2-6-6-6
Encyclopedia
The 2-6-6-6 is an articulated locomotive
type with 2 leading wheels, two sets of six driving wheels and six trailing wheels.
Only two classes of the 2-6-6-6 type were built. One was the "Allegheny" class, built by the Lima Locomotive Works
. The name comes from the locomotive's first service with the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
beginning in 1941. The other was the "Blue Ridge" class for the Virginian Railway
. These were the heaviest reciprocating steam locomotive
s ever built.
Other equivalent classifications are:
UIC classification
: 1CC3 (also known as German classification and Italian classification)
French classification: 130+033
Turkish classification
: 34+36
Swiss classification: 3/4+3/6
The UIC classification
is refined to (1'C)C3' for Mallet locomotives.
(C&O) between 1941 and 1948, and the eight AG "Blue Ridge" class locomotives for the Virginian Railway
in 1945. There is often confusion because the locomotives were Series AG on the Virginian, which was thought to be an abbreviation for Allegheny, but that referred to their being Articulated, Series G. All were built by the Lima Locomotive Works
. The "Allegheny" name refers to the C&O locomotives' job of hauling heavy coal
trains up and down the Allegheny Mountains
.
To many, the writing was on the wall for reciprocating piston driven steam locomotives, even though they would live on almost another 20 years. Lima and C&O set out to build the ultimate in high power engines, and they succeeded as no other piston engine ever surpassed the output of these monsters. They were, as a result, also the heaviest steam locomotives ever constructed. The 3 axle trailing truck supporting the firebox was very unusual. That 3 axle truck carried over 190,000 lbs. This allowed the H-8 to have a huge firebox and was one of the reasons for the high horsepower achieved.
Gene Huddleston's "C&O Power" book reports test results of the C&O with a dynamometer car
indicating peak power output of 7498 hp with readings between 6700 hp at about 45 mi/h. The state of calibration of the dynamometer car is not known. While the tractive effort was only 110200 lbf (490.2 kN) at zero speed, this drawbar power at usable road speeds leads many to believe that the H-8 was the highest power steam locomotive.
The locomotive was designed for the 0.57% grade eastbound between White Sulphur Springs, WV, and Alleghany, VA, with loaded coal trains. One was set on the front, and another at the back, of typically 100 car coal trains, from Hinton, WV, up full throttle from out of White Sulphur Springs (a resort) to the top. Coal cars in the early 50's were 100000 lb (45.4 t) nominal capacity, 169000 lb (76.7 t) maximum gross loaded weight. These locomotives also handled trains less spectacularly in Ohio. Gene H. says 23 locomotives were equipped with steam heat for passenger service, although only troop trains would be long enough to require this much power.
Electrical multiple unit operation in the diesel era removed the incentive to pack the highest horsepower in a single unit. The H-8 was so heavy that only some stretches of track were of sufficient capacity to operate it.
One H-8, the 1642, suffered a crown sheet explosion at Hinton, WV in June, 1953. The force of the explosion rocketed the boiler endwise off the running gear, killing all three crew. While these locomotives had three sources of water for the boiler, rotary pump and two injectors, it is not known whether any were defective at the time of dispatch. According to the family of the locomotive's engineer, Wilbur H. Anderson, of Hinton, previous crews had complained of a faulty water level gauge. Anderson's widow, Georgia Anderson, was given $10,000 in compensation by the C&O.
museum in Dearborn, Michigan
, and the other at the B&O Railroad Museum
in Baltimore, Maryland. Neither is in operational condition and they are likely to remain static displays given their incredible size and weight.
Articulated locomotive
Articulated locomotive usually means a steam locomotive with one or more engine units which can move independent of the main frame. This is done to allow a longer locomotive to negotiate tighter curves...
type with 2 leading wheels, two sets of six driving wheels and six trailing wheels.
Trailing wheel
On a steam locomotive, a trailing wheel or trailing axle is generally an unpowered wheel or axle located behind the driving wheels. The axle of the trailing wheels was usually located on a trailing truck...
Only two classes of the 2-6-6-6 type were built. One was the "Allegheny" class, built by the Lima Locomotive Works
Lima Locomotive Works
Lima Locomotive Works was an American firm that manufactured railroad locomotives from the 1870s through the 1950s. The company took the most distinctive part of its name from its main shops location in Lima, Ohio. The shops were located between the Baltimore & Ohio's Cincinnati-Toledo main line...
. The name comes from the locomotive's first service with the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
beginning in 1941. The other was the "Blue Ridge" class for the Virginian Railway
Virginian Railway
The Virginian Railway was a Class I railroad located in Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The VGN was created to transport high quality "smokeless" bituminous coal from southern West Virginia to port at Hampton Roads....
. These were the heaviest reciprocating steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s ever built.
Other equivalent classifications are:
UIC classification
UIC classification
The UIC classification of locomotive axle arrangements describes the wheel arrangement of locomotives, multiple units and trams. It is set out in the International Union of Railways "Leaflet 650 - Standard designation of axle arrangement on locomotives and multiple-unit sets". It is used in much...
: 1CC3 (also known as German classification and Italian classification)
French classification: 130+033
Turkish classification
Turkish classification
In the Turkish classification system for railway locomotives, the number of powered axles are followed by the total number of axles. It is identical to the Swiss system except that the latter places a slash between the two numbers.Thus0-6-0 becomes 33...
: 34+36
Swiss classification: 3/4+3/6
The UIC classification
UIC classification
The UIC classification of locomotive axle arrangements describes the wheel arrangement of locomotives, multiple units and trams. It is set out in the International Union of Railways "Leaflet 650 - Standard designation of axle arrangement on locomotives and multiple-unit sets". It is used in much...
is refined to (1'C)C3' for Mallet locomotives.
History
Two classes of 2-6-6-6 locomotives were built; the sixty H-8 "Allegheny" class locomotives for the Chesapeake and Ohio RailwayChesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
(C&O) between 1941 and 1948, and the eight AG "Blue Ridge" class locomotives for the Virginian Railway
Virginian Railway
The Virginian Railway was a Class I railroad located in Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The VGN was created to transport high quality "smokeless" bituminous coal from southern West Virginia to port at Hampton Roads....
in 1945. There is often confusion because the locomotives were Series AG on the Virginian, which was thought to be an abbreviation for Allegheny, but that referred to their being Articulated, Series G. All were built by the Lima Locomotive Works
Lima Locomotive Works
Lima Locomotive Works was an American firm that manufactured railroad locomotives from the 1870s through the 1950s. The company took the most distinctive part of its name from its main shops location in Lima, Ohio. The shops were located between the Baltimore & Ohio's Cincinnati-Toledo main line...
. The "Allegheny" name refers to the C&O locomotives' job of hauling heavy coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
trains up and down the Allegheny Mountains
Allegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
.
To many, the writing was on the wall for reciprocating piston driven steam locomotives, even though they would live on almost another 20 years. Lima and C&O set out to build the ultimate in high power engines, and they succeeded as no other piston engine ever surpassed the output of these monsters. They were, as a result, also the heaviest steam locomotives ever constructed. The 3 axle trailing truck supporting the firebox was very unusual. That 3 axle truck carried over 190,000 lbs. This allowed the H-8 to have a huge firebox and was one of the reasons for the high horsepower achieved.
Gene Huddleston's "C&O Power" book reports test results of the C&O with a dynamometer car
Dynamometer car
A dynamometer car is a railroad maintenance of way car used for measuring various aspects of a locomotive's performance. Measurements include tractive effort , power, top speed, etc.-History:...
indicating peak power output of 7498 hp with readings between 6700 hp at about 45 mi/h. The state of calibration of the dynamometer car is not known. While the tractive effort was only 110200 lbf (490.2 kN) at zero speed, this drawbar power at usable road speeds leads many to believe that the H-8 was the highest power steam locomotive.
The locomotive was designed for the 0.57% grade eastbound between White Sulphur Springs, WV, and Alleghany, VA, with loaded coal trains. One was set on the front, and another at the back, of typically 100 car coal trains, from Hinton, WV, up full throttle from out of White Sulphur Springs (a resort) to the top. Coal cars in the early 50's were 100000 lb (45.4 t) nominal capacity, 169000 lb (76.7 t) maximum gross loaded weight. These locomotives also handled trains less spectacularly in Ohio. Gene H. says 23 locomotives were equipped with steam heat for passenger service, although only troop trains would be long enough to require this much power.
Electrical multiple unit operation in the diesel era removed the incentive to pack the highest horsepower in a single unit. The H-8 was so heavy that only some stretches of track were of sufficient capacity to operate it.
One H-8, the 1642, suffered a crown sheet explosion at Hinton, WV in June, 1953. The force of the explosion rocketed the boiler endwise off the running gear, killing all three crew. While these locomotives had three sources of water for the boiler, rotary pump and two injectors, it is not known whether any were defective at the time of dispatch. According to the family of the locomotive's engineer, Wilbur H. Anderson, of Hinton, previous crews had complained of a faulty water level gauge. Anderson's widow, Georgia Anderson, was given $10,000 in compensation by the C&O.
Preservation
There are only two surviving Alleghenies. One resides in The Henry FordThe Henry Ford
The Henry Ford, a National Historic Landmark, , in the Metro Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Michigan, USA, is a large indoor and outdoor history museum complex...
museum in Dearborn, Michigan
Dearborn, Michigan
-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
, and the other at the B&O Railroad Museum
B&O Railroad Museum
The B&O Railroad Museum is a museum exhibiting historic railroad equipment in Baltimore, Maryland, originally named the Baltimore & Ohio Transportation Museum when it opened on July 4, 1953. It has been called one of the most significant collections of railroad treasures in the world and has the...
in Baltimore, Maryland. Neither is in operational condition and they are likely to remain static displays given their incredible size and weight.