I'm working on bringing a little 0-4-0 Tank engine to our railroad for a weekend this year. Our track foreman(a truck driver for a living) says it will be to hard on our track. F.R.A. Class 2 with some 1.
Our regular power is an E-8. Am I right in thinking he's way out in the left field bleachers or will a slow speed industrial steam engine that used to run on bad track be harder on track than an E-8?
I'm looking for imput from people who know. Maybe he's corerct and I'm in left field. I'll be the first to admit I'm wrong if I am. Thanks

The answer, of course, is: it depends.

The major determining factors have to do with the condition of the track, the weight on wheels of the two locomotives, and the speed at which you operate.

My recollection is that an EMD E7/E8 tips the scales at around 158 tons loaded with fuel. That's a little over 13 tons per wheel. If we assume you're alluding to Flagg Coal 75 or the likes, that's 80,000 pounds, or ten tons a wheel.

Remember that little saddletankers were designed, in effect, for ill-maintained track, whereas an E8 is designed for high speed on well-maintained track. Even assuming that, at my most pessimistic, we're talking "Penn Central" track quality, I'd just as soon have a gently-treated 0-4-0T on the track than a hulking E8.

Yes, all-driver steamers have sometimes gotten a bad rap for beating up track, but the prime examples I remember were both 0-6-0's on not the best track--Strasburg's early days with 77-ton 31/7312 (12.8 tons per wheel, almost same as an E8) and the New Hope & Ivyland's short affair with chunky ex-Army #9.........

It depends is probably the most accurate assessment. In addition to weight per axle, what is the rigid wheelbase of each unit? What is the ruling curve? Any really tight turnouts? Are there any bridges or trestles where more than one axle will be on the structure? And in the case of steam, dynamic loading of the reciprocating mechanism.

Will there be a problem with hunting or nosing into a curve? That is assumed to some degree on a steam engine with no pilot or trailing wheels. But not at all unknown on diesels, and even some freight cars were prone to this and restricted or retired early from regular service.

Take all these factors, and then add in the speed it will operate, which can mitigate many of these factors, or in the opposite sense, amplify them.

So, sure, you look at the equipment, but also the design and condition of the railroad it will operate upon.

Bob Kutella

I've seen your track and know saddletankers intimately - you have no problem. You won't get it up to a high enough speed to cause dynamic augment which could locate weak spots for you, and the rigid wheelbase of the 0-4-0 is probably less than that of the E8 truck, or about the same.

These little kettles were built to run on light, badly laid, ballastless industrial sidings carrying a couple very heavy cars of minerals or other commodities. you will be just fine.

dave

I can't think of any excursion operation that we've inspected where it was painfully obvious that steam was being run and a direct cause of decreased track condition.

There are a couple exceptions - longer-wheelbase locomotives with sharp curve spreading for gauge; and one engineering investigation we did on a larger locomotive for excursion operations where the dynamic augment actually was a factor - it was when the locomotive was built, and it hadn't gotten any better with time. But at low speeds under 25mph it was +-5000 lb hammerblow on a BIG loco, still a relatively minor factor in what was a real killer on individual axle loadings and total bridge impact.

Your FRA guy is right that steam 'usually' has some track issues, but a lot of diesels do too. Can't remember the last time I saw engine burns around a switch frog on a steam excursion line!

Tell your track forman/truck driver to be quiet and take his medicine, I will guarantee that any road diesel that has ever been over your road has likely had both a longer wheelbase and heavier axle loading.