Login
or
Register
Subscriber & Member Login
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Login
Register
Home
»
Model Railroader
»
Forums
»
General Discussion (Model Railroader)
»
Biggest loco?
Edit post
Edit your reply below.
Post Body
Enter your post below.
[quote]QUOTE: <i>Originally posted by Sperandeo</i> <br /><br />Is a poll the right way to determine which was the biggest steam engine? It's not a matter of opinion, after all, but one of measurement. At a football game they check for first downs with a chain, not by asking what the fans think. <br /> <br />In MODEL RAILROADER we usually cite the Big Boy as the biggest steam engine, because it is (almost). If you add up its length, width, and height you get a bigger number than for any other locomotive (except one). This doesn't take weight into account – that would be the "heaviest" instead of the biggest – or drawbar pull or horsepower – that would be the "most powerful." "Big" has a specific meaning related to size, and editors usually like to be careful with the meanings of words. <br /> <br />But there is one engine that beats the Big Boy! It's not one of those listed in the poll either. The Pennsylvania RR SI duplex-drive 6-4-4-6 adds up to be bigger than the Big Boy when you take the measurements over its streamlined shrouding into account. <br /> <br />Most folks don't recognize this fact about the S1, maybe because the shrouding, particularly at the rear of the tender, can be seen as just so much cosmetic dressing, whereas the Big Boy is all locomotive. There's also the point that the S1 was an experiment not found successful enough to warrant duplication, while the Big Boy was built in at least a small quantity and re-ordered after being in use. <br /> <br />But those are matters of opinion or functionality, not sheer size. Like it or not, the biggest locomotive was really the S1. <br /> <br />So long, <br /> <br />Andy <br />[/quote] <br /> <br />Right on, Andy!
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag
Update Reply
Subscriber & Member Login
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Login
Register
Users Online
There are no community member online
Search the Community
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter
See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter
and get model railroad news in your inbox!
Sign up