[N&W] Re: Y-6 Pulling Productivity

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

>Taken at face value, this seems an astonishing
>fact - and a definite triumph of superior engineering design and locomotive
>construction!


Another fine example that "Perception is everything, Reality - nothing".
Funny how the name "Big Boy" has translated into one of the most if not the
most endeared locomotives of all time. If you look at the facts, it is not
the biggest or the most powerful. Per Eugene Huddleston book you can fit the
Big Boy boiler inside the boiler of a C&O/VGN Allegheny. That is not to knock
the Big Boy in any way. Just the facts Ma'am.
You may also like to note that a Y6 had a higher timetable tonnage rating
from Roanoke to Shenandoah (and possibly on other divisions) than any diesel
the NS owned before the Conrail merger. After all tonnage is what it is all
about.
Jimmy Lisle
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The Union Pacific tonnage ratings for Big Boy are published in William
Kratville's book on their design, construction and operations entitled,
would you believe, "Big Boy".  UP rated Big Boy at 4800 tons on 1%.

The N&W tonnage ratings for the Y-6 are published in its operating
timetables.  For Alleghany Mountain's 1%, the Y-6 was rated at 5150 tons.
Before the introduction of N&W's external improved intercepting and reducing
valves and leaded frames for the Y-6, the ratings were the same.

Both railroads used fairly standard methods of rating locomotives for
tonnage.

Thanks for your interest.

EdKing
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Not too astonishing when you consider that the Big Boy and the Y6 were
designed for different requirements.  Big Boy, with 68" drivers, had a
starting T.E. of 135,000 pounds; and was intended to be effective at main
line speed.  The Y6, with 58" drivers, had a starting T.E. (simple) of
152,000 pounds and was intended to be most effective at lower speed.

If you really want to lord it over UP fans, compare the Challenger (4-6-6-4)
to the A (2-6-6-4).  The driver diameter is nearly the same, 69" vs. 70 ", the
starting T.E. #'s favor the A by 14,000 pounds; and both were used as 
horsepower machines;
hauling heavy loads at main line speed of 50 mph and above.  But - the A did
it with 85,000 pounds less locomotive weight !

Superior design and construction - yes.  It's time to pass on a story I heard
years ago.  Around 1940, when ALCo was at the top of their game, producing
the Challengers and the Big Boys for the UP, as well as the Niagaras for the
NYC, someone asked them if they had anything in mind for the N & W.
According to the story, the answer was "why-what the h--- could we tell them
about steam engines ?"

Jerry Crosson