| Odd but powerful 1936 Baldwin switcher built for the Union Railroad for heavy hauling. According to SteamLocomotives.com "This was an enormous design, quite suitable for the US Steel railroad on which it operated. Its unusual arrangement stemmed from the short Union turntables, need for high adhesive weight and power, and relatively short runs. The large firebox -- fitted with three thermic syphons (90 sq ft/8.35 sq m) and a combustion chamber (72 sq ft/6.7 sq m) -- needed a trailing axle and the short turntables and low operating speeds permitted dispensing with a lead truck. Even with the low speeds and relatively tall drivers, each driver set needed substantial counterbalancing. About the only undersized parts were the two 12" (305 mm) piston valves." Ivan W. Saunders photo |