use of 2-8-0 vs 0-6-0

[gregc]

i assume that this is more of an operations than a layout question.

i'm interested in the anthracite mining region of Pa. i'm not sure how far the mines were from the mainline. i have the impression that coal cars are collected from the various mine and brought to a breaker where the coal is sorted by size and then brought to a yard.

one or more large engines (2-8-0) are used pull the 100 car trains from yards to their destination. are switcher engines (0-6-0) use to collect coal cars from the mines, or are 2-8-0 engines?

 

[UP2CSX]

Greg, there's no one correct answer to your question. Generally, 0-6-0's were used to make and break up trains in larger yards and road engines picked up and delivered hoppers from mine to breakers and then to classification yards. This was normal operating procedure for the Pennsy but the N&W sometimes used 0-6-0's on mine branches with light trackage. The 2-8-0 was really not a large engine in terms of hauling coal drags. A 2-10-2 or a Mallet like the N&W Y3b would more typically be used on long drags, especially after about 1925 or so, sometimes running double or tripple headed. There's was plenty of variation in how engines were used in the coal fields though so using what you like really wouldn't be out of place.

 

[dave1905]

are switcher engines (0-6-0) use to collect coal cars from the mines, or are 2-8-0 engines?

On the Reading, the cars would be gathered from the mines by 2-8-0, 2-8-8-2 and 2-8-8-0 engines and taken to the breakers. At the breakers there were 0-6-0's.

 

[gregc]

my understanding is that the reading I-10 was the largest 2-8-0 ever built and built to haul 100 car trains. helper engines, 2 or more 2-8-0 or 2-8-8-2/0 were used over grades. i'd have to believe that there are steep grades to the mines. i guess i'm not surprised to here of a 2-8-8-0 picking up coal cars at a mine. i was surprised to read that the reading 2-10-2 is larger than the 2-8-8-2.

dave: i sent you a pm. i'm very interested in the philadelphia & reading railroad.

 

[dave1905]

my understanding is that the reading I-10 was the largest 2-8-0 ever built and built to haul 100 car trains.

The RDG's engines were built to haul the same number of loads to Philadelphia tha they could haul empties back up to the mines.

i'd have to believe that there are steep grades to the mines.

Not to the mines per se, but between the mines and the breakers, between the mines and the Schuylkill River valley.

i was surprised to read that the reading 2-10-2 is larger than the 2-8-8-2.

Actually their boilers are the exact same size, since the 2-10-2's were kitbashed by the RDG using the boilers from 2-8-8-2's with 2-10-2 running gear. The last 10 2-10-2's were built from scratch by Baldwin.

Dave H.