Overview 4-4-0

an 1880s woodcut of 4-4-0 locomotive

at same time campbell building 4-4-0, company of eastwick , harrison building own version of 4-4-0. locomotive, named hercules, completed in 1837 beaver meadow railroad. built leading bogie separate locomotive frame, making more suitable tight curves , quick grade changes of railroads. hercules suffered poor tracking, corrected giving effective springing system when returned builder remodeling.

1856 relief sculpture of 4-4-0 commissioned norris locomotive works, depicting model prior adoption of covered cab

even though hercules , successors eastwick , harrison proved viability of new wheel arrangement, company remained sole builders of type of locomotive 2 years. norris locomotive works built company s first 4-4-0 in 1839, followed rogers locomotive , machine works, locks , canals machine shop , newcastle manufacturing company in 1840. after henry campbell sued other manufacturers , railroads infringing on patent, baldwin settled him in 1845 purchasing license build 4-4-0s.

short wheelbased atlantic , st. lawrence railroad coos, c. 1856, longueuil, quebec

as 1840s progressed, design of 4-4-0 changed little, dimensions of typical example of type increased. boiler lengthened, drivers grew in diameter , firegrate increased in area. 4-4-0s short enough practical connect pistons rear drivers, boiler lengthened, connecting rods more connected front drivers.

in 1850s, locomotive manufacturers began extending wheelbase of leading bogie , drivers tender bogies. placing axles farther apart, manufacturers able mount wider boiler above wheels extended beyond sides of wheels. gave newer locomotives increased heating , steaming capacity, translated higher tractive effort. in decade 4-4-0 locomotives had assumed appearance recognized railways , people around world.

the design , subsequent improvements of 4-4-0 configuration proved successful that, 1872, 60% of baldwin s locomotive construction of type , estimated 85% of locomotives in operation in united states 4-4-0s. however, 4-4-0 supplanted bigger designs, 2-6-0 , 2-8-0, though 4-4-0 wheel arrangement still favored express services. widespread adoption of 4-6-0 , larger locomotives helped seal fate product of past.

british development

the first british locomotives use wheel arrangement 7 ft ⁄4 in (2,140 mm) broad gauge 4-4-0 tank engine designs appeared 1849. first british tender locomotive class, although of limited success, broad gauge waverley class of great western railway, designed daniel gooch , built robert stephenson & co. in 1855.

the first american-style british 4-4-0 tender locomotive on 4 ft 8 ⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge, designed william bouch stockton & darlington railway in 1860, followed american practice 2 outside cylinders.

britain s major contribution development of 4-4-0 wheel arrangement inside cylinder version, resulted in steadier locomotive, less prone oscillation @ speed. type introduced in scotland in 1871 thomas wheatley of north british railway.