American Standard Gauge Tank locomotives

[Steamdemon]

I've noticed that America has fewer Standard Gauge tank locomotives... is it because there wasn't a need for them? Or is this a silly assumption?

 

[cascaderailroad]

I'm sure that there were thousands ... but they all been cut up into teeny tiny little pieces, by the scrappers torch, melted down, and turned into Toyota's

 

[bendorsey]

And generally speaking they worked "in the background". By that I mean away from the public. Industrial complexes, mines, and so on. Only two I can think of that were "famous" (sort of) were the B&O's little Joe (0-4-0T) and the PRR Class A3a (0-4-0T). Were there other wheel arrangements? Of course. 0-6-0T, 0-8-0T, and even a 0-10-0T (or two).

Cascade is correct - there were oodles, heaps, and gobs of them - just rarely seen and even more rarely photographed.

Ben

 

[JCitron]

The Boston and Albany (NYC) had some that were pressed into commuter service. They ran around the Newton Loop to Dedham and back to Boston and on other commuter lines through out the system.

http://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.M38c3b55baf736cfd4b31ce0cd98ccc21o0&pid=15.1

http://www.railarchive.net/nyccollection/ba306.htm

 

[MeowRailroad]

Their advantage in switching and commuter service is that they don't need to be turned and can run almost equally well in either direction. (Often they would be privately owned by industries, because it would be cheaper than having a regular engine). Besides those there were a few shortline locomotives, as they can't carry enough fuel and water to run for long periods of time at fast mainline speeds. And since trips in the US could be longer, it wouldn't be economical to have to keep stopping to refuel and rewater.

 

[cascaderailroad]

I'm sure that the PRR had at least a couple in the Altoona yards, as well as Pitcairn, Conway, Enola, Harrisburg ... etc ...

 

[jadebullet]

They tended to be industrial or engine house switchers.

 

[Steamdemon]

Interestingly enough, only two American Standard Gauge 2-6-6-2t locomotives exist. Clover Valley #4 is one and Black hills #110 is the other.

 

[BLACKWATCH]

The S.R. over here in the UK had some 0-6-0T locos that were from the USA, they were shipped over ready for the invasion in WW2.
After the war, the SR bought 15 of them for use in the dockyards. They were 'USATC S100 class'.

See:- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SR_USA_class

 

[Pendolino]

Many more USATC S100's remained in Europe after WW2: France had the largest fleet (77).

Here in Italy we had 4 of them, which were mainly used for switching in the port of Leghorn and in various mining branch lines in Tuscany. They were all retired in the early '50s. I remember seing some picture of a S100 (or of a locally built copy) still working as a mine switcher somewhere in the former Yugoslavia in the late '90s.

 

[teddytoot]

One small point. The USATC S100's were specifically designed for use in Europe with a more restricted loading gauge so that they could be used in the UK. I do not know if any ran in America apart from testing so they don't really fit the OP's question.

 

[bendorsey]

Another location they were often used in in the heavy repair shops to move dead locos (cold iron) and tenders around. Particularly on and off transfer tables as transfer tables were usually not long enough for a complete engine (loco and tender together). Facilities like that often had separate buildings for loco repair, tender repair, and a paint shop all served by the same transfer table. A small tank loco was perfect for shuttling things around as there was room for it and the loco or tender on the transfer table. Nothing larger then a 0-6-0T I'd think. Its a reasonable bet that's what the PRR used the 0-4-0T's for Cascade mentioned above (not that they couldn't have shuttled other things around when needed).

Ben