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An Historic Locomotive

The first locomotive of the (4-6-2) type, shown above, was built in 1901 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the New Zealand Government Railways, but was not given a designating name. Two years later the American Locomotive Company constructed a similar engine (4-6-2) of standard gauge for service on the Missouri Pacific Railway and, with this locomotive, originated the type designation of “Pacific.” The Pacific type is a development of the Atlantic type, having three pairs of driving wheels instead of two and consequently a larger boiler and firebox with the attendant increase in steam capacity and higher tractive effort. This type is used very extensively in passenger service—also for fast freight traffic.

(From “The Development of the Locomotive” published by The Central Steel Company, Massillon, Ohio, U.S.A.)