Talk:2-6-6-6

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Heaviest Locomotive?

I know I'm stepping onto difficult and dangerous turf here, but here are two contrary references. Bruce is certainly an authority and the Locomotive Cyclopedia is the standard reference...

Locomotive	Weight of Locomotive, pounds	Weight of Tender	Total Weight	Note	Reference
Big Boy	762,000	342,200	1,104,200	Tender 2/3 capacity	Locomotive Cyclopedia 1950-52, Simmons Boardman, page 501
C&O H-8	724,500	341,600	1,066,100	Tender 2/3 capacity	Locomotive Cyclopedia 1950-52, Simmons Boardman, page 501
Big Boy	772,000	435,000	1,207,000		Alfred Bruce, The Steam Locomotive in America: Its Development in the Twentieth Century, W.W. Norton, 1952, photo section
C&O H-8	751,800	427,000	1,178,800		Alfred Bruce, The Steam Locomotive in America: Its Development in the Twentieth Century, W.W. Norton, 1952, photo section

Bruce was, at the time of the building of both, Director of Steam Locomotive Engineering at Alco and, therefore, an authoritative source, although possibly with a bias toward Big Boy (the H-8 was built by Lima). He also says, "[Big Boys] are still the heaviest steam locomotives in the world today [1952] with reciprocating pistons and direct-rod drive." (page 329)

As these figures illustrate, it's important to have comparable numbers, preferably from the same source. Both of these beasts carried around 250,000 pounds of coal and water in their tenders and around 75,000 pounds of water in their boilers, so there's a 325,000 pound difference between their weights, dry and empty on the scales at the factory, and fully loaded for a run. . . . . Jim . . . . Jameslwoodward (talk • contribs) 22:41, 22 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I'll have to go looking for the source, there is reason to believe the "official" weight of the C&O monsters was deliberately understated at the time by playing fast and loose with the weighing conditions. My understanding after reading all the arguments was that it is unclear which was heaver. Ferritecore (talk) 03:00, 23 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Also see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pacific_Big_Boy#Design ″There is some speculation that the first series of C&O H8 2-6-6-6 engines may have weighed as much as 778,200 lbs, but during subsequent re-weighs of early production H8's under close scrutiny by the builder and the railroad owner, all engines were found to be less than 772,250 lbs.″ There is a source (Trains Magazine) cited. 76.90.104.68 (talk) 20:06, 13 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]

2-6-6-6 Alleghenies

Bring back the rest of the 2-6-6-6 Alleghenies 2A02:A03F:86E2:BC00:E124:9C46:4D8:3896 (talk) 18:22, 19 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

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