[Dixielandjazz] Two Nineteen

[Phil Wilking]

No, it is the number of each type wheel.

A 4-4-0 "American" type, as seen in so many western movies, has four smaller 
pilot wheels - two on each side, four driving wheels, and no trailing 
wheels.
A 4-8-4 has four pilot wheels, eight drivers, and four trailing wheels. The 
Union Pacific "Big Boy," none active, one on a display track in Omaha, is a 
4-8-8-4.
Switchers have no pilot or trailing wheels, as they generally don't go fast 
enough to need help getting around curves and are small enough not to need 
extra support under the firebox, so their arrangement is 0-X-0, as in 0-6-0.

The system describes regular road and yard machines well enough, the ones 
which have the engines mounted horizontally and huge push rods running to 
the driving wheels; but it falls down a little when you speak of geared 
locomotives (Shays, etc., used in logging roads, and funicular roads going 
straight up mountains).

Music content: all the tunes which mention trains.

Phil Wilking - K5MZF
www.nolabanjo.com

Those who would exchange freedom for
security deserve neither freedom nor security.

-----Original Message----- 
From: domitype

Phil, as I understand it, the number is per axle, not individual wheel. 
Still would be an odd one!