I just picked up a copy of Steam Locomotives of the Great Northern Railway yesterday. Wow! Going through the classes of steam locomotives the GN used, there are photo examples of nearly every version of every class, lots of builder photos, lots of data and dimensioned drawings, and notes on service, types of jobs, and locations where many of these locomotives worked. It's huge - over 400 pages - so maybe not the best for bedtime reading as it is so heavy, but anyone interested in GN steam will, I believe, enjoy this book.
IIRC, the R-2 class 2-8-8-2's were better than 10,000# of TE stronger than a UP Big Boy... GN had some monstrous locos, including one of the heaviest classes of Mikes? I don't remember the details, I could be wrong, just bits of what I remember from a Pentrex video. Who's the author, and what does this book cost?
The authors are Kenneth R. Middleton and Norman F. Priebe. It's been put out by the GNRHS. I was looking at the Mike section and yes, they did have some monstrous Mikes. They had some NP style Z-6s too for equalization on SP&S lines. I am looking at this to see what all is in here. The book is $59.99 full retail.
The Big Boys were not the kings in all categories, for sure. Baldwin built some massive 2-8-8-4s for the DM&IR that had about 7000 lbs more TE than the Big Boy, and 20,000 lbs more adhesive weight. I wouldn't be surprised that a heavy 2-8-8-2 would have even more TE - with only two non-driven axles under the engine instead of 3 or 4 the adhesive weight would be that much more concentrated on the drivers. But Big Boy got all the glamor.
Good point, Mike. DM&IR's huge articulated M3/M4's came to work on the D&RGW during the winter shipping slowdaown, after the lakes froze over, during WWII. D&RGW management found them to be among the finst locomotives to ever polish the rails of the 'Grande. Even after the 224 was wrecked at Clay, CO....
Yep' for us GN. fans this book is long overdue, 544 pages 600+ pictures many of both sides of the locomotives. Even line drawing of different wheel arrangments that the design dept were concidering including one tractor type locomotive. And for the DM&IR M4 fans a picture of 2 of their huge Yellowstones on GN. trackage with a GN.caboose in tow. This book should please all who were not able to purchase the Railroad History No.143 before it went out of print. Larry.
I agree Larry, I am going to HAVE to see if I can find a copy to buy. The only PROBLEM is, that once we see tho photos, and read about these powerhouses, THEN we are goingto want to MODEL them, and nobody builds them. Brie
