Prairie-type Locomotives

[daveklepper]

The CB&Q had a fleet of Prairies, and I saw one on a local freight in La Grange near the Stone Avenue Station in 1952.   Normally this freight was handled by an O-1 2-8-2, but a 2-6-2 showed up one evening.  I was having dinner in a restaurant facing the tracks and jumped out of seat and ran to the right-of-way when I saw it.

[M636C]

The Reading Railroad had a class of 2-6-4 tank locomotives for commuter service out of Philadelphia in the early years of the Twentieth Century. I think there was one older 2-6-6 tank loco as well.

M636C

[wjstix]

About the only large railroads I can think of off the top of my head that used the 2-6-2 type a lot were Santa Fe and Northern Pacific. Santa Fe used them on passenger trains back 100 years ago; NP used some in ore service in Minnesota. Some of the NP ones lasted into the 1950's.

[jeremygharrison]

The most significant classes of 2-6-4 tender locomotives (and the only ones that I am aware of ) are the Austrian (kkStB  - pre WWI state railways) classes 210 and 310, with a total of 111 being built 1908-1918, to the designs of  Karl Gölsdorf, as first rank express passenger locomotives - they were a development of of the earlier class 10 2-6-2: apparently a Pacific design was considered, but  the 2-6-4  was preferred. They were 4 cylinder compounds with 2.1 metre (82 inch) driving wheels, and a maximum axle load of less than 15 (metric/long) tons. After WW1 many ended up in Poland or Czechoslovakia. At least one has been preserved, in working order (or at least recently so).

2-6-4T tank locomotives were widely used in Britain (many preserved), and to a lesser extent in a number of  European and other countries. 

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Also keep in mind the Mason Bogies.  They were narrow-gauge 2-6-6T's built for the South Park and were a modified Fairlie design.

[timz]

B&A got 4-6-6T engines in ... the 1920s? And I don't recall what their previous tank engines were, but I'd've guessed 2-6-4Ts.

[tomikawaTT]

2-6-2 prairie:  There was a large class (420 units) of modern dual-purpose locomotives built by the Japan National Railways and its predecessor between 1938 and 1947.  The C58's were fitted with elesco feedwater heaters, combined sand box/steam dome casings and all-weather cabs - very clean, good-looking design.

2-6-4 tank locos:  The JNR had 2 classes, both of which used the same boilers as classes of 2-6-0 tender locos - basically the same 2-6-0's with side tanks and rear bunkers for use on short branch lines.  The C11 had moderately high drivers and was usually used for passengers, although I have seen one hauling a mixed train.  The C10 was an earlier attempt, and served as a prototype design for the C11.  A number of C11's are still in steam, on a couple of tourist railroads.

2-6-2 tank loco:  The JNR C12 class shared a boiler and wheel geometry with the C56 class 2-6-0 tender locos - once again, a tender engine modified with side tanks and rear bunker.  Low-drivered, used in branchline freight, switching and (in at least one place) helper service.

Chuck (models central Japan in 1964)

[coaldust2026]

Thanks for the replies.  They are much appreciated and have been very helpful.

[wjstix]

Well I think the 2-6-2 is the only type called a "prairie". I don't think any 2-6-4's were built for US operation, but in Europe there were some 2-6-4 tank engines I believe. Problem is by the time the "superpower" era came in with four wheel trailing trucks being needed to support the large firebox, six-wheel freight engines were obsolete - replaced by 8 and 10 coupled engines (2-8-0's, 2-8-2's, 2-10-2's etc.) That's why there were a fair number of 4-6-4's built.

FWIW I had a Lionel 2-6-4 as a kid, still have it around somewhere but it's pretty beat up.

[egmurphy]

A 2-6-4 is an "Adriatic" type, and not a "Prairie".  But regardless of the name, according to Steamlocomotive.com, there were none in North America. 

Wikipedia has a short write-up on the type:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2-6-4

Here's an article and photo of a 2-6-4T in Ireland.

http://www.rpsi-online.org/locomotives/loco4.htm

Based on a quick Google search, it looks like they may have been found (even if not very common) in Europe and maybe Australia.  If you want more, try a Google search on "2-6-4 locomotive".

Regards

Ed

 

[coaldust2026]

Does anyone know if any locomotive manufacturer or railroad ever produced a 2-6-4 Prairie-type locomotive in addition to the typical 2-6-2 wheel arrangement?