4-4-0

4-4-0 ("American" or "Eight-Wheeler")
Diagram of two small leading wheels and two large coupled wheels
Front of locomotive at left
1836 Patent drawing of the first 4-4-0 locomotive
Equivalent classifications
UIC class2′B
French class220
Turkish class24
Swiss class2/4
Russian class2-2-0
First known tank engine version
First use1849
CountryUnited Kingdom
LocomotiveGWR Bogie Class
RailwaySouth Devon Railway
BuilderGreat Western Railway
First known tender engine version
First use1836
CountryUnited States
RailwayPhiladelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railway
DesignerHenry Roe Campbell
BuilderPhiladelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railway
Evolved from4-2-0
Evolved to4-4-2
BenefitsBetter tractive effort than the 4-2-0
DrawbacksCould only pull a few cars due to its small size

4-4-0, in the Whyte notation, denotes a steam locomotive with a wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles (usually in a leading bogie), four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels.

First built in the 1830s, locomotives with this wheel arrangement were known as "standard" or "Eight-Wheeler" type. In the first half of the 19th century, almost every major railroad in North America owned and operated locomotives of this type, and many rebuilt their 4-2-0 and 2-4-0 locomotives as 4-4-0s.[1][2]

In April 1872, Railroad Gazette used "American" as the name of the type. The type subsequently also became popular in the United Kingdom, where large numbers were produced.[1]

The vast majority of 4-4-0 locomotives had tenders, though some tank locomotives (designated 4-4-0T) were built.

  1. ^ a b White, John H., Jr. (1968). A history of the American locomotive; its development: 1830-1880. New York: Dover Publications, pp. 46-. ISBN 0-486-23818-0
  2. ^ Kinert, Reed. (1962). Early American steam locomotives; 1st seven decades: 1830-1900. Seattle, WA: Superior Publishing Company.