I suspect it largely comes out of the navel tradition of naming classes of vessels.
Please go to the following links for a pretty thorough explanation of American steam locomotive types, their wheel arrangements and "names". The first link is within the Classic Trains section of this web site.
http://www.trains.com/ctr/default.aspx?c=ss&id=12
http://www.steamlocomotive.com/misc/wheels.shtml
Mike
Mike, your two references certainly give a comprehensive coverage of the names of locomotive types. I did miss, however, an explanation for the name "Consolidated" or "Consolidation." I do not recall seeing any explanation anywhere. Does anyone have a sure word on this? I was sorry not to see the Union Pacific type discussed in the first link.
As to the two or more names given to a particular type (as the second link shows), it may be evident that a second road to use a particular type did not like the original name--such as the Dixie Line (NC&StL) calling its 4-8-4's "Dixie" and not "Northern." I have never see a reason for the Milwaukee's calling its 4-6-4's "Baltic." We could even go further and speak of the "Yellow Jackets" and "Stripes" of the NC&StL, but that takes a little longer to explain.
Johnny
Deggesty I did miss, however, an explanation for the name "Consolidated" or "Consolidation."
I did miss, however, an explanation for the name "Consolidated" or "Consolidation."
According to the second link (American Steam Locomotive Wheel Arrangements), the first 2-8-0s "were built in 1866 by Baldwin for the Lehigh Valley (which had recently been created by the merger of several smaller roads). In other words, "a consolidation" in mid-1800 American English.
A lot of the names (and the 4-8-4 looks to have had more than any other wheel arrangement) stemmed from railroad pride and image. F'rinstance, it wouldn't do for the Water Level Route to have a locomotive called a "Mountain," so NYC called their 4-8-2's a "Mohawk."
You can almost tell by looking at the names given the 4-8-4 wheel arrangement which railroad they served.
In many cases the naming (at least of the original) seems to have been the honor of the first railroad to design/purchase a given wheel arrangement.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
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