Rusty Traque posted:Dominic Mazoch posted:Were there any advantages for NYC or UP for using a tender with such a wheel arangement? A tendet with a 4 and a 3 axle trucks would give one the same number of acled in a more flexable wheelbase.
Weight distribution.
Water weighs a lot. 25,000 gallons or so in the case of the Big Boy. There's less weight per axle. 14 axles distributes the weight on the rails more evenly than 4, 6 or 8.
Rusty
I believe the tender when full actually weighed more than the engine, at least more than a Hudson.
Pete