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NP2626
Guest
The first Railroad to use the 4-8-4 wheel arrangement was the Northern Pacific. I think I've read that the Northern Pacific Railway had something to do with the design of the 4-8-4 wheel arraignment, either by actually helping with the design, working hand and hand with the Alco, the manufacturer; or, by simply requesting that Alco develop the 4-8-4 design in 1926. At any rate, the Northern Pacific was the first railroad to use the 4-8-4 wheel arrangement. Therefore, the Northern Pacific had the right to name this wheel arrangement, which of course they did, calling it a "Northern". However, this name over all the other steam engine wheel arrangement types, seems to have been very contentious! Some of the other names given it are: Big Apple, Confederation, Dixie, Golden State, GS (General Service) Greenbrier, Niagara, Pocono, Potomac, Western and Wyoming and this list of names is not the complete list!
I wonder why the Northern type has so many different names? I guess I could understand Southern railroads not liking the name "Northern" and preferring "Dixie" instead; but, why all the other names? Just wondering aloud. I also find that all the various names attract me to this locomotive, hence my handle of "NP2626".
I wonder why the Northern type has so many different names? I guess I could understand Southern railroads not liking the name "Northern" and preferring "Dixie" instead; but, why all the other names? Just wondering aloud. I also find that all the various names attract me to this locomotive, hence my handle of "NP2626".