Union Railroad 0-10-2
Encyclopedia
Ten Union Railroad 0-10-2 steam locomotive
s were built in 1936–1939 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works
. These were the only 0-10-2
locomotives ever built in the United States
and this purchase gave the name "Union" to this type.
The Union Railroad
was a switching and transfer line owned by U.S. Steel
, serving a number of plants in the area and connecting with six trunk line railroads. Operation was only at low speed, thus a leading truck's stability was not required. The intent was to eliminate helper
requirements on grades, and thus a locomotive larger than the Union's previous switcher
s and 2-8-0
"Consolidations" was needed. Ten driving wheels allowed the application of sufficient tractive effort
within the axle load
limits of the line, and the requirement for a large firebox and plentiful steam-raising ability necessitated the trailing truck. To increase tractive effort still further, a booster engine
was fitted to the leading tender truck. The unusual wheel arrangement was also a result of the turntable restrictions on the total wheel base.
Upon dieselization of the Union in 1949, nine of the locomotives were sold to fellow U.S. Steel railroad the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range, where they served until 1962. One of these locomotives survives as a static exhibit at Greenville, Pennsylvania
.
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 were built in 1936–1939 by the 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...
. These were the only 0-10-2
0-10-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-10-2 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, ten powered and coupled driving wheels on five axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle ....
locomotives ever built in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and this purchase gave the name "Union" to this type.
The Union Railroad
Union Railroad (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
The Union Railroad is a Class III switching railroad located in Allegheny County in Western Pennsylvania. The company is owned by Transtar, Inc., which is itself a subsidiary of USS Corp, more popularly known as United States Steel...
was a switching and transfer line owned by U.S. Steel
U.S. Steel
The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
, serving a number of plants in the area and connecting with six trunk line railroads. Operation was only at low speed, thus a leading truck's stability was not required. The intent was to eliminate helper
Bank engine
A bank engine or helper engine or pusher engine is a railway locomotive that temporarily assists a train that requires additional power or traction to climb a grade...
requirements on grades, and thus a locomotive larger than the Union's previous switcher
Switcher
A switcher or shunter is a small railroad locomotive intended not for moving trains over long distances but rather for assembling trains ready for a road locomotive to take over, disassembling a train that has been...
s and 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...
"Consolidations" was needed. Ten driving wheels allowed the application of sufficient 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...
within the 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...
limits of the line, and the requirement for a large firebox and plentiful steam-raising ability necessitated the trailing truck. To increase tractive effort still further, 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...
was fitted to the leading tender truck. The unusual wheel arrangement was also a result of the turntable restrictions on the total wheel base.
Upon dieselization of the Union in 1949, nine of the locomotives were sold to fellow U.S. Steel railroad the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range, where they served until 1962. One of these locomotives survives as a static exhibit at Greenville, Pennsylvania
Greenville, Pennsylvania
Greenville is a borough in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Located along the Shenango River, Greenville is roughly 80 miles from both Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Greenville is part of the Youngstown–Warren–Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is home to 570,000 people...
.