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VGN 2-6-6-6 "900 Series" Blue Ridge Steam Locomotives from Lima

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Posted by Fr.Al on Friday, July 8, 2022 11:16 AM

Now that I think about, the railroad did note that it was the only operating Mallet in the Eastern United States. Whatever the case may be, it was a thrill to be at the Cumberland station when the engine came rolling in!

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, June 18, 2022 9:59 PM

MidlandMike

 

 
Fr.Al
It may be the only true Mallet operating in the USA. Maybe in the world?

 

Niles Canyon Railway has a Mallet and Black Hills Central has two.

 

If I remember correctly I believe those are tank engine Mallets and not a tender type like 1309.  Not that it matters.

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Posted by MidlandMike on Saturday, June 18, 2022 9:44 PM

Fr.Al
It may be the only true Mallet operating in the USA. Maybe in the world?

Niles Canyon Railway has a Mallet and Black Hills Central has two.

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Posted by Fr.Al on Saturday, June 18, 2022 6:22 PM

[quote user="CSSHEGEWISCH"]

C&O sold its C-16's to both VGN and N&W.  As is well-known, Roanoke later built its own 0-8-0's to the same design, the last steam locomotives built in the United States for domestic service.

 Last one was built Dec 1953. Yesterday, I rode behind the very last Baldwin steam locomotive produced for the US. It may be the only true Mallet operating in the USA. Maybe in the world?
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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, May 13, 2022 10:02 AM

C&O sold its C-16's to both VGN and N&W.  As is well-known, Roanoke later built its own 0-8-0's to the same design, the last steam locomotives built in the United States for domestic service.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by Backshop on Friday, May 13, 2022 9:22 AM

VGN Jess

Backshop: Thank you very much. I've been wrong for over 50 years as to the AG nomenclature!

 

I'm wrong quite often myself.  Just ask my wife! Big Smile j/k

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Posted by VGN Jess on Friday, May 13, 2022 5:19 AM

BEAUSABRE: Thank you very much for your very informative VGN steam roster; now I know.

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Posted by VGN Jess on Friday, May 13, 2022 5:16 AM

Backshop: Thank you very much. I've been wrong for over 50 years as to the AG nomenclature!

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Posted by Overmod on Wednesday, May 11, 2022 11:13 AM

Backshop
BEAUSABRE

USA was very appropriate, they were USRA locomotives 

Correct, and the other two "US" classes were copies.

Four extra classes; there was a USD (rebuilt from USA) class "late in the game", and a USE (ex-N&W Y-class).

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Posted by BEAUSABRE on Tuesday, May 10, 2022 8:01 PM

The VGN had a very logical classification system. For example, class MB was the second model of Mikado (and incidentally, the road's "maid of all work") and all electric classes began with EL for "Electric Locomotive". In terms of first letters,B stood for Berkshire, S for switcher, E for Eight Wheeler, P for Pacific, T for Ten Wheeler, A for articulated and X for eXtreme (I made the last up). The second letter was the sequence number within the type. The exception are the US type locos, with their three letters, with US believed to stand for USRA design. IIRC, the FM H16-44's were class DS and the H24-66's were class DRS. I've forgotten what they called the lone 44 tonner stationed on isolated trackage in Norfolk. 

Virginian Railway steam locomotives

Class Wheel Arr-
angement
Dr.
Dia.
Cylinders
Dia. x Stroke
Boiler
Press.
Ad.
Wt.
EW
WO
Grate
Area
Evap.
Surface
Sup.
Surface
Remarks
AB 2-8-8-2 56in 26/40x32in 215psi 181t 200t 84sq.ft. 6925sq.ft. none Mallet
AC 2-6-6-0 54in 22/35x30in 200psi 138t 148t 57sq.ft. 5050sq.ft. none Mallet
AD 2-8-8-2 56in 28/44x32in 185psi 213t 241t 99sq.ft. 6830sq.ft. 1310sq.ft. Mallet
AE 2-10-10-2 56in 30/48x32in 215psi 276t 306t 109sq.ft. 8600sq.ft. 2120sq.ft. Mallet
AF 2-8-8-0 56in 28/44x32in 215psi 220t 230t 108sq.ft. 8120sq.ft. 2060sq.ft. Ex XA
AG 2-6-6-6 67in 22½x33in(4) 260psi 230t 347t 135sq.ft. 7240sq.ft. 3185sq.ft.  
BA 2-8-4 69in 26x34in 245psi 134t 209t 90sq.ft. 4775sq.ft. 1930sq.ft.  
EA 4-4-0 63in 18x26in 200psi 48t 67t 30sq.ft. 2025sq.ft. none  
MB 2-8-2 56in 24x32in 200psi 99t 118t 51sq.ft. 3285sq.ft. 755sq.ft.  
MB 2-8-2 56in 24x32in 200psi 104t 121t 51sq.ft. 3285sq.ft. 755sq.ft. Stoker
MC 2-8-2 56in 26x32in 200psi 114t 142t 57sq.ft. 4355sq.ft. 910sq.ft. Orig. 185psi
MD 2-8-2 56in 26x32in 200psi 106t 138t 57sq.ft. 4355sq.ft. 910sq.ft. Ex XA
PA 4-6-2 69in 26x28in 190psi 86t 135t 67sq.ft. 3415sq.ft. 905sq.ft.  
SA 0-8-0 51in 22x28in 200psi 83t 83t 32sq.ft. 2955sq.ft. none  
SB 0-8-0 52in 25x28in 200psi 109t 109t 47sq.ft. 2570sq.ft. 635sq.ft. C&O C-16
TA 4-6-0 63in 21½x26in 200psi 67t 90t 56sq.ft. 2390sq.ft. 470sq.ft.  
USA 2-8-8-2 57in 25/39x32in 240psi 217t 241t 96sq.ft. 6120sq.ft. 1475sq.ft. USRA Mallet
USC 2-8-8-2 57in 25/39x32in 250psi 217t 241t 96sq.ft. 6120sq.ft. 1475sq.ft. Ex USB
USD 2-8-8-2 57in 25/39x32in 240psi 217t 242t 96sq.ft. 6208sq.ft. 1475sq.ft. Ex USA
USE 2-8-8-2 57in 25/39x32in 270psi 217t 241t 96sq.ft. 5755sq.ft. 1580sq.ft. NW Y3
XA 2-8-8-8-4T 56in 34/34(4)x32in 215psi 325t 380t 108sq.ft. 8120sq.ft. 2060sq.ft. Triplex
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Posted by Backshop on Tuesday, May 10, 2022 5:45 PM

BEAUSABRE

USA was very appropriate, they were USRA locomotives

 

Correct, and the other two "US" classes were copies.

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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, May 10, 2022 4:50 PM

BigJim
 
Backshop

Looking at my copy of Kalmbach's Guide to North American Steam Locomotives, a very good book that everyone should own, I got the answer.  "AG" doesn't stand for "Allegheny".  The VGN classed all their articulated locomotives with a two letter class that began with "A".  When the 2-6-6-6 came along, AG just happened to be the next sequential letter. 

Not all. There was the USA, USB and USC 2-8-8-2's.

And in today's tech world we have USB, USB-2 and USB-3.  Everything in the world ends up being named or classed - whoever does it sets their own rules when they do it.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by BEAUSABRE on Tuesday, May 10, 2022 3:09 PM

USA was very appropriate, they were USRA locomotives

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Posted by BigJim on Tuesday, May 10, 2022 11:54 AM

Backshop

Looking at my copy of Kalmbach's Guide to North American Steam Locomotives, a very good book that everyone should own, I got the answer.  "AG" doesn't stand for "Allegheny".  The VGN classed all their articulated locomotives with a two letter class that began with "A".  When the 2-6-6-6 came along, AG just happened to be the next sequential letter.

Not all. There was the USA, USB and USC 2-8-8-2's.

.

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Posted by selector on Tuesday, May 10, 2022 11:45 AM

L'outaouais?

Le richelain?

Le western townships?

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Posted by kgbw49 on Monday, May 9, 2022 10:46 PM

Mon Dieu, Monsieur Flintlock76!

C'est Montreal!

4-6-4T devrait etre du type Riviere!

 
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Posted by Flintlock76 on Monday, May 9, 2022 8:34 PM

Erik_Mag

 

 
pennytrains

Then the Hudson came along....Wink

 

 

Don't you mean the Baltic???

(Grinning, ducking and running)

 

Well, you know the Canadian National had a 4-6-4 first!

OK, it was a 4-6-4T used in Montreal commuter service, but that being the case maybe the CN should have had naming rights.

Say, a "St. Lawrence" or "Ottawa" type?

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Posted by pennytrains on Monday, May 9, 2022 6:27 PM

Erik_Mag

 

 
pennytrains

Then the Hudson came along....Wink

 

 

Don't you mean the Baltic???

(Grinning, ducking and running)

 

LaughLaughLaughLaughLaugh  Yes, I Do!  Whistling

Big Smile  Same me, different spelling!  Big Smile

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Posted by Backshop on Sunday, May 8, 2022 9:08 PM

Looking at my copy of Kalmbach's Guide to North American Steam Locomotives, a very good book that everyone should own, I got the answer.  "AG" doesn't stand for "Allegheny".  The VGN classed all their articulated locomotives with a two letter class that began with "A".  When the 2-6-6-6 came along, AG just happened to be the next sequential letter.

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Posted by Erik_Mag on Sunday, May 8, 2022 8:43 PM

pennytrains

Then the Hudson came along....Wink

Don't you mean the Baltic???

(Grinning, ducking and running)

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Posted by pennytrains on Sunday, May 8, 2022 5:03 PM

Then the Hudson came along....Wink

Big Smile  Same me, different spelling!  Big Smile

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Posted by selector on Sunday, May 8, 2022 3:40 PM

I haven't actually gone to check (I'll look at my cyclopedia soon...), but the types were commonly known by the road that first ordered them, or trialed them, or that placed a first order subsequently, or by the designation the first road appended to their type. The C&O got the first 'mountain' type as well.  The Texas Type 2-10-4 because the T&P placed the first order, if I recall correctly, or maybe they did the first trials...not sure.  The Northern because the NP got the first batch of them.  And so on. 

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Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, May 7, 2022 10:28 PM

VGN Jess
While the C&O called their 2-6-6-6's Allegheney's [ for the mountains they conquered ] , the VGN called theirs Blue Ridge        [ similarly for the mountains they conquered ]. That being fact, why would VGN have had them classed in the "books" as AG (Allegheney) and not BR (BlueRidge)? Anyone know or have any speculations? Thanks.

Each carriers devise there own systems to catalog virtually everything they own - equipment, motive power, paper form designations for all the paper forms needed for each and every function needed in the operation of their business, part number designations for all the component parts of the equipment they own and operate and on and on  and on.

All such systems get designed around whatever exists at the time the system is created.

The B&O in its steam era susequent to about 1910, identified their locomotive types as a single letter designating non-articulated locomotive types.  0-4-0's were type C, 0-6-0's were type D, 0-8-0's were type L; 4-6-2's were type P; 2-8-2's were type Q; 2-10-2's were type S; 4-8-2's were type T and various other letters for other engine configurations - when articulated engines arrived on the scene they were given a two letter designation based on two letters of the the single engine types the were combined.  Old Maude the original articulated was class DD as it was a 0-6-6-0; B&O's war time classic 2-8-8-4 was class EM.  Each class would get a number and potentially letters depending upon the iteration of the engine and any particular modifications that were made. Systems change and evolve over time and at some point in time.  At some point in time the organization will come to the realization that its existing system is no longer adequate for its needs and will design a new one - and the beat goes on. 

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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VGN 2-6-6-6 "900 Series" Blue Ridge Steam Locomotives from Lima
Posted by VGN Jess on Saturday, May 7, 2022 9:17 PM

While the C&O called their 2-6-6-6's Allegheney's [ for the mountains they conquered ] , the VGN called theirs Blue Ridge        [ similarly for the mountains they conquered ]. That being fact, why would VGN have had them classed in the "books" as AG (Allegheney) and not BR (BlueRidge)? Anyone know or have any speculations? Thanks.

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