Can you believe the size of steam locomotives?

Question

I was looking at the specs to UP#844,and it's drive wheels are 80" in diameter,and the boiler is 86 3/16" in diameter.Now that's almost 2 stories high! The locomotive doesn't look that big in pictures,but I would love to get to see that engine up close.It would tower over me.I can't believe how big these engines are.It's too bad they scrapped them.My grand uncle used to be an engineer back in the 40's and 50's on the Boston and Maine,but those engines weren't as big.He misses the days of steam too.I've been into trains my whole life,and I have a collection of Lionel and American Flyers.They're not set up cause I don't have room anymore,but hope to get them up soon!Anyone else seen steam locomotives up close?I've ridden on a Climax engine in the cab on the White Mountain Scenic Raailroad,but aagain thaat engine's a baaby compared to that UP#844.

Answer 1

The thing that amazes me about those days is the track.

If you know much about railroads, you will see that the rail is tiny by today's standards, mostly 100 lb (per yard) steel and nothing welded, all bolted and those monsters were running at speeds up to 70 MPH and in a few cases even faster.

That to me is mind boggling.

Just as a sidenote, if you are interested in some heavy haulers look at these, although they werent as tall as some other engines, they were built in the 1940's and had a horsepower rating of 5500! They were astounding and almost completely silent and pollution free, the only sound from them was a hummm from cooling fans.

60 years later and nothing comes close.

added: this is irritating, yahoo wont let me post anything in the source box, I wanted to post a wikipedia page on the Milwaukee Joes and it wont let me.

Answer 2

They amaze me too! They are like living beasts. Even though i've been an engineer many years i still get a thrill standing next to one.I was lucky enough to be at the opening of the California State Railway Museum many years ago.SP had the 4449 there and UP brought their Challenger # 3985.They sounded like they were breathing sitting there.Last year the UP 844 came to where i work.I was supposed to get a turn at the throttle but we had a guy retiring and he got my spot :-(  Kylie I was going to send you a couple of pics of the 844 but you don't allow email.If you want email me and i'll send them to you ok? Meantime you might want to look at this link http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/history/loco...

Bob my dad fired on that cab forward they have at the museum

Answer 3

yeah that is pretty crazy. but its cool to see how things come along from their first days.

everything always seems to get smaller as it develops... like computers and ipods, even microwaves! :0

its crazy!

Answer 4

I myself am not in any way what-so-ever surprised by the stats you had given for UP#844,  4-8-4(a northern type in accordance to the Whyte classification system) That type of steam was very large and modern for its day.

Answer 5

Kylie,

You can still ride behind a few Northern Types like UP 844, although its pretty pricey and catching them in action can be difficult.  While there are more, the most well known include Milwaukee Road 261; Spokane, Portland & Seattle 700; and Southern Pacific 4449.

Of note, the reason why you don't even see too many of the big steamers used on tourist trains, or in excursion service anymore is because of ridiculously high insurance costs, which for some reason are even higher in the east than out west (which is why almost all of the big steamers operate west of Chicago).

Answer 6

I must say I'm impressed, Kylie.  It is indeed a rarity when one finds someone with a passion for railroading who is also a member of the fairer s*x...

The Northern Class locomotives (also called "Greenbrier,"  "Niagra" or "Dixie" depending on what part of the country you were in) were considered General Service engines, used in freight and passenger service both.  As such, they were required to be able to run at much higher speed for passenger service.  That is why these, and other locomotives designed for passenger service had the "tall" drivers.  

Diesel electric locomotives have different gear ratios for different classes of service, with those designed exclusively for passenger service having a higher gear ratio.  The steamers had no gearing (outside of the Shay, Climax or Heisler logging locomotives), so the size of the drivers determined what that engine's top speed may have been.  I know the Northerns of the SP were counter-balanced for 90 mph.

And yup, they were big.  Some of the largest still survive but for the most part are no longer under steam, found only in a rail museum.  The UP has an operating Northern and Challenger, and I believe that restoration of a Big Boy is under way.

Alas, there is but one sole survivor of the Cab Forwards of the Southern Pacific.  The last one built by Baldwin and delivered to the SP in 1942 is the #4294, now in repose at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, Ca.  It weighed 500 tons, wet.  That is two and one times the weight of a single locomotive of today.  If it was me who hit that $300,000,000 lottery jack pot several years ago the 4294 would be under steam today !

But, todays diesels top out on the largest at around 22 feet above the rail and that in fact makes them more than two stories tall...  but, they'll never match the sound and fury that was steam, nor ever be as graceful in motion...

Answer 7

It's great to see you have an interest in mechanical things like steam engines. Most people struggle to open the hood of their car. The largest steam engine I ever saw (it was a photo) as far as wheel configuration, was a Santa Fe 2-10-10-2, number 3002. Santa Fe built ten of them in 1911 from 20 2-10-2s. They had help with custom parts from Baldwin Locomotive Co.  They weighed in at 540 tons. They were too big to be really successful though, and by 1919, all were cut in half and returned to 2-10-2s.

I envy you for having had a ride in a Climax. I've always wanted to do that.