Who had the best mallets?

[Anonymous]

The Y-7 was to be a simple articulated.
It was not going to be a mallet (re-using steam in the front cylinders)

[Anonymous]

The Y-7 was to be a simple articulated.
It was not going to be a mallet (re-using steam in the front cylinders)

[Anonymous]

Where's the AT&SF???
I agree with David Wallace-Santa Fe's mallets were very interesting. So many gadgets-Santa Fe had such a bad time that they went to simple single drive engines for the rest of the steam age. And look what became-the 100,000 lbs. of tractive effort on the AT&SF's 2-10-4s, the slow, pondersome, and magnificent 2-10-2s, and more. I admit- I never got to see them, but even the pictures show how good they were.

[Anonymous]

Where's the AT&SF???
I agree with David Wallace-Santa Fe's mallets were very interesting. So many gadgets-Santa Fe had such a bad time that they went to simple single drive engines for the rest of the steam age. And look what became-the 100,000 lbs. of tractive effort on the AT&SF's 2-10-4s, the slow, pondersome, and magnificent 2-10-2s, and more. I admit- I never got to see them, but even the pictures show how good they were.

[AltonFan]

QUOTE: Santa Fe had such a bad time that they went to simple single drive engines for the rest of the steam age.

Actually, Santa Fe's experiments in articulation ended with the advent of the superheater. All compounding schemes, including mallet articulation, were attempts to get more work out of the steam the boilers produced. Superheating proved to be the most efficient way to do this.

[Anonymous]

Ach! Norfolk & Western, hands down. There's something to be said for the Virginian, though... a triplex? A 2-10-10-2? Shop queens though they were they were still awesome pieces of machinery in their own right.

[Anonymous]

Ach! Norfolk & Western, hands down. There's something to be said for the Virginian, though... a triplex? A 2-10-10-2? Shop queens though they were they were still awesome pieces of machinery in their own right.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

The Triplexes, both Erie's and Virginian's, were hopelessly impractical since they used steam faster than the boiler could produce it. They were a case of too much machinery and not enough boiler.
Best mallets (compounds) were definitely Norfolk and Western's Y-6's, since they were designed for the job.
Additional thought: Baldwin's last steam locomotives built for service in the USA were compound 2-6-6-2's for C&O.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

The Triplexes, both Erie's and Virginian's, were hopelessly impractical since they used steam faster than the boiler could produce it. They were a case of too much machinery and not enough boiler.
Best mallets (compounds) were definitely Norfolk and Western's Y-6's, since they were designed for the job.
Additional thought: Baldwin's last steam locomotives built for service in the USA were compound 2-6-6-2's for C&O.

[espeefoamer]

[:D][:p]Who can forget those S.P.cab forwards on Donner Pass?Acually,my favorite was the cab rear A.C.9.The skyline casing along the top of the boiler was awsome![:p][8D][:D]

[espeefoamer]

[:D][:p]Who can forget those S.P.cab forwards on Donner Pass?Acually,my favorite was the cab rear A.C.9.The skyline casing along the top of the boiler was awsome![:p][8D][:D]

[espeefoamer]

[:D][:p]Who can forget those S.P.cab forwards on Donner Pass?Acually,my favorite was the cab rear A.C.9.The skyline casing along the top of the boiler was awsome![:p][8D][:D]

[espeefoamer]

[:D][:p]Who can forget those S.P.cab forwards on Donner Pass?Acually,my favorite was the cab rear A.C.9.The skyline casing along the top of the boiler was awsome![:p][8D][:D]

[Anonymous]

Without a doubt the Y6b. It would have something to witness, as well as feel the ground shake, when the engineer admitted a bit to much high pressure steam to the front cylinders under a heavy uphill load.

[Anonymous]

Without a doubt the Y6b. It would have something to witness, as well as feel the ground shake, when the engineer admitted a bit to much high pressure steam to the front cylinders under a heavy uphill load.

[Anonymous]

The Y6B`s were simple and compound.Start simple for max tractive effort and then switch over to compound for best fuel economy.
WOW!

[Anonymous]

The Y6B`s were simple and compound.Start simple for max tractive effort and then switch over to compound for best fuel economy.
WOW!

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Most mallets started simple because it was the only way to get steam into the low-pressure cylinders before the high-pressure cylinders exhausted their steam into the low-pressure cylinders. It was a technique that had to be done carefully to avoid a failure from exhausting the boiler.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Most mallets started simple because it was the only way to get steam into the low-pressure cylinders before the high-pressure cylinders exhausted their steam into the low-pressure cylinders. It was a technique that had to be done carefully to avoid a failure from exhausting the boiler.

[SSW9389]

Southern Pacific obviously because they put the cab up front!

[SSW9389]

Southern Pacific obviously because they put the cab up front!

[Anonymous]

Definately the SP cab forwars. To see pictures of them steaming up those sierra grades is a sight to be seen.

[Anonymous]

Definately the SP cab forwars. To see pictures of them steaming up those sierra grades is a sight to be seen.

[vsmith]

I'm going to stick my big Irish nose into this one again, Its not "who had the prettiest" or "who had the best photos taken" or "which had my personal favorite", it "who had the best!"

Uintah's Baldwin 2-6-6-2 Mallets were the BEST. HANDS DOWN THE BEST!

If you've never heard of these engines you must do some resaerch. They could climb 7 1/2 % GRADES in the winter while transversing 60 DEGREE curve at the same time! There was a point on the line called Morro Castle where the line makes a beyond hairpin curve of 60 degrees while climbing at 7 1/2 %. The photos look like something out of someone sick demented model railroading layout, but its real. Theres another curve of 66 degrees! Miles of 5 % grades and 7 1/2 % grades, among the steepest in the US .

I'd like to see a Cabforward , Alley or a Big Boy try that!

They were hugely successfull for the task that they were designed for, perhaps the most accomplaished performers of any US mallet ever designed.

Thats my two cents worth, and thats only worth about two cents! Vic

[vsmith]

I'm going to stick my big Irish nose into this one again, Its not "who had the prettiest" or "who had the best photos taken" or "which had my personal favorite", it "who had the best!"

Uintah's Baldwin 2-6-6-2 Mallets were the BEST. HANDS DOWN THE BEST!

If you've never heard of these engines you must do some resaerch. They could climb 7 1/2 % GRADES in the winter while transversing 60 DEGREE curve at the same time! There was a point on the line called Morro Castle where the line makes a beyond hairpin curve of 60 degrees while climbing at 7 1/2 %. The photos look like something out of someone sick demented model railroading layout, but its real. Theres another curve of 66 degrees! Miles of 5 % grades and 7 1/2 % grades, among the steepest in the US .

I'd like to see a Cabforward , Alley or a Big Boy try that!

They were hugely successfull for the task that they were designed for, perhaps the most accomplaished performers of any US mallet ever designed.

Thats my two cents worth, and thats only worth about two cents! Vic

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Uintah's 2-6-6-2's eventually wound up on the International Railways of Central America and survived (not necessarily in service) well into the 1960's. IRCA was also the home to some rather exotic narrow-gauge diesels.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Uintah's 2-6-6-2's eventually wound up on the International Railways of Central America and survived (not necessarily in service) well into the 1960's. IRCA was also the home to some rather exotic narrow-gauge diesels.

[vsmith]

Yes, that though was after they had been sold to the Sumpter Valley RR in northern California, where they had there water tanks removed and were converted to tender locomotives. Altered from their original design they were not very successful, old timers said it was due to the loss of the water tanks reducing the locos weight on the rails hence its tractive force. In Central America they were further hampered by the humid wet conditions, where once they could climb 7% grades in snow covered mountains, bereft of their tanks they could barely make the 3% or 4% grades down there. Once they were removed from service some train buffs tried to raise money to bring one back to the US baut they couldnt raise the needed money. Too bad, Imagine if they had and one was still operational, say on the Durango & SIlverton route or Cumbres & Toltec?

[vsmith]

Yes, that though was after they had been sold to the Sumpter Valley RR in northern California, where they had there water tanks removed and were converted to tender locomotives. Altered from their original design they were not very successful, old timers said it was due to the loss of the water tanks reducing the locos weight on the rails hence its tractive force. In Central America they were further hampered by the humid wet conditions, where once they could climb 7% grades in snow covered mountains, bereft of their tanks they could barely make the 3% or 4% grades down there. Once they were removed from service some train buffs tried to raise money to bring one back to the US baut they couldnt raise the needed money. Too bad, Imagine if they had and one was still operational, say on the Durango & SIlverton route or Cumbres & Toltec?

[Anonymous]

Actually the N&W utilized all the Y-4's, Y-5's and Y-6's (a & b) interchangably in mainline, local and mine service. Performance between all of them was virtually identical especially after cast engine beds and bridge pipes were installed. Many Y-3 and Y-3a's were used in the same service too.

Roger