2-8-4

2-8-4 (Berkshire)

Front of locomotive at left

Nickel Plate Road 765, a typical American 2-8-4, on an excursion train ca. 2018

Equivalent classifications UIC class 1′D2′ French class 142 Turkish class 47 Swiss class 4/7 Russian class 1-4-2

First known tank engine version First use 1893 Country Australia Locomotive WAGR K class Railway Western Australian Government Railways Designer Neilson and Company Builder Neilson and Company Evolved from 2-8-2T Benefits Larger fireboxes and coal bunkers

First known tender engine version First use 1925 Country United States of America Locomotive B&A class A1 Railway Boston and Albany Railroad Designer Lima Locomotive Works Builder Lima Locomotive Works Evolved from 2-8-2 Benefits Larger firebox than 2-8-2

Under the Whyte notation, a 2-8-4 is a steam locomotive that has two unpowered leading wheels, followed by eight coupled and powered driving wheels, and four trailing wheels. This locomotive type is most often referred to as a Berkshire, though the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway used the name Kanawha for their 2-8-4s. In Europe, this wheel arrangement was mostly seen in mainline passenger express locomotives and, in certain countries, in tank locomotives.