Who had the best mallets?

[SSW9389]

Southern Pacific obviously because they put the cab up front!

[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.

[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!

[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.

[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]

[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.

[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.

[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]

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.

[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)

[vsmith]

Uintah Railroad hands down winner.

7 1/2 % grades with the tightest turns I've ever seen with those two 2-6-6-2's grinding thier way over the mountains.

[vsmith]

Uintah Railroad hands down winner.

7 1/2 % grades with the tightest turns I've ever seen with those two 2-6-6-2's grinding thier way over the mountains.

[Anonymous]

in reply to mrpoppy58,the older y class engines did the mineruns along with some 2-6-6-2's.the y6b's did the mainline work.the class a's did mostly fast freight and varnish work along with some coal drags. the y6b was far and away the best mallet ever built. [:D]

[Anonymous]

in reply to mrpoppy58,the older y class engines did the mineruns along with some 2-6-6-2's.the y6b's did the mainline work.the class a's did mostly fast freight and varnish work along with some coal drags. the y6b was far and away the best mallet ever built. [:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mrpoppy58

I think the N&W had the best. In the mountains of Virginia, West Virginia And Kentucky There are some steep grades. The y6b;s pulled the Coal from the Creeks and Hollows and took it to the Railyards where the Big A;s took it to the ports. B.R.B.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mrpoppy58

I think the N&W had the best. In the mountains of Virginia, West Virginia And Kentucky There are some steep grades. The y6b;s pulled the Coal from the Creeks and Hollows and took it to the Railyards where the Big A;s took it to the ports. B.R.B.

[Anonymous]

I think the N&W had the best. In the mountains of Virginia, West Virginia And Kentucky There are some steep grades. The y6b;s pulled the Coal from the Creeks and Hollows and took it to the Railyards where the Big A;s took it to the ports. B.R.B.

[Anonymous]

I think the N&W had the best. In the mountains of Virginia, West Virginia And Kentucky There are some steep grades. The y6b;s pulled the Coal from the Creeks and Hollows and took it to the Railyards where the Big A;s took it to the ports. B.R.B.

[Anonymous]

N&W produced the commonly accepted best mallet-type engine, the Y-6b in their own Roanoke shops, simply because they developed the basic mechanical principle longer than anyone else. The last of these giants were constructed in 1952, I believe, and incorporated every improvment from lightweight rods to roller bearings to mechanical lubrication while in use. In the Jefferies book "N&W Giant of Steam", the proposed Y-7 is discussed. While the project was canceled in 1943, there would have been one hell of a locomotive!

[Anonymous]

N&W produced the commonly accepted best mallet-type engine, the Y-6b in their own Roanoke shops, simply because they developed the basic mechanical principle longer than anyone else. The last of these giants were constructed in 1952, I believe, and incorporated every improvment from lightweight rods to roller bearings to mechanical lubrication while in use. In the Jefferies book "N&W Giant of Steam", the proposed Y-7 is discussed. While the project was canceled in 1943, there would have been one hell of a locomotive!