Railworks America

So... What is the largest Steam Loco Ever built?
Sounds Simple... Doesn't it?

Lima Locomotive Work's (2-6-6-6) Allegheny.

Ericmopar wrote:So... What is the largest Steam Loco Ever built?
Sounds Simple... Doesn't it?

In what terms? Length width height?

Antwerp wrote:Lima Locomotive Work's (2-6-6-6) Allegheny.

No.
Big Boys are heavier, faster, have more tractive effort and are longer.

Little-known fact: Alleghenies had the info for their weight falsified, so the locomotive is actually heavier than originally reported. It also had more power - but way too much.

That is horsepower.

N&W steam turbine?

Weighed a million pounds, 106ft long (plus a 55ft water tender), 224,000lbf starting tractive effort.

(from "Perfecting the American Steam Locomotive" by J. Parker Lamb)

dtrainBNSF1 wrote:Little-known fact: Alleghenies had the info for their weight falsified, so the locomotive is actually heavier than originally reported. It also had more power - but way too much.

It's weight was roughly 771,000 lbs.. Big Boy was around 762,000 lbs. without the Tender.

It should also be noted that the Alleghenies were some of the most powerful steam locomotives ever built. At 40 MPH they could generate 7,500 HP. This power was only exceeded by the PRR Q-2 Class (7,987HP). By contrast the UP Big Boy could generate a maximum of 6,200 drawbar HP.

Lets just note that the answer to this question is going to be widely debated.

mrennie wrote:N&W steam turbine?

Weighed a million pounds, 106ft long (plus a 55ft water tender), 224,000lbf starting tractive effort.

Jawn Henry - 111'-7" (without tender) - was a one-off experiment ('54~'57), but was nevertheless the longest of the steamers. Continuing with engine only, however, it wasn't the heaviest nor the most powerful, those distinctions going to C&O's M1 and H8 respectively, along with the Big Boy being the largest of the reciprocating types in production.

dtrainBNSF1 wrote:Little-known fact: Alleghenies had the info for their weight falsified, so the locomotive is actually heavier than originally reported. It also had more power - but way too much.

Yes, in fact there were apparently lawsuits against Lima, because the falsified weights of the Alleghenies caused track issues. (Too high axle weights)
They theoretically developed more Horsepower than a Big Boy, but couldn't really get up enough speed to use it. Big Boys could get up to a higher speed in the real world, despite less firebox H.P.

Hack wrote:

mrennie wrote:N&W steam turbine?

Weighed a million pounds, 106ft long (plus a 55ft water tender), 224,000lbf starting tractive effort.

Jawn Henry - 111'-7" (without tender) - was a one-off experiment ('54~'57), but was nevertheless the longest of the steamers. Continuing with engine only, however, it wasn't the heaviest nor the most powerful, those distinctions going to C&O's M1 and H8 respectively, along with the Big Boy being the largest of the reciprocating types in production.

I was thinking of C&Os M-1s when I started this thread. 154ft with tender. Don't give me a measurement without the loco's fuel tank people. I can't believe people try to rate them that way. They won't run without the tender, so it's a part of the locomotive's weight and length.
Would you rate a Diesel Electric without it's fuel tank?

Ericmopar wrote:

Hack wrote:

mrennie wrote:N&W steam turbine?

Weighed a million pounds, 106ft long (plus a 55ft water tender), 224,000lbf starting tractive effort.

Jawn Henry - 111'-7" (without tender) - was a one-off experiment ('54~'57), but was nevertheless the longest of the steamers. Continuing with engine only, however, it wasn't the heaviest nor the most powerful, those distinctions going to C&O's M1 and H8 respectively, along with the Big Boy being the largest of the reciprocating types in production.

I was thinking of C&Os M-1s when I started this thread. 154ft with tender. Don't give me a measurement without the loco's fuel tank people. I can't believe people try to rate them that way. They won't run without the tender, so it's a part of the locomotive's weight and length.
Would you rate a Diesel Electric without it's fuel tank?

Good God that hardly looks like a Steam Engine. But that's longer than the Allegheny with a tender.

That's a steam loco? Wow, things like that make me love history.

Just read this page.

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/misc/largest.php

Ericmopar wrote:I was thinking of C&Os M-1s when I started this thread. 154ft with tender. Don't give me a measurement without the loco's fuel tank people. I can't believe people try to rate them that way. They won't run without the tender, so it's a part of the locomotive's weight and length.
Would you rate a Diesel Electric without it's fuel tank?

Too be fair, you did ask for a locomotive and not locomotive + tender. As well, you can fire a locomotive without a tender, but not a diesel without a fuel tank. The tender is required only to sustain the fire, while a fuel tank requires some mans of pressure to start and keep the engine running.