Consolidation (locomotive)
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Under the Whyte notation for the classification of
steam locomotive A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the locomot ...
s, represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one
axle An axle or axletree is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to the vehicle, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearing ...
, usually in a
leading truck The leading wheel or leading axle or pilot wheel of a steam locomotive is an unpowered wheel or axle located in front of the driving wheels. The axle or axles of the leading wheels are normally located on a leading truck. Leading wheels are used ...
, eight powered and coupled
driving wheel On a steam locomotive, a driving wheel is a powered wheel which is driven by the locomotive's pistons (or turbine, in the case of a steam turbine locomotive). On a conventional, non-articulated locomotive, the driving wheels are all coupled ...
s on four axles, and no trailing wheels. In the United States and elsewhere, this wheel arrangement is commonly known as a Consolidation, after the
Lehigh and Mahanoy Railroad The Lehigh and Mahanoy Railroad, originally the Quakake Railroad (pronounced quake-ache), was a rail line connecting Black Creek Junction, in the Lehigh Valley, with Quakake, Delano, and Mount Carmel. Opened from Black Creek Junction to Quakake i ...
’s ''Consolidation'', the name of the first 2-8-0.White, John H. Jr. (1968). ''A history of the American locomotive; its development: 1830-1880''. New York: Dover Publications, p. 65. The notation 2-8-0T indicates a tank locomotive of this wheel arrangement, the "T" suffix indicating a locomotive on which the water is carried in side-tanks mounted on the engine rather than in an attached
tender Tender may refer to: Entertainment Film * ''Illegal Tender'' (2007), a film directed by Franc. Reyes * ''Tender'' (2012), a short film by Liz Tomkins * ''Tender'' (2019), a short film by Darryl Jones and Anthony Lucido * ''Tender'' (2019), a sh ...
. The Consolidation represented a notable advance in locomotive power. After 1875, it became "the most popular type of freight locomotive in the United States and was built in greater quantities than any other single wheel arrangement."


Overview

Of all the locomotive types that were created and experimented with in the 19th century, the 2-8-0 was a relative latecomer.Swengel, F.M. (1967). ''The American Steam Locomotive: Vol. 1, the Evolution of the Steam Locomotive''. Davenport: Midwest Rail Publishing, pp. 16, 102, 134, 186. The first locomotive of this wheel arrangement was possibly built by the
Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named ...
(PRR). Like the first 2-6-0s, this first 2-8-0 had a leading axle that was rigidly attached to the locomotive's frame, rather than on a separate truck or
bogie A bogie ( ) (in some senses called a truck in North American English) is a chassis or framework that carries a wheelset, attached to a vehicle—a modular subassembly of wheels and axles. Bogies take various forms in various modes of transp ...
. To create this 2-8-0, PRR master mechanic John P. Laird modified an existing
0-8-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles and no trailing wheels. Locomotives of this type are also referre ...
, the ''Bedford'', between 1864 and 1865. The
2-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles and no trailing wheels. ...
Mogul type, first created in the early 1860s, is often considered as the logical forerunner to the 2-8-0. However, a claim is made that the first true 2-8-0 engine evolved from the 0-8-0 and was ordered by the United States'
Lehigh and Mahanoy Railroad The Lehigh and Mahanoy Railroad, originally the Quakake Railroad (pronounced quake-ache), was a rail line connecting Black Creek Junction, in the Lehigh Valley, with Quakake, Delano, and Mount Carmel. Opened from Black Creek Junction to Quakake i ...
, which named all its engines. The name given to the new locomotive was ''Consolidation'', the name that was later almost globally adopted for the type. According to this viewpoint, the first 2-8-0 order by Lehigh dates to 1866 and antedates the adoption of the type by other railways and coal and mountain freight haulers. From its introduction in 1866 and well into the early 20th century, the 2-8-0 design was considered to be the ultimate heavy-freight locomotive. The 2-8-0's forte was starting and moving "impressive loads at unimpressive speeds" and its versatility gave the type its longevity. The practical limit of the design was reached in 1915, when it was realised that no further development was possible with a locomotive of this wheel arrangement.


Usage

As in the United States, the 2-8-0 was also a popular type in Europe, again largely as a freight hauler. The type was also used in Australia, New Zealand, and Southern Africa.


Australia

The 2-8-0 locomotive was used extensively throughout Australia. It served on the broad gauge, and narrow gauge and was employed mostly as a freight locomotive, although it was often also employed in passenger service in Victoria. The first Australian locomotive class with this wheel arrangement were the Queensland Railways C13 and C15, built as goods locomotives in 1879 by
Baldwin Locomotive Works The Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) was an American manufacturer of railroad locomotives from 1825 to 1951. Originally located in Philadelphia, it moved to nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania, in the early 20th century. The company was for decades t ...
. Another lot of Consolidation engines consisted of 20 standard-gauge New South Wales Government Railways (NSWGR) J Class engines, which arrived from Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1891. The Js remained in service until 1915, when they were withdrawn. Wartime shortages between 1916 and 1920 had six engines re-entering service after being shopped and fitted with superheaters. The last engine of this class was finally withdrawn in 1934 and all were scrapped by 1937. The next batch of NSW 2-8-0 locomotives to appear, between 1896 and 1916, was the T class engines. The class was delivered from one local and several overseas builders, 151 locomotives from
Beyer, Peacock & Company Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Openshaw, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer, Richard Peacock and Henry Robertson, it traded from 1854 until 1966. The company exported locomotives, ...
, 84 from
North British Locomotive Company The North British Locomotive Company (NBL, NB Loco or North British) was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp, Stewart and Company (Atlas Works), Neilson, Reid and Company (Hyde Park Wor ...
, 10 from Neilson & Company, 30 from Clyde Engineering in Australia, and five from Dübs & Company. During World War II, 14 of these locomotives were equipped with superheaters, which raised their tractive effort from to . From 1899, the Victorian Railways (VR) also used a range of broad-gauge 2-8-0 locomotives. * The first of these locomotives were the Baldwin-built V class. These engines were built at
Phoenix Foundry The Phoenix Foundry was a company that built steam locomotives and other industrial machinery in the city of Ballarat, Victoria, Ballarat, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. Over 30 years they built 352 locomotives for the Victorian Rail ...
in
Ballarat Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands (Victoria), Central Highlands of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resid ...
. By 1930, they had disappeared from the VR. * The VR's next type was the 26 C class engines, which saw freight and passenger service. * In 1922, a smaller and lighter 2-8-0, the K class, was introduced for branchline freight and later also passenger services. * Finally, the VR introduced sixty light 2-8-0 J class engines in 1954. These also worked both freight and passenger services. The first 2-8-0 engines in private service on the Midland Railway of Western Australia arrived in 1912. These were gauge locomotives. The five in the class operated until 1958. All were gone by 1963.Oberg, Leon. (1975). ''Locomotives of Australia''. Sydney: Reed. In 1912, some of the NSWGR T class types were also purchased by the private East Greta Railway, later to become the South Maitland Railway, but these were converted to 2-8-2 tank locomotives. The class proved to be successful throughout its long service life, until being retired from government revenue service in 1973. During 1916, Commonwealth Railways acquired eight K class for the
Trans-Australian Railway The Trans-Australian Railway, opened in 1917, runs from Port Augusta in South Australia to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, crossing the Nullarbor Plain in the process. As the only rail freight corridor between Western Australia and the easter ...
. In 1924, a private coal company,
J & A Brown J & A Brown was an privately owned Australian coal family firm founded by James Brown (1816–1894) and Alexander Brown (1827–1877). Firm's Beginning at Four Mile Creek In 1843 James Brown leased eighty acres at Four Mile Creek, near Ea ...
in NSW, obtained three ex-British military Railway Operating Division
ROD 2-8-0 The Railway Operating Division (ROD) ROD 2-8-0 is a type of 2-8-0 steam locomotive which was the standard heavy freight locomotive operated in Europe by the ROD during the First World War. ROD need for a standard locomotive During the First Wor ...
locomotives. Brown later ordered another 10 of these locomotives, but only nine of that order arrived in Australia. The last was withdrawn in 1973.


Belgium

To compensate for wartime losses, Belgian railways acquired 300 2-8-0 locomotives in 1946. They were built in North America, 160 by
Montreal Locomotive Works Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) was a Canadian railway locomotive manufacturer which existed under several names from 1883 to 1985, producing both steam and diesel locomotives. For a number of years it was a subsidiary of the American Locomotive ...
in Canada, 60 by the
Canadian Locomotive Company The Canadian Locomotive Company, commonly referred to as CLC, was a Canadian manufacturer of railway locomotives located in Kingston, Ontario. Its works were located on the south side of Ontario Street between William and Gore streets on Kingston' ...
, and 80 by the
American Locomotive Company The American Locomotive Company (often shortened to ALCO, ALCo or Alco) was an American manufacturer of locomotives, diesel generators, steel, and tanks that operated from 1901 to 1969. The company was formed by the merger of seven smaller locomo ...
in the United States. These machines proved to be very reliable and were used for mixed traffic until the end of the steam era, when number 29.013 hauled the last scheduled steam passenger train from Ath to
Denderleeuw Denderleeuw () is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality located in the Belgium, Belgian province of East Flanders in the Denderstreek. The municipality comprises the towns of Denderleeuw proper, and . In 2021, Denderleeuw had a total populati ...
on 20 December 1966. This locomotive survived in preservation and is used on special excursions. On 16 December 2006, number 29.013 re-enacted the last 1966 run on the same route.


Canada

The Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) N-2-a, b, and c class locomotives were a class of altogether 182 ''Consolidation'' type locomotives, built by Montreal Locomotive Works between 1912 and 1914. They were numbered in the range from 3600 to 3799 and were used almost everywhere around the system. The order for these engines came about when CP needed bigger locomotives for their mainline since their current engines were wearing out and were too small for the loads that were being hauled. Most of the class were converted to oil-firing in later years. One of the locomotives, No. 3716, is run and maintained in Summerland, BC as part of the
Kettle Valley Steam Railway The Kettle Valley Steam Railway is a heritage railway near Summerland, British Columbia. The KVSR operates excursion trains over the only remaining section of the Kettle Valley Railway. This section runs from Faulder to Trout Creek, running t ...
.


Finland

Finland had five tender locomotive classes with a 2-8-0 wheel arrangement, the classes Tk1, Tk2, Tk3, Tv1, and Tv2. The class Tk1s were numbered from 271 to 290 and were nicknamed ''Amerikan Satikka''. The class Tk2s were numbered 407 to 426 and 457 to 470. They were nicknamed ''Satikka''. Three were preserved, No. 407 at Närpes, No. 418 at Junction City, Oregon, in the United States, and No. 419 at
Haapamäki Haapamäki is a village in the municipality of Keuruu, Finland. It is historically an important meeting point of major railway lines, which converge at Haapamäki railway station. It is from Haapamäki to the center of Keuruu and to the city of ...
. The class Tk3s were numbered 800 to 899, 1100 to 1118, and 1129 to 1170. They were built by
Tampella Oy Tampella Ab was a Finnish heavy industry manufacturer, a maker of paper machines, locomotives, military weaponry, as well as wood-based products such as packaging. The company was based mainly in the Naistenlahti district of the city of ...
,
Lokomo Oy Lokomo Ab was a Finnish manufacturer of railroad equipment and steam locomotives, situated in Tampere, Finland. The company was founded in 1915 by a group of Finnish businesspeople, including Jalmar Castrén and Emil Aaltonen. The Lokomo fac ...
, and Frichs. The class Tv1s were numbered 594 to 617, 685 to 741, 900 to 948, and 1200 to 1211. They were built by Tampella and were nicknamed ''Jumbo''. Four were preserved, No. 609 at Haapamäki, No. 933 at the Veturi museum at Toijala, No. 940 at Lapinlahti and No. 943 at Ylivieska. The class Tv2s were numbered from 618 to 637. They were nicknamed ''Wilson''. Only No. 618 was preserved, also at Haapamäki. Finland had only one tank locomotive class with a 2-8-0 wheel arrangement, the class M1 consisting of one solitary locomotive numbered 66. It was not preserved.


Germany

The 2-8-0 wheel arrangement enjoyed a brief period of popularity in Germany during the era of the '' Länderbahnen'' or State Railways, from about 1840 to 1920, prior to the establishment after the First World War of the '' Deutsche Reichsbahn'', the German National Railways. Under the ''Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft'' (DRG) classification system, all 2-8-0 locomotives were assigned to class 56 (''Baureihe'' or BR 56), with different types receiving subclassifications. The earliest type was the Prussian G73 of 1893.


Italy

In Italy, the state-controlled railways company ''Ferrovie dello Stato'' (FS), after comparing two models of 2-8-0 engine in 1906 (a simple-expansion
implex In genealogy, pedigree collapse describes how reproduction between two individuals who share an ancestor causes the number of distinct ancestors in the family tree of their offspring to be smaller than it could otherwise be. Robert C. Gunderson c ...
locomotive purchased from Baldwin and a compound type assembled by German and Italian builders) opted for a simplex 2-8-0 as basic power for its freight and mixed trains. Production of such locomotives, classified Gr. 740 in Italy, began in 1911 and stopped four years later when Italy entered the First World War. Thereafter, Italian industry was devoted to producing military equipment, so FS bought locomotives from North American firms. From 1917 to 1922,
American Locomotive Company The American Locomotive Company (often shortened to ALCO, ALCo or Alco) was an American manufacturer of locomotives, diesel generators, steel, and tanks that operated from 1901 to 1969. The company was formed by the merger of seven smaller locomo ...
and
Montreal Locomotive Works Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) was a Canadian railway locomotive manufacturer which existed under several names from 1883 to 1985, producing both steam and diesel locomotives. For a number of years it was a subsidiary of the American Locomotive ...
built 400 2-8-0 locomotives for Italy but only 393 were delivered. The FS classified these engines as Gr. 735 and used them for freight and passenger services. After the war, the supply of Italian-built Gr. 740 resumed. Both Gr. 740 and Gr 735, very similar in performance, remained in service until the end of the 1960s.


Japan

The Baldwin supplied the first three 2-8-0 locomotives for export to Japan in 1893, in use of Hokkaido Colliery and Railway Company, which were taken over Japanese Government Railway under Railway Nationalization Act of 1906. Among several classes, most successful examples were 770 of
JNR Class 9600 The is a type of 2-8-0 steam locomotive built by Japanese Government Railways (JGR, after-day Japanese National Railways (JNR)) from 1913. The Class 9600 was the first type of locomotive to be mass-produced by Japanese manufacturers. The Class ...
, built from 1913 to 1926. Some independent shortlines had equivalent locomotives to 9600 both factory-new and secondhand from JNR, the last example was Yubari Colliery and Railway No. 21, built in 1941 by
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. Despite of obsolescence and early replacement by 2-8-2 D51, 9600s were still widely utilized thanks to high performance and appropriate route availability. The last example, No. 79602, kept longevity until March 1976, making the very final steam traction in service on JNR. No. 79602 was nearly preserved, however, sadly, subsequently destroyed by arson attack at Oiwake MPD.


New Zealand

Several 2-8-0 locomotives were supplied to New Zealand by the
Baldwin Locomotive Works The Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) was an American manufacturer of railroad locomotives from 1825 to 1951. Originally located in Philadelphia, it moved to nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania, in the early 20th century. The company was for decades t ...
of Philadelphia in the United States. Six O Class locomotives were built for the New Zealand Railways in 1885. The Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company, which operated the Wellington-Manawatu line, had four similar locomotives built by Baldwin, two in 1888, one in 1894 and one in 1896. The WMR locomotives of 1894 and 1896, No. 12 and No. 13, were
Vauclain compound The Vauclain compound was a type of compound steam locomotive that was briefly popular circa 1900. Developed at the Baldwin Locomotive Works, it featured two pistons moving in parallel, driving a common crosshead and controlled by a common valve ...
locomotives, the first in New Zealand and the first narrow-gauge compounds in the world. While standard gauge compounds usually had the low-pressure cylinder mounted below the high-pressure cylinder on each side, this was often reversed on narrow-gauge locomotives, which had the larger low-pressure cylinders mounted above the high-pressure cylinders to provide greater clearance at platforms. In 1908, when the WMR was nationalized, these locomotives were classified into three NZR subclasses because of detail differences, the two 1888 locomotives as OB class, the 1894 locomotive as OA class, and the 1896 locomotive as OC class.


North Korea

The Korean State Railway have locally built 500-series (used by rubber recycling plant) and 810 series Japanese built narrow gauge (762mm) 2-8-0 locomotives. The 810 series was likely retired in 2006 and 500-series may still be operating.


Russia

In Russia, the 2-8-0 wheel arrangement was represented by the prerevolutionary Sch (Shuka-
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) class. These two-cylinder compound locomotives without superheaters were declared the standard Russian freight locomotive in 1912, but since they were relatively low-powered, they were only useful on easier lines without steep gradients such as the Saint Petersburg-Moscow route.


South Africa

Five 2-8-0 locomotive classes saw service in South Africa, all of them initially acquired by the Cape Government Railways (CGR), which classified all but two as 8th Class. All of them were variations on the same design, used saturated steam, and had cylinders with overhead slide valves, actuated by inside Stephenson valve gear. * In 1901 and 1902, the CGR placed 16 ''Consolidation''s in service. Designed by H.M. Beatty, chief locomotive superintendent of the CGR from 1896 to 1910, they were ordered from the Schenectady Locomotive Works in the United States and partly delivered by Schenectady in 1901, with the remainder delivered from the newly established
American Locomotive Company The American Locomotive Company (often shortened to ALCO, ALCo or Alco) was an American manufacturer of locomotives, diesel generators, steel, and tanks that operated from 1901 to 1969. The company was formed by the merger of seven smaller locomo ...
in 1902. Conceived as mixed-traffic locomotives, they had bar frames and narrow fireboxes. In 1912, when these locomotives were assimilated into the South African Railways (SAR), they were designated Class 8X.Classification of S.A.R. Engines with Renumbering Lists, issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer's Office, Pretoria, January 1912, pp. 9, 12, 15, 35-36 (Reprinted in April 1987 by SATS Museum, R.3125-6/9/11-1000)South African Railways and Harbours Locomotive Diagram Book, 2’0" & 3’6" Gauge Steam Locomotives, p11, 15 August 1941, as amended * In 1902, the CGR also placed a single experimental tandem compound ''Consolidation'' in service, based on its Schenectady/ALCO-built 8th Class. Delivered by ALCO in 1902, the locomotive was not classified and was simply referred to as the Tandem Compound. In 1912, it was designated Class Experimental 2 on the SAR. * In 1903, the CGR received a second experimental tandem compound ''Consolidation'' from ALCO. It was similar to the earlier one, but with a larger fire grate and an increased heating surface which enhanced its steaming ability. It also remained unclassified and was also simply referred to as a Tandem Compound. In 1912, it was designated Class Experimental 3 on the SAR. * Also in 1903, the CGR received four more ''Consolidation''s from Kitson and Company of Hunslet in Leeds. They were very similar to the earlier Schenectady and ALCO-built ''Consolidation''s, but with the boiler pitch raised by . Coupled with a shallow firebox, this enabled the grate to be extended out sideways over the fourth set of drivers, resulting in a grate area of compared to the of the previous model. In 1912, they were designated Class 8Y on the SAR. * In 1904, the CGR placed its last eight ''Consolidation''s in service. These were ordered from the
North British Locomotive Company The North British Locomotive Company (NBL, NB Loco or North British) was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp, Stewart and Company (Atlas Works), Neilson, Reid and Company (Hyde Park Wor ...
of Glasgow in Scotland and were very similar to the previous four Kitson-built locomotives, but slightly larger in boiler and firegrate area dimensions. In 1912, these eight were designated Class 8Z on the SAR.North British Locomotive Company works list, compiled by Austrian locomotive historian Bernhard Schmeiser While subjecting the ''Consolidation''s to exhaustive testing on all types of traffic and under varying conditions, some trouble was experienced with the leading pony truck and it was dropped in favour of a four-wheeled bogie in later orders for more eighth class locomotives. All subsequent Cape eighth class locomotives were therefore built with a ''Mastodon'' wheel arrangement.


South West Africa

In 1907 and 1910, the ''Staatsbahn Keetmanshoop'' (Keetmanshoop State Railway) in German South West Africa placed 21 tank locomotives in service. After the first World War, when all railways in the territory came under the administration of the South African Railways in 1922, five locomotives of the batch of 1910 survived. They were not classified or renumbered, but were referred to as the eight-coupled tanks. In 1911, nine tender locomotives were placed in service by the ''Staatsbahn Lüderitzbucht-Keetmanshoop'' (Lüderitzbucht-Keetmanshoop State Railway). After the first World War, all nine locomotives came onto the roster of the SAR, where they were referred to as the eight-coupled tenders.


Sweden

The unusual M3t Turbine Steam Locomotive was of this type but also the E2 class and a number of other freight class locomotives where of this type in Sweden.


Turkey

Turkey was a neutral country during the Second World War and to retain Turkish goodwill, Great Britain supplied several locomotives to the
Turkish Railways The State Railways of the Republic of Turkey ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları), abbreviated as TCDD, is a government-owned national railway company responsible with the ownership and maintenance of railway infrastructure in Turkey ...
, where they were classified 8F. Two of these 8F class locomotives were brought back from Turkey early in 2011 and one of them is on display at the National Railway Museum in Shildon, England.


United Kingdom

The 2-8-0 gradually became the standard heavy-freight steam locomotive type in the United Kingdom during the first half of the 20th century, largely replacing the 0-6-0 which had been used in that role since the mid 19th century. The first 2-8-0 to be built in Britain was the
Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament on 31 August 1835 and ran ...
's 2800 Class, with 84 locomotives built between 1903 and 1919, followed by a further 83 of the very similar GWR 2884 Class between 1938 and 1942. In 1904, George Whale of the
London and North Western Railway The London and North Western Railway (LNWR, L&NWR) was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. In the late 19th century, the L&NWR was the largest joint stock company in the United Kingdom. In 1923, it became a constituent of the Lo ...
(LNWR) began to rebuild some of his predecessor's Class B
0-8-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles and no trailing wheels. Locomotives of this type are also referre ...
compound locomotives to 2-8-0, classes E and F. With coal trains increasing in size and scale, the GWR needed to develop a more powerful locomotive to meet these requirements, on what were relatively short haul routes. Thus in 1906, Chief Engineer G.J. Churchward took the basic design of his GWR 2800 Class, and adapted it. After proposing a 2-8-2T design, Churchward developed the UK's first 2-8-0 tank engine, the 4200 class. In 1911,
John G. Robinson John George Robinson CBE, (30 July 1856 – 7 December 1943) was an English railway engineer, and was chief mechanical engineer of the Great Central Railway from 1900 to 1922. Early life Born at Newcastle upon Tyne, the second son of Matthew Robin ...
of the Great Central Railway (GCR) introduced his very successful
GCR Class 8K The Great Central Railway (GCR) Class 8K 2-8-0 is a class of steam locomotive designed for heavy freight. Introduced in 1911, and designed by John G. Robinson, 126 were built for the GCR prior to the First World War. Including wartime const ...
for heavy freight. 129 of these were originally built by the GCR. During the First World War, the design was adopted by the Ministry of Munitions and it became the standard locomotive of the Railway Operating Division of the
Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...
as the
ROD 2-8-0 The Railway Operating Division (ROD) ROD 2-8-0 is a type of 2-8-0 steam locomotive which was the standard heavy freight locomotive operated in Europe by the ROD during the First World War. ROD need for a standard locomotive During the First Wor ...
. Altogether, 521 of these ROD locomotives were built during the war. After the war, large numbers of these were purchased by the LNWR and GWR, while some were also sold to a private Australian coal company, J&A Brown in New South Wales. Altogether, 273 were purchased by the LNWR during the early 1920s. Other successful 2-8-0 designs were built in the UK. The classes O1 and O2 were introduced by
Nigel Gresley Sir Herbert Nigel Gresley (19 June 1876 – 5 April 1941) was a British railway engineer. He was one of Britain's most famous steam locomotive engineers, who rose to become Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London and North Eastern Rai ...
of the Great Northern Railway in 1913 and 1918, respectively, and the Class 7F by Henry Fowler of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway in 1914. Whilst most British 2-8-0 designs were intended for heavy freight, the GWR 4700 Class were designed for heavy mixed-traffic work, but were initially employed aminly on fast overnight freight trains; later they were used on express excursions in the summer. The most successful British 2-8-0 class was the Class 8F, designed in 1935 by William Stanier for the London Midland and Scottish Railway. By 1946, 852 had been built. During the Second World War, the War Department originally chose the class 8F as its standard freight locomotive, and large numbers of them saw service overseas, notably in the Middle East. The class 8F was superseded after 1943 by the cheaper WD Austerity 2-8-0 for war service. A total of 935 of these were built and again, many saw service overseas.


United States

In the United States, only a few railroads purchased ''Consolidation'' types when Baldwin Locomotive Works first introduced its version. Even the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, which eventually had nearly 180 locomotives in regular service by 1885, did not purchase any of this type until 1873. The Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway, which eventually became part of B&O, purchased 15 of this type from Brooks Locomotive Works in 1883.Kinert, Reed. (1962). ''Early American steam locomotives - 1st seven decades: 1830-1900''. Seattle, WA: Superior Publishing Company. The 2-8-0 design was given a major boost in 1875, when the
Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named ...
made it their standard freight locomotive, and 1875 was also when the Erie Railroad began replacing its
4-4-0 4-4-0 is a locomotive type with a classification that uses the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement and represents the arrangement: four leading wheels on two axles (usually in a leading bogie), four po ...
s in freight service with 2-8-0s. The railroads had found that the 2-8-0 could move trains twice as heavy at half the cost of its predecessors. From a financial standpoint at the time, the choice of the 2-8-0 as new freight locomotive was therefore clear. The S160 Class of the
United States Army Transportation Corps The Transportation Corps is a combat service support branch of the U.S. Army. It is responsible for the movement of personnel and material by truck, rail, air, and sea. It is one of three U.S. Army logistics branches, the others being the Qu ...
was built by American manufacturers and was designed for use in Europe for heavy freight work during the Second World War. A total of 2,120 of this class was built and they worked on railroads across the world. Production of the 2-8-0 type in the United States totalled more than 23,000 locomotives, of which 12,000 were export versions.American-Rails.com - The 2-8-0 Consolidation Type
(Accessed on 9 November 2016)


Preservation

Great Northern Railway Consolidation No. 1147 is on display in a park in Wenatchee, Washington. Great Northern Railway Consolidation No. 1246 is in storage in southern Oregon.
Maine Central class W 2-8-0 Maine Central Railroad Class W locomotives were intended for heavy freight service. They were of 2-8-0 wheel arrangement in the Whyte notation, or "1'D" in UIC classification. They replaced earlier class O 4-6-0 locomotives beginning in 1910. ...
locomotives numbered 501 and 519 were officially property of the European and North American Railway (E&NA) as a condition of the lease of that company by the Maine Central Railroad. While all other Maine Central steam locomotives were scrapped when replaced by diesel locomotives, these two survived as a lease obligation until Maine Central purchased E&NA in 1955. The advantages of preservation were recognized by that date, so No. 501 is awaiting restoration to operating condition at the
Conway Scenic Railroad The Conway Scenic Railroad is a heritage railroad in North Conway, New Hampshire, United States, owned by Profile Mountain Holdings Corp. The railroad operates over two historic railway routes: a line from North Conway to Conway that was for ...
and No. 519 was on display at the
Steamtown National Historic Site Steamtown National Historic Site (NHS) is a railroad museum and heritage railroad located on in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania, at the site of the former Scranton yards of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W). The museum is buil ...
. Southern Pacific No. 895, a 2-8-0 ''Consolidation'' locomotive built by ALCO in 1913 is on static display at Roseland Park in Baytown, Texas. SP No. 895 was retired after 44 years of service and donated by Southern Pacific Railroad to the Robert E. Lee High School Key Club, then towed on temporary tracks to its current location at Roseland Park in April, 1957. Baltimore & Ohio No. 545 "A.J Cromwell", built in 1888, is preserved at the
B&O Railroad Museum The B&O Railroad Museum is a museum and historic railway station exhibiting historic railroad equipment in Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) company originally opened the museum on July 4, 1953, with the name of the Balti ...
in
Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...
. The Southern Pacific Railroad's locomotive no. SP 2562 was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1909, serial No. 29064. It is on exhibit in the Arizona Railway Museum in Chandler, Arizona. The locomotive and its tender are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, reference No. 09000511. The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad's class 759 locomotive No. 761 was built around 1890. When active, it was used on the railroad's mainline between Chicago and the west. No. 761 is plinthed next to the historic Wickenburg, Arizona, train depot that is now the town's visitor center. Santa Fe class 769 locomotive
769 __NOTOC__ Year 769 ( DCCLXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 769 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar er ...
is currently on static display in Madrid, New Mexico, but is awaiting a future restoration to run on the Santa Fe Southern Railway. The Colorado & Southern (C&S) narrow-gauge No. 60 is on display in Idaho Springs, Colorado, while C&S No. 71 is in Central City, Colorado. A Ks1 class 2-8-0, No. 630, is run and maintained in Chattanooga, Tennessee, by the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. In 2014, this locomotive participated in the Norfolk Southern 21st Century Steam program. In 1962, the
Arcade & Attica Railroad The Arcade & Attica Railroad is a shortline railroad that hauls freight between Arcade and North Java, New York. The railroad originally connected Arcade with Attica, however the right of way from North Java north to Attica was abandoned in 1957 ...
purchased an ALCO-build locomotive from the Boyne City Railroad in Michigan. The locomotive, now numbered 18, is billed as the last operating steam excursion in New York State. Three out of the four SC-1 hogs from the Lake Superior and Ishpeming survived being scrapped. Engine No. 33 has been restored by the
Hocking Valley Scenic Railway The Hocking Valley Scenic Railway is a non-profit, 501c3, volunteer-operated tourist railroad attraction that operates out of Nelsonville, Athens County, Ohio. It is also located near the popular Hocking Hills State Park in nearby Hocking County ...
, before being purchased by the Age of Steam Roundhouse in Sugarcreek, Ohio, where it operates today. Engine No. 35 has been on static display at the
Illinois Railway Museum The Illinois Railway Museum (IRM, reporting mark IRMX) is the largest railroad museum in the United States. It is located in the Chicago metropolitan area at 7000 Olson Road in Union, Illinois, northwest of downtown Chicago. Overview Histo ...
in Union, Illinois since 1985. In 1991, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad acquired SC-1 class No. 34. The locomotive was restored to operating condition and cosmetically changed to look like an original Western Maryland 2-8-0. The locomotive was renumbered 734 in honor, so to speak, of the H-7 (701-764) class of 2-8-0 that the Western Maryland harbored and of which none was preserved. Although, it also has an overall appearance of an H-8. As of 2020, Mountain Thunder, as No. 734 is nicknamed, is waiting for a 1,472 day boiler inspection. In the late 1980s, four ex-LS&I 2-8-0s were purchased by the Grand Canyon Railway based in Williams, Arizona, Nos 18, 19, 20, and 29. Only 29 remains in Williams, undergoing its 1,472-day inspection, while 18 is undergoing a rebuild at the Colebrookdale Railroad in Boyertown Pennsylvania, 19 is on static display in Frisco, Texas, and 20 is on static display in Allan, Texas. Other preserved Ex-LS&I 2-8-0s include 21, which is being rebuilt in Baraboo, Wisconsin, 22, which is on static display at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in
North Freedom, Wisconsin North Freedom is a village along the Baraboo River in Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 701 at the 2010 census. History North Freedom was named from the American ideal of freedom. Geography North Freedom is located a ...
, 23, which is being rebuilt at the
Empire State Railway Museum Established in 1960, the Empire State Railway Museum is a non-profit railroad museum currently located in the historic Ulster & Delaware Phoenicia Railroad Station, Phoenicia, New York. The station was built in 1899 by the U&D, and is one of the ...
in Phoenicia, New York, and 24, which is on static display at the National Railroad Museum in
Green Bay, Wisconsin Green Bay is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The county seat of Brown County, it is at the head of Green Bay (known locally as "the bay of Green Bay"), a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It is above sea lev ...
. UPRR No. 561 is on static display along US Highway 81 in Columbus, NE. UPRR No. 423 is on static display on 10th street in Gering, Ne. UPRR No. 6072 is on static display at Wyman park in Fort Riley ks. Baldwin Locomotive Works No. 40, built in December 1925 for the
Lancaster and Chester Railroad The Lancaster and Chester Railroad or L&C is a railway headquartered in Lancaster, South Carolina. The original route connects Lancaster in Lancaster County with Chester in Chester County. The line's nickname is The Springmaid Line, which ref ...
in South Carolina, and later purchased by the
Cliffside Railroad Cliffside Railroad was a Class III railroad operating freight service in southwestern North Carolina from 1905 until service ended in 1987. The line was formally abandoned in 1992. History The Cliffside Railroad Company was incorporated on Mar ...
in North Carolina, now pulls scenic excursion trains at the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad in New Hope, Pennsylvania, which opened in August, 1966. Great Western No. 60, built in August 1937 by the American Locomotive Company in Schenectady, New York, is currently operated on the
Black River and Western Railroad The Black River and Western Railroad is a freight and heritage railroad operating in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, between Flemington, Lambertville and Ringoes. The railroad operates vintage steam and diesel powered locomotives. Histo ...
in Ringoes, New Jersey. No. 60 originally operated on the Great Western Railway of Colorado. Baldwin Steam Locomotive No. 1702, built in 1942 for the United States Army, was purchased by the
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is a freight and heritage railroad based in Bryson City, North Carolina, United States. Since late 1999, the railroad is currently owned and operated by American Heritage Railways, Inc., which also owns and ...
(GSMR) of Bryson City, North Carolina, in the mid-1990s for use on its scenic railway excursions. After a decade of service, No. 1702 was retired in 2004. In October 2012, a partnership formed between GSMR and
Swain County Swain County is a county located on the far western border of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,117. Its county seat is Bryson City. Four rivers flow through the mountainous terrain of Swain County: t ...
to provide funding to restore the locomotive. In 2013, a complete restoration was launched and the locomotive returned to service during summer 2016. Pennsylvania Railroad 1187, of the class R, later H3, is on display at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. This class is described in detail in the book ''Set Up Running: The Life of a Pennsylvania Railroad Engineman 1904-1949''. The Valley Railroad in Connecticut has one 2-8-0, 97 built in 1923 by the American Locomotive Company’s Cooke Machine Works in
Paterson, New Jersey Paterson ( ) is the largest City (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Vermont Railway The Vermont Railway is a shortline railroad in Vermont and eastern New York, operating much of the former Rutland Railway. It is the main part of the Vermont Rail System, which also owns the Green Mountain Railroad, the Rutland's branch to Be ...
and
New Haven Railroad The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , commonly known as The Consolidated, or simply as the New Haven, was a railroad that operated in the New England region of the United States from 1872 to December 31, 1968. Founded by the merger of ...
in the late 1960s under a private owner. 97 arrived in Essex in 1970 initially operating between 1973 and 2010. It returned to service in October 2018. Virginia & Truckee No. 29 is currently operational on the Virginia and Truckee Scenic Railroad Two
USATC The Transportation Corps is a combat service support branch of the U.S. Army. It is responsible for the movement of personnel and material by truck, rail, air, and sea. It is one of three U.S. Army logistics branches, the others being the Qua ...
''
General Pershing General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), nicknamed "Black Jack", was a senior United States Army officer. He served most famously as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the West ...
'' locomotives survive in the United States.
Southern Pine Lumber Co. 28 Southern Pine Lumber Company No. 28 is a preserved 2-8-0 steam locomotive that was originally operated by the United States Army Transportation Corps. It is one of three survivors out of over 1,500 ''General Pershing'' locomotives built in 1917 f ...
is currently undergoing repair to run again at the Texas State Railroad in
Palestine, Texas Palestine ( ) is a city in and the seat of Anderson County in the U.S. state of Texas. It was named for Palestine, Illinois, by preacher Daniel Parker, who had migrated from that town. The city had a 2020 U.S. census population of 18,544, mak ...
, and United States Army 101 is on static display at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin.


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