On30 2-4-4-2 Prototype?

[RRPETE]

What prototype does the new 2-4-4-2 represent?

[Skarloey Railway]

That question has been asked on several other forums and to date I haven't found anyone come up with an answer. The assumption seems to be that it is in the style of Baldwin but basically freelance.

[Kevin S.]

I cannot find the photo or a location on line, but there is a 2-4-4-2 built to 30 inch gauge for a railroad in New Zealand.  It might well be the prototype.

If I can find it, I will provide reference for the photograph.

[the Bach-man]

Dear All,
It is indeed a Baldwin catalog model.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[Hamish K]

I cannot find the photo or a location on line, but there is a 2-4-4-2 built to 30 inch gauge for a railroad in New Zealand.  It might well be the prototype.

If I can find it, I will provide reference for the photograph.

Kevin

The loco you are thinking of may be Taupo Totara #7. The following  site has information and links to photos on the loco. http://loggingmallets.railfan.net/list/taupo7/taupo7.htm

Note that the loco is 42 inch gauge, not 30 inch and is by ALCO, not Baldwin.  I am unaware of any 30 inch gauge Baldwin 2-4-4-2  Mallets in NZ, however I am not an expert on NZ railways.

Hamish

[Skarloey Railway]

If it was a Baldwin catalogue product but there are no known prototypes* does that mean Baldwin came up with a design but got no takers for it?

*That NZ Alco is similar but apart from being wrong gauge and wrong manufacturer it's a compound with a tapered boiler. I'm not complaining that there is no 'physical' prototype for the 2-4-4-2, since the fact that it is not specific to any one RR actually increases the options of using it.

Given that Kevin has identified the 2-6-6-2 as being built for a line with a very low axle loading it would be interesting to compare the axle loading on the 2-4-4-2 and see if they're similar.

[Kevin S.]

Well, at least I knew there was a 2-4-4-2 that looked similar.

Thanks for posting the correct information as well as photographs of the beast.

[Hamish K]

If it was a Baldwin catalogue product but there are no known prototypes* does that mean Baldwin came up with a design but got no takers for it?

Skarloey

As I understand it, the locomotive catalogues showed what the manufacturer could build rather than being a series of available production models such as you get from automobile makers.

Parts were fairly standardised, and many variations were possible on a basic design, e.g. boiler size and type, cylinder and driver sizes etc. Even wheel arrangement, e.g. the Large Scale 4-4-0 and 2-6-0 are essentially the same apart from the wheel arrangement. Essentially similar locomotives could be available for different gauges.  So there were probably many possibilities  that were shown in catalogues that were never ordered.

Hamish

[Skarloey Railway]

Aha. Thanks Hamish. I figured that must be the case.