Post by farish on Aug 6, 2007 16:09:42 GMT -5
The 0-6-0 Steam engine and how it fit in with the rest of the mighty steam engines.
The 0-6-0 began life as a road engine in the late 1830s but was built only in limited numbers.
Like the 0-4-0, the 0-6-0 could not easily traverse the poor track of the day, and within twenty years was rendered obsolete by the introduction of the 2-6-0 and 4-6-0. These newer locomotive types had flexible suspension systems that could accommodate irregular track and had engine trucks capable of leading the locomotive into curves - improvements that permitted higher train speeds. The 2-6-0 and 4-6-0 quickly became the standard power in situations where more tractive effort was needed than could be provided by a four-coupled engine.
Many years later, however, the 0-6-0 reappeared as a switch engine. It bore little resemblance to its predecessor, having been updated with the technological improvements made to other steam locomotives in the intervening years.
It distinguished itself with its ability to handle bigger trains than the 0-4-0 switcher. Soon, the 0-6-0 became the favored engine in railroad yards. By 1904, over 4,800 were in service.
When train lengths eventually grew beyond the ability of the 0-6-0 for heavy switching work, the 0-8-0 superseded it. Nevertheless, the 0-6-0 remained a popular engine for certain yard that did not require the heft of an 0-8-0. The 0-6-0 found a ready home switching passenger trains and working small yard and industrial switching jobs.
A number of railroads owned 0-6-0s far exceeding the dimensions of the USRA design. For example, Pennsylvania Railroad's class B-6 switchers had a weight of 180,300 lbs., compared to the 165,000 lbs. of the USRA engine.
Almost all railroads had 0-6-0s on their roster at some point in time. By the time the last one was delivered in 1946, more than 15,000 had been built - the most of any steam switcher in North America.