Royal Hudson The term Royal Hudson refers to a group of semi-streamlined 4-6-4 Hudson steam locomotives owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway and built by Montreal Locomotive Works . The engine was built in 1938. In 1939, King George VI allowed the CPR to use the term after Royal Hudson number 2850 transported...	2860–2864	Montreal	1940	Streamlined, oil burner
Canadian National Railway Canadian 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".... (5)	K-5-a	5700–5704	Montreal	1930
Milwaukee Road (28)	F6 Milwaukee Road class F6 The Milwaukee Road classes F6 comprised twenty-two steam locomotives of the 4-6-4 configuration, commonly nicknamed “Hudson” but known as “Baltic” on the Milwaukee Road...	6400–6413	Baldwin	1930	Renumbered 125–138
	F6-a Milwaukee Road class F6 The Milwaukee Road classes F6 comprised twenty-two steam locomotives of the 4-6-4 configuration, commonly nicknamed “Hudson” but known as “Baltic” on the Milwaukee Road...	6414–6421	Baldwin	1931	Renumbered 142–146, 139–141
	F7 Milwaukee Road class F7 The Milwaukee Road's class F7 comprised six high-speed, streamlined 4-6-4 "Baltic" or "Hudson" type steam locomotives built by ALCO in 1937–38 to haul the Milwaukee's Hiawatha express passenger trains...	100–105	ALCO	1938	Streamlined
Maine Central Railroad Maine Central Railroad The Maine Central Railroad Company was a railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. It operated a mainline between South Portland, Maine, east to the Canada-U.S... (2)	D	701–702	Baldwin	1930
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (4)	V-1	5047	B&O, Mount Clare Mount Clare Shops The Mount Clare Shops is the oldest railroad manufacturing complex in the United States, located in Baltimore, Maryland. It was founded by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1829. Mt. Clare was the site of many inventions and innovations in railroad technology. It is presently the site of the...	1933	Rebuilt from P-1 class
	V-2 Baltimore and Ohio No. 2 Lord Baltimore The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's sole class V-2 4-6-4 steam locomotive, No. 2 Lord Baltimore, was constructed by the railroad's own shops in 1935. It was constructed to haul a new, lightweight train, the Royal Blue, between New York City and Washington, DC. Later on that year it was sent to the...	2 Baltimore and Ohio No. 2 Lord Baltimore The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's sole class V-2 4-6-4 steam locomotive, No. 2 Lord Baltimore, was constructed by the railroad's own shops in 1935. It was constructed to haul a new, lightweight train, the Royal Blue, between New York City and Washington, DC. Later on that year it was sent to the...	B&O, Mount Clare	1935	New; renumbered 5340
	V-3	5350	B&O, Mount Clare	1935	New
	V-4	5360	B&O, Mount Clare	1936	New
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York... (5)	1151 Delaware, Lackawanna and Western 1151 class The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad's 1151 class comprised five 4-6-4 steam locomotives built by the American Locomotive Company in 1937. They were the last steam locomotives ordered by the railroad....	1151–155	ALCO	1937
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... (1)	–	1 Illinois Central No. 1 The Illinois Central Railroad's No. 1 was the railroad's only 4-6-4 "Hudson" type locomotive and the only 4-6-4 in North America built for freight service. It was rebuilt in the railroad's own shops from Illinois Central 7000 class 2-8-4 "Berkshire" No...	IC	1937	Rebuilt from 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... #7038
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México, was Mexico's state owned railroad company from 1938 to 1998, and prior to 1938 a major railroad controlled by the government that linked Mexico City to the major cities of Nuevo Laredo and Ciudad Juárez on the U.S. border... (10)	NR-1	2700–2709	ALCO	1937
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts... (10)	I-5	1400–1409	Baldwin	1937	Semi-streamlined
St. Louis-San Francisco Railway St. Louis-San Francisco Railway The St. Louis – San Francisco Railway , also known as the Frisco, was a railroad that operated in the Midwest and South Central U.S. from 1876 to 1980.-History:... (10)	1060	1060–1069	SLSF	1937–41	Rebuilt from 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
Chicago and North Western Railway Chicago and North Western Railway The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s... (9)	E-4 CNW Class E-4 The Chicago and North Western Railway's Class E-4 comprised nine coal-burning streamlined 4-6-4 "Hudson" steam locomotives built in 1937 by ALCO....	4000–4008	ALCO	1938	Streamlined
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Chesapeake and Ohio Railway The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P... (18)	L-2 Chesapeake and Ohio Class L-2 and L-2a The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway's class L-2 comprised eight coal-fired 4-6-4 "Hudson" type steam locomotives numbered #300–307 and built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1941. They had roller bearings on all axles, and the first-built, #300, had roller bearings on...	300–307	Baldwin	1941
	L-1	490–494	C&O	1946–47	Rebuilt from 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... ; four streamlined
	L-2-A Chesapeake and Ohio Class L-2 and L-2a The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway's class L-2 comprised eight coal-fired 4-6-4 "Hudson" type steam locomotives numbered #300–307 and built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1941. They had roller bearings on all axles, and the first-built, #300, had roller bearings on...	310–314	Baldwin	1948
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,... (14)	S-4	3000–3011	Baldwin	1930
	S-4	3012	CB&Q	1935	New
	S-4A	4001	CB&Q	1938	New, streamlined, named Æolus
Wabash Railroad Wabash Railroad The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including trackage in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Ontario. Its primary connections included Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, Detroit,... (7)	P-1 Wabash class P1 The Wabash Railroad's class P-1 comprised seven 4-6-4 steam locomotives.The first five were constructed in 1943 and 1944 using the boilers from their unsuccessful K-5 class three-cylinder 2-8-2 locomotives that had been built by the American Locomotive Company's Schenectady works in 1925.Two...	700–706	WAB, Decatur	1943–47	Rebuilt from 2-8-2 2-8-2 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle... s

Because the 4-6-4 design was really only good for express passenger trains, which dieselized early, Hudsons were early candidates for withdrawal and scrapping. None of the NYC's locomotives survive; neither do the Milwaukee's. Five Canadian Pacific Hudsons survive, these include four Royal Hudson

Royal Hudson

s, along with the non-streamlined Canadian Pacific 2816

Canadian Pacific 2816

which was restored by the Canadian Pacific railway in 2001. Four of the Burlington's, two each of the Santa Fe's and Canadian National's, and single examples from the C&O, NdeM and Nickel Plate.
While 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....

did not have any 4-6-4 steam locomotives the PRR had a fleet of 4-6-4 electrics classified P5a

PRR P5

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class P5 comprised 92 mixed-traffic electric locomotives constructed 1931–1935 by the PRR, Westinghouse and General Electric....

India

There were two classes of 4-6-4 tender engines in India, both very early in the history of the configuration, and also of unusually narrow gauge. The 2-foot-6 gauge 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:...

G class were nine locomotives built by Nasmyth, Wilson & Co. (5 in 1928, 2 in 1930) and W. G. Bagnall (2 in 1939). The 2-foot gauge Scindia State Railway ND class were four locomotives built in 1928 by Kerr, Stuart & Co.

Kerr Stuart

Kerr, Stuart and Company Ltd was a locomotive manufacturer from Stoke-on-Trent, England.-History:It was founded in 1881 by James Kerr as James Kerr & Company, and became Kerr, Stuart & Company from 1883 when John Stuart was taken on as a partner...

British Isles

The only 4-6-4 tender locomotive

Tender locomotive

A tender or coal-car is a special rail vehicle hauled by a steam locomotive containing the locomotive's fuel and water. Steam locomotives consume large quantities of water compared to the quantity of fuel, so tenders are necessary to keep the locomotive running over long distances. A locomotive...

in Great Britain was LNER

London 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...

No. 10000, built in 1930 as an experimental high-pressure compound locomotive

Compound locomotive

with an experimental high-pressure water-tube boiler

Water-tube boiler

A water tube boiler is a type of boiler in which water circulates in tubes heated externally by the fire. Fuel is burned inside the furnace, creating hot gas which heats water in the steam-generating tubes...

, and known as the "hush-hush" locomotive on account of the great secrecy with which it was built. The experiment proved much less successful than hoped, and in 1936 it was rebuilt along the lines of a streamlined LNER Class A4

LNER Class A4

The Class A4 is a class of streamlined 4-6-2 steam locomotive, designed by Nigel Gresley for the London and North Eastern Railway in 1935. Their streamlined design gave them high-speed capability as well as making them instantly recognizable, and one of the class, 4468 Mallard, still claims the...

Pacific

4-6-2

, though it retained its unique wheel arrangement. It was the only locomotive of Class W1

LNER Class W1

The LNER W1 No. 10000 was an experimental steam locomotive fitted with a high pressure water-tube boiler...

. Its trailing wheel

Trailing wheel

s were arranged uniquely; instead of being in one 4-wheel trailing truck, the first pair were instead a Cartazzi axle, as typical of LNER Pacific practice, being mounted in a rigid frame but allowed sideways deflection against a centering force. The second pair were in a two-wheel trailing truck. After its rebuild, the W1 was easily distinguishable from an A4 at a glance, without looking for the extra trailing wheels, by the fact that it was never named; it was therefore known to train spotters as "the no-name streak". (The proposed name Pegasus was never issued.)

However the London Midland and Scottish Railway seriously considered a 4-6-4 development of its Coronation Pacific for Anglo-Scottish services in the years just before the Second World War. This would have had 300 psi boiler pressure, four cylinders, mechanical stoking and many features in common with a 4-8-4 fast freight engine. But the advent of the war prevented this entirely practical proposition from ever seeing the light of day.

Germany

In addition to a number of 4-6-4 tank locomotives (the best known being the K.P.E.V. T18, later numbered as class 78), three 4-6-4 tender locomotives were built in 1935. Classified as Class 05

DRG Class 05

The Deutsche Reichsbahn's Class 05 was a German class of three express passenger steam locomotives of 4-6-4 wheel arrangement in the Whyte notation, or 2'C2' in the UIC notation used in continental Europe...

, they were designed for high speed running; they were 3-cylinder locomotives, with giant 90½ inch driving wheel

Driving wheel

On a steam locomotive, a driving wheel is a powered wheel which is driven by the locomotive's pistons...

s and powerful clasp brakes on all wheels. The first two locomotives, 05 001 and 05 002 were conventional locomotives, but the third, 05 003 was built as a cab forward

Cab forward

The term cab forward refers to various rail and road vehicle designs which place the driver's compartment substantially farther towards the front than is common practice.- Rail locomotives :...

, burning pulverised coal. All were built streamlined, in shrouds that covered the locomotives almost to the railhead. In 1936, 05 002 set a world speed record of 124.5 mph (200.4 km/h) which soon afterwards was beaten by the LNER's famous Mallard.

All three survived World War II and were rebuilt as conventional, unstreamlined locomotives in 1950 with new boilers, in which form they worked until 1957 when electric locomotive

Electric locomotive

An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...

s took over the high-speed routes. The first locomotive, 05 001, was restored to its original streamlined configuration and placed into a museum in 1961.

Soviet Union

Only 3 prototype Hudsons were built in the former Soviet Union in 1937-1938. They all were streamlined, the only streamlined series of the Soviet steam locomotives, although a later postwar P36 series was semi-streamlined. 2 were built in Kolomna (2-3-2K series, internal designation P12, chief designer Lev Lebedyanskii) and were used to haul "Red Arrow" passenger train between Moscow and Leningrad. There were plans to build up to 10 2-3-2K locomotives to haul all express passenger trains between Moscow and Leningrad, but these plans were interrupted by World War II. Their power was up to 3070 hp. One was built in Voroshilovgrad (2-3-2V locomotive, number 6998). This locomotive was never used for the mainline service. All were scrapped in the fifties.

Japan

The Japanese National Railways

Japanese National Railways

, abbreviated or "JNR", was the national railway network of Japan from 1949 to 1987.-History:The term Kokuyū Tetsudō "state-owned railway" originally referred to a network of railway lines operated by nationalized companies under the control of the Railway Institute following the nationalization...

built three classes of rather advanced, American style 3 in 6 in (1,066.8 mm) gauge Hudsons, classes C60 (47 built), C61

JNR Class C61

The JNR Class C61 is a former class of steam locomotives operated in Japan. The class was the first type in Japan to use the 4-6-4 "Hudson" wheel arrangement. A total of 33 locomotives were built between 1947 and 1949,...

(33 built) and C62 (49 built), between 1947 and 1953. The C60 and C61 were smaller and the C62 was a larger locomotive, filling the small Japanese loading gauge

Loading gauge

A loading gauge defines the maximum height and width for railway vehicles and their loads to ensure safe passage through bridges, tunnels and other structures...

. All were officially rebuilt from earlier locomotives of different arrangement, but it is believed that this was for accounting purposes rather than any real cost saving; the parts re-used appear to have been minimal. They were all equipped with disk drivers and much in the way of American-style appliances, although they had British-style smokebox

Smokebox

A smokebox is one of the major basic parts of a Steam locomotive exhaust system. Smoke and hot gases pass from the firebox through tubes where they pass heat to the surrounding water in the boiler. The smoke then enters the smokebox, and is exhausted to the atmosphere through the chimney .To assist...

doors.

Australia

Seventy R class

Victorian Railways R class

The R class was an express passenger steam locomotive that ran on Australia's Victorian Railways from 1951 to 1974. A long overdue replacement for the 1907-era A2 class 4-6-0, their development and construction was repeatedly delayed due to financial constraints caused by the Great Depression and...

"Hudson" 4-6-4 tender locomotives, the only class of this configuration in Australia, were introduced by the 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 1951 for mainline express passenger operations. However, the introduction in 1952 of B class diesel electric locomotives saw the R class almost immediately relegated to secondary passenger and freight use, with many put into storage at depots around the state. A number were preserved and some of these continue to operate on special excursion trains.

With the privatisation of regional passenger operations in Victoria in the mid-1990s, two R class locomotives were brought into normal revenue service for regularly scheduled mainline passenger trains between Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

and Warrnambool. The locomotives featured a number of modifications to allow for reliable high speed operation, including dual Lempor exhausts, oil firing, and the addition of a diesel control stand for multiple unit operation. The use of these R class locomotives on the Warrnambool line did not continue after the demise of the private operator in 2004.

Tank locomotives

The 4-6-4T was also a fairly common wheel arrangement

Wheel arrangement

for a passenger 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...

. As such it was essentially the equivalent of a 4-6-0

4-6-0

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This wheel arrangement became the second-most popular...

locomotive with the tender replaced by a tank and bunker carried by a four-wheel truck.

South Africa

The first 4-6-4T tank locomotive was rebuilt from a Natal Government Railways

Natal government railways

The Natal Government Railways was formed in January 1877 in the Colony of Natal.In 1877 the Natal Government Railways acquired the Natal Railway Company for the sum of £40,000, gaining the line from the Point to Durban and from Durban to Umgeni...

K&S Class

South African Class C 4-6-0T

Between 1879 and 1885 the Natal Government Railways placed thirty-seven 4-6-0T tank steam locomotives in service. In 1912, when fifteen of these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and reclassified to Class C....

4-6-0T in 1896. The sole locomotive later became the South African Railways Class C2

South African Class C2 4-6-4T

Between 1879 and 1885 the Natal Government Railways placed thirty-seven 4-6-0T tank steam locomotives in service. In 1896 one of them was rebuilt to a 4-6-4T locomotive and in 1912, when it was assimilated into the South African Railways, this locomotive was renumbered and reclassified to the sole...

. The new design was later used as the basis of the Class E

South African Class E 4-6-4T

In 1902 the Natal Government Railways placed ten 4-6-4T tank steam locomotives in service. In 1912, when these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered and classified as Class E.-Manufacturer:...

, supplied by Neilson, Reid and Company in 1902. In 1904 the Central South African Railways

Central South African Railways

From 1902 to 1904, the area of power of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Girouard later also included the lines of The Netherlands-South African Railway Company; together this dominion covered all lines in the Transvaal that belonged to NZASM ....

introduced the Class F

South African Class F 4-6-4T

In 1904 the Central South African Railways placed eight Class F tank steam locomotives with a 4-6-4T wheel arrangement in service. In 1912, when these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways, they were renumbered but retained their Class F classification.-Manufacturer:The first...

, built by the Vulcan Foundry

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...

. In 1905 the Vulcan Foundry also supplied two rack railway

Rack railway

A rack-and-pinion railway is a railway with a toothed rack rail, usually between the running rails. The trains are fitted with one or more cog wheels or pinions that mesh with this rack rail...

locomotives to South Africa.

Later 4-6-4T locomotives included the Class J built by Nasmyth Wilson and Company

Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company

Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company, originally called The Bridgewater Foundry, specialised in the production of heavy machine tools and locomotives. It was located in Patricroft, in Salford England, close to the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, the Bridgewater Canal and the Manchester Ship Canal...

and the Class K built by the 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...

in 1915.

British Isles

A number of 4-6-4T tank locomotive

Tank locomotive

s were built for various British railway companies. The first and longest-lived were two built by Nasmyth Wilson in 1904 for the narrow-gauge County Donegal Railways. Both later superheated, one lasted (derelict) until 1967.

The first standard-gauge examples were Robert Harben Whitelegg's design for the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway

London, Tilbury and Southend Railway

The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway is an English railway line linking Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London with northeast London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway area of southern Essex. It is currently known as the Essex Thameside Route by Network Rail...

in 1912, although not delivered until after the LT&SR had been taken over by the Midland Railway, where they were the 2100 class

LT&SR 2100 Class

The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway 2100 Class was a class of 4-6-4T steam locomotives. Eight were built in 1912, the year the Midland Railway took over the LT&SR, to the design of Robert Harben Whitelegg. Hence, they were numbered in the Midland numbering system as 2100–2107, and none...

. The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway

London, Brighton and South Coast Railway

The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey...

built seven L (Remembrance) class

LB&SCR L class

The LB&SCR L Class was a class of 4-6-4 steam tank locomotives designed by L. B. Billinton for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. They were known as the "Brighton Baltics", Baltic being the European name for the 4-6-4 wheel arrangement...

tank locomotives between 1914 and 1922. The first examples suffered from instability problems until rebuilt with well-tanks. These high-speed tank locomotives hauled the famous Southern Belle until electrification

Railway electrification system

A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...

of the Brighton Main Line

Brighton Main Line

The Brighton Main Line is a British railway line from London Victoria and London Bridge to Brighton. It is about 50 miles long, and is electrified throughout. Trains are operated by Southern, First Capital Connect, and Gatwick Express, now part of Southern.-Original proposals:There were no fewer...

in 1933, after which they were converted into N15X class 4-6-0

4-6-0

tender locomotive

Tender locomotive

s, remaining in service until 1957.

The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, Furness Railway, Belfast and County Down Railway and the Glasgow and South Western Railway (Whitelegg's second attempt) also had classes of this wheel arrangement. Of these the LYR examples were very rare in having four cylinders, but were too large and too complex for the duties they performed; the BNCR unsuperheated tanks were spectacularly unsuccessful because of poor valve settings; while the Furness tanks, also unsuperheated and almost uniquely with inside cylinders, were very popular with their crews.

Netherlands

The Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Nederlandse Spoorwegen , or NS, is the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands.Its trains operate over the tracks of the Dutch national railinfrastructure, operated by ProRail, which was split off from NS in 2003...

(Dutch State Railways) had ordered six 4-6-4T locomotives from Beyer, Peacock and Company in 1913. A follow-up order for 34 locomotives was only partly delivered when, during a down-turn in traffic caused by World War I, the Dutch authorities cancelled the remainder of the order. Fourteen undelivered locomotives were sold to the War Department

War Department (UK)

The War Department was the United Kingdom government department responsible for the supply of equipment to the armed forces of the United Kingdom and the pursuance of military activity. In 1857 it became the War Office...

for use on the Western Front, where air-braked passenger locomotives were in short supply. They were assigned Railway Operating Division

Railway Operating Division

The Railway Operating Division was a division of the Royal Engineers formed in 1915 to operate railways in the many theatres of the First World War...

numbers 1–12, 14 and 15 and were used on ambulance and troop trains as well as civilian passenger trains in the British sector. After the war they were sold to the Chemin de fer du Nord

Chemin de Fer du Nord

, who numbered them 3.871 to 3.884. All fourteen passed to the SNCF

SNCF

The SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...

who renumbered them 232.TB.1 to 232.TB.14. Two were withdrawn in 1946, but the remainder lasted until 1950–1951. They were outlasted by the 26 in service with the NS, twenty of which were still in service in 1952. They had been renumbered 6001–6026, from the original 1201–1240 series.

Canada

The Grand Trunk Railway

Grand Trunk Railway

The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...

had six K2 class 4-6-4T locomotives built by 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...

in September 1914 for suburban service. Numbered 1540 to 1545, after being absorbed by Canadian National Railway

Canadian 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"....

s, they were classified as X-10-a, and renumbered 45 to 50. Three are preserved: GT 1541 (CN 46), GT 1542 (CN 47

Canadian National 47

The Canadian National #47 is a preserved 4-6-4 tank locomotive in the United States of America. It is one of only two preserved CN 4-6-4Ts , and is the only Baltic type suburban tank locomotive remaining in the USA.-History:The #47 was built by the Montreal Locomotive Works in September 1914 for...

), at Steamtown National Historic Site

Steamtown National Historic Site

Steamtown 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...

, Scranton, Pennsylvania

Scranton, Pennsylvania

Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...

, and GT 1544 (CN 49) at the Canadian Railway Museum

Canadian Railway Museum

The Canadian Railway Museum Musée Ferrovaire Canadien) is a rail transport museum in Delson/Saint-Constant, Quebec south of Montreal.-Collection:...

, Delson, Quebec

Delson, Quebec

Delson is an off-island suburb of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is situated 8 mi/13 km SSE of Montreal within the regional county municipality of Roussillion in the administrative region of Montérégie. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 7,322.On its small territory, Delson is crossed...

Australia

The 4-6-4T tank locomotive configuration was a popular type with the Western Australian Government Railways

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....

. The D class

WAGR D Class

The WAGR D Class was a type of 4-6-4T tank engine used by the Western Australian Government Railways from 1912. It was used mostly on suburban passenger workings and was the basis for the later Dm and Dd classes of tank engine which continued this role until the end of steam on WA's Railways....

and its successors, the Dm

WAGR Dm Class

The WAGR Dm Class was a type of 4-6-4T tank engine used by the Western Australian Government Railways from 1945. It was based on the earlier D class but differed significantly in the addition of large boiler-length side tanks, and was built by converting older E Class tender locomotives...

and Dd Class

WAGR Dd Class

The WAGR Dd Class was a class of tank engine steam locomotive used by the Western Australian Government Railways between 1946 and the end of steam on Western Australia's suburban railway network. The Dd type tank engines were based on the earlier Dm Class which were in turn a reconstruction of the...

all featured this arrangement.

In fiction

In the anime Galaxy Express 999

Galaxy Express 999

is a manga written and drawn by Leiji Matsumoto, as well as various anime films and TV series based on it. It is set in a space-faring, high-tech future in which humans have learned how to transfer their minds into mechanical bodies, thus achieving practical immortality.The manga won the...

, the legendary express's locomotive, C6250, is a 4-6-4, based on a JNR C62

JNR C62

The Class C62 is a type of 4-6-4 steam locomotive built by Japanese National Railways. The C classification indicates three sets of driving wheels...

. Also, in the SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...

episode "The Great Patty Caper", the loco that hauls The Oceanic Express train is a 4-6-4 tender locomotive.

External links

4-6-4 or Hudson
German Wikipedia on 4-6-4 class 05
Anatomy of West Coast Railway's "Super" R Class

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