Whyte notation

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A selection of early 20th century locomotive types according to their Whyte notation and their comparative size
Whyte notation from a handbook for railroad industry workers published in 1906[1]

The Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement was devised by Frederick Methvan Whyte,[2] and came into use in the early twentieth century following a December 1900 editorial in American Engineer and Railroad Journal. The notation counts the number of leading wheels, then the number of driving wheels, and finally the number of trailing wheels, groups of numbers being separated by dashes.[3] Other classification schemes, like UIC classification and the French, Turkish and Swiss systems for steam locomotives, count axles rather than wheels.

In the notation a locomotive with two leading axles (four wheels) in front, then three driving axles (six wheels) and then one trailing axle (two wheels) is classified as 4-6-2.

Method

Articulated locomotives

Articulated locomotives such as Garratts, which are effectively two locomotives joined by a common boiler, have a + between the arrangements of each engine. Thus a "double Pacific" type Garratt is a 4-6-2+2-6-4. For Garratt locomotives the + sign is used even when there are no intermediate unpowered wheels, e.g. the LMS Garratt 2-6-0+0-6-2. This is because the two engine units are more than just power bogies. They are complete engines, carrying fuel and water tanks. The + sign represents the bridge (carrying the boiler) that links the two engines.

Simpler articulated types such as Mallets, have a jointed frame under a common boiler where there are no unpowered wheels between the sets of powered wheels. Typically, the forward frame is free to swing, whereas the rear frame is rigid with the boiler. Thus a Union Pacific Big Boy is a 4-8-8-4; four leading wheels, one group of eight driving wheels, another group of eight driving wheels, and then four trailing wheels.

Duplex Locomotives

This numbering system is shared by Duplex Locomotives, which have powered wheel sets sharing a rigid frame.

Suffixes

No suffix means a tender locomotive.

T indicates a tank locomotive: in European practice, this is sometimes extended to indicate the type of tank locomotive: T means side tank, PT pannier tank, ST saddle tank, WT well tank. T+T means a tank locomotive that also has a tender.

In Europe, the suffix R can signify rack (0-6-0RT) or reversible (0-6-0TR), the latter being Bi-cabine locomotives used in France.

The suffix F indicates a fireless locomotive (0-4-0F). This locomotive has no tender.

Other suffixes have been used, including ng for narrow-gauge (less than 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) ) and CA or ca for compressed air (running on compressed air from a tank instead of steam from a boiler).

Internal combustion locomotives

In Britain, small diesel and petrol locomotives are usually classified in the same way as steam locomotives, e.g. 0-4-0, 0-6-0, 0-8-0. This may be followed by D for diesel or P for petrol, and another letter describing the transmission: E for electric, H hydraulic, M mechanical. Thus 0-6-0DE denotes a six-wheel diesel locomotive with electric transmission. Where the axles are coupled by chains or shafts (rather than side rods) or are individually driven, the terms 4w, 6w or 8w are generally used. Thus 4wPE indicates a four-wheel petrol locomotive with electric transmission. For large diesel locomotives the UIC classification is used.

Limitations

The main limitation of Whyte Notation is that it does not cover non-standard types such as Shay locomotives, which use geared trucks rather than driving wheels. The most commonly used system in Europe outside the United Kingdom is UIC classification, based on German practice, which can define the exact layout of a locomotive.

Naming

In American (and to a lesser extent British) practice, most wheel arrangements in common use were given names, sometimes from the name of the first such locomotive built. For example the 2-2-0 type arrangement is named Planet, after the 1830 locomotive on which it was first used. (This naming convention is similar to the naming of warship classes.)

Common wheel arrangements

The most common wheel arrangements are listed below. In the diagrams, the front of the locomotive is to the left.

Arrangement
(locomotive front is to the left)		 Whyte classification Name
Non-articulated locomotives
WheelArrangement 0-2-2.svg 0-2-2 Northumbrian
WheelArrangement 2-2-0.svg 2-2-0 Planet
35px 2-2-2 Single,[2] Jenny Lind
WheelArrangement 2-2-4.svg 2-2-4 Aerolite
WheelArrangement 4-2-0.svg 4-2-0 Jervis[4]
WheelArrangement 4-2-2.svg 4-2-2 Bicycle
WheelArrangement 4-2-4.svg 4-2-4 Huntington
50px 6-2-0 Crampton[5]
WheelArrangement 0-4-0.svg 0-4-0 Four-Coupled
WheelArrangement 0-4-2.svg 0-4-2 Olomana
55px 0-4-4 Forney[1]
WheelArrangement 2-4-0.svg 2-4-0 Porter, 'Old English'[6]
60px 2-4-2 Columbia[1]
WheelArrangement 2-4-4.svg 2-4-4 Boston
60px 4-4-0 American,[1][7] Eight-wheeler
WheelArrangement 4-4-2.svg 4-4-2 Atlantic[1][8]
WheelArrangement 4-4-4.svg 4-4-4 Reading, Jubilee (Canada)[9]
WheelArrangement 0-6-0.svg 0-3-0 (one driving wheel per axle; used on Patiala State Monorail Trainways and also on the Listowel and Ballybunion Railway)
WheelArrangement 0-6-0.svg 0-6-0 Six-Coupled,[1] Bourbonnais (France), USRA 0-6-0 (United States)
WheelArrangement 0-6-2.svg 0-6-2 Branchliner, Webb
WheelArrangement 0-6-4.svg 0-6-4 Forney six-coupled[1]
WheelArrangement 2-6-0.svg 2-6-0 Mogul[1][10]
75px 2-6-2 Prairie[1][2]
WheelArrangement 2-6-4.svg 2-6-4 Adriatic
WheelArrangement 2-6-6.svg 2-6-6 Suburban
WheelArrangement 4-6-0.svg 4-6-0 Ten-Wheeler[1][11] (not Britain)[12]
WheelArrangement 4-6-2.svg 4-6-2 Pacific[1][2][13][14]
WheelArrangement 4-6-4.svg 4-6-4 Hudson,[15] Baltic[2]
WheelArrangement 0-8-0.svg 0-8-0 Eight-Coupled,[1] USRA 0-8-0 (United States)
85px 0-8-2 Kado  [16]
WheelArrangement 0-8-4.svg 0-8-4 London
90px 2-8-0 Consolidation[1][2][17]
WheelArrangement 2-8-2.svg 2-8-2 Mikado,[1][2] Mike, MacArthur[18][19]
100px 2-8-4 Berkshire, Kanawha[20][21]
WheelArrangement 2-8-6.svg 2-8-6 Used only on four Mason Bogie locomotives
WheelArrangement 4-8-0.svg 4-8-0 Twelve-Wheeler[1]
WheelArrangement 4-8-2.svg 4-8-2 Mountain,[2][22] Mohawk[23]
120px 4-8-4 Northern, Niagara, Confederation, Dixie, Greenbrier, Pocono, Potomac, Golden State (Southern Pacific),[24] Western, Laurentian (Delaware & Hudson Railroad), General, Wyoming (Lehigh Valley[25]), Governor, Big Apple, GS Series "Daylight" (Southern Pacific)[24]
120px 4-8-6 Proposed by Lima, never built
125px 6-8-6 (PRR S2 steam turbine locomotive)[26]
WheelArrangement 8-8-8.svg 8-8-8 (Breitspurbahn)
WheelArrangement 0-10-0.svg 0-10-0 Ten-Coupled,[1][27] (rarely) Decapod
105px 0-10-2 Union[27]
WheelArrangement 2-10-0.svg 2-10-0 Decapod,[1][28] Russian Decapod
110px 2-10-2 Santa Fe,[1] Central, Decapod (only on the Southern Pacific)
WheelArrangement 2-10-4.svg 2-10-4 Texas, Colorado (CB&Q), Selkirk (Canada)[29]
110px 4-10-0 Mastodon,[1] Gobernador (in honor of El Gobernador)
WheelArrangement 4-10-2.svg 4-10-2 Reid Tenwheeler,[30][31] Southern Pacific, Overland[32]
115px 0-12-0 Twelve-Coupled
120px 2-12-0 Centipede[1]
125px 2-12-2 Javanic
WheelArrangement 2-12-4.svg 2-12-4 Bulgaria
WheelArrangement 4-12-2.svg 4-12-2 Union Pacific[33]
WheelArrangement 4-14-4.svg 4-14-4 AA20[34]
Duplex locomotives
WheelArrangement 4-4-4-4.svg 4-4-4-4 (PRR T1)[35]
WheelArrangement 6-4-4-6.svg 6-4-4-6 (PRR S1)[36]
WheelArrangement 4-4-6-4.svg 4-4-6-4 (PRR Q2)[37]
130px 4-6-4-4 (PRR Q1)
Mallet[18] (simple and compound) articulated locomotives
80px 0-4-4-0 Bavarian BB II [38]
WheelArrangement 2-4-0.svgWheelArrangement 0-4-0.svg 2-4-4-0 Vivarais
WheelArrangement 0-4-0.svgWheelArrangement 0-4-2.svg 0-4-4-2 Swiss
WheelArrangement 2-4-4-2.svg 2-4-4-2 Skookum
WheelArrangement 0-6-6-0.svg 0-6-6-0 Erie
WheelArrangement 2-6-6-0.svg 2-6-6-0 Denver & Salt Lake
WheelArrangement 2-6-6-2.svg 2-6-6-2 C&O/N&W. C&O Class H-2 thru H-5. Alco 1912.
WheelArrangement 2-6-6-4.svg 2-6-6-4 Norfolk & Western
140px 2-6-6-6 Allegheny,[39] Blue Ridge
WheelArrangement 4-6-6-2.svg 4-6-6-2 (Southern Pacific class AM-2)[40]
WheelArrangement 4-6-6-4.svg 4-6-6-4 Challenger[41]
WheelArrangement 2-6-8-0.svg 2-6-8-0 (Southern Railway, Great Northern Railway)[42]
145px 0-8-8-0 Angus
WheelArrangement 2-8-8-0.svg 2-8-8-0 Bull Moose
160px 2-8-8-2 Chesapeake, Norfolk & Western
WheelArrangement 2-8-8-4.svg 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone[43]
WheelArrangement 4-8-8-2.svg 4-8-8-2 Southern Pacific cab forward classes AC-4 through AC-12 (except AC-9)[40]
WheelArrangement 4-8-8-4.svg 4-8-8-4 Big Boy[44]
WheelArrangement 2-10-10-2.svg 2-10-10-2 (Santa Fe and Virginian railroads)[42]
WheelArrangement 2-8-8-8-2.svg 2-8-8-8-2 Triplex (Erie RR)
225px 2-8-8-8-4 Triplex (Virginian RR)[45]
Garratt articulated locomotives
WheelArrangement 0-4-0+0-4-0.svg 0-4-0+0-4-0 Welsh Highland
WheelArrangement 0-6-6-0.svg 0-6-0+0-6-0 Kitson Meyer
WheelArrangement 2-4-4-2.svg 2-4-0+0-4-2 Double Porter
4-6-2+2-2-4 Pacific and Bicyle
WheelArrangement 2-4-2+2-4-2.svg 2-4-2+2-4-2 Double Columbia
WheelArrangement 2-6-6-2.svg 2-6-0+0-6-2 Double Mogul
WheelArrangement 2-6-2+2-6-2.svg 2-6-2+2-6-2 Double Prairie
x18px 2-8-0+0-8-2 Double Consolidation
WheelArrangement 2-8-2+2-8-2.svg 2-8-2+2-8-2 Double Mikado
WheelArrangement 4-4-2+2-4-4.svg 4-4-2+2-4-4 Double Atlantic
WheelArrangement 4-6-6-4.svg 4-6-0+0-6-4 Mogyana
WheelArrangement 4-6-2+2-6-4.svg 4-6-2+2-6-4 Double Pacific
WheelArrangement 4-6-4+4-6-4.svg 4-6-4+4-6-4 Double Baltic, Double Hudson
WheelArrangement 4-8-8-4.svg 4-8-0+0-8-4 Double Mastodon
x18px 4-8-2+2-8-4 Double Mountain
x18px 4-8-4+4-8-4 Double Northern

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found., p. 33.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Ellis, C Hamilton, Some Classic Locomotives, Allen & Unwin, 1949.173 p.
  7. ↑ White (1968), p. 46.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ White (1968), p 62-65.
  11. ↑ White (1968), p. 57.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ White (1968), p. 65.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ http://www.steamlocomotive.com/northern/lv.shtml
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  44. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  45. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Further reading

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

  • Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons

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