4-8-8-2

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, a 4-8-8-2 is a Cab Forward type locomotive with four leading wheels, two sets of eight driving wheels, and a two-wheel trailing truck. Because of its length, such a locomotive must be an articulated locomotive. All of the examples produced were of the Mallet type, having a hinged joint between the first and second groups of driving wheels, and having the superstructure of the locomotive rigidly attached to the rearmost set, with the foremost set and leading truck allowed to swing sideways on curves.

This was locomotive design was widely used by the Southern Pacific railroad line, which developed it to deal with the peculiar problems of its routes. The long tunnels and snow sheds of the Sierra Nevada mountains could funnel dangerous exhaust fumes back into the crew compartment of a conventional locomotive, but the 4-8-8-2 design placed the crew ahead of the exhaust, insulating them from this hazard.

External link

• Web Site of ToyTrains1 4-8-8-2 Cab Forward Steam Locomotives