Danny Dark: The railroad's premier heavy tonnage hauler was the 2-8-8-2 Y class locomotive. This basic mallet type was originally conceived by the N&W and then adopted by the United States Railroad Administration. The 2-8-8-2 was designed that the N&W borrowed back and improved on for 35 years.
I'm such a huge fan of the N&W's Y class. I was raised in Williamson WV and my dad worked on the N&W coal yard there from the 50's to 1980. The Y 2-8-8-2 class (and A's) were all over the place, on the yard, road, local shifting and switching. The smaller Y locomotive engine 58', compared to the 85' Big Boy locomotive (less tender) made it perfect for the for the crazy mountain grades and curves, but it still had more slow speed tractive power than the giant Big Boy. Sure the Big Boys were and are spectacular to watch, but the Y was a 24/7 everyday Clydesdale workhorse, doing everything that needed to be done in the Appalachian coal fields. I think there were over 270 made (Y1 through Y6b's) and including the A's and Z's, the N&W had over 450 giant articulateds hauling coal and freight, during their steam years. For as small as the N&W was compared to the giant railroads like UP, I don't think anyone else compared in power and numbers.
my father would tell us sons about the huge mallet locos that would move long cars of coal and coke along the rails near Uniontown, PA in the 1940's. How he would hear their steam whistles sounding most of the day and night.
Locomotives of the Union Pacific Railroad 26:00 Kevin Michael Richardson: And 4-8-8-4 Big Boys enjoyed productive careers hauling millions of tons of freight for up to 20 years. 27:40 The 4-6-6-4 Challenger type engine number 3985 is the largest operating steam locomotive in the world. It was reccomissioned and restored in 1981. And while number 3985 is currently being rebuilt. Its toured the country as a public relations ambassador, pulling excursion specials and occasionally working freight trains.