N&W Class W6 Shop Switcher

N&W Class W6 Shop Switcher

Norfolk & Western Class W6 0-8-0T Steam Powered Shop Switcher




Most railways steam powered shop switchers, were rebuilt road and yard switchers that had seen better days. The Norfolk & Western converted all of their W6 shifters from 2-8-0 class W and W1 freight haulers, originally built in the very late 1800s and early 1900s.

Shop switchers, sometimes referred to as shifters or shop goats, move wrecked or otherwise unpowered locomotives, detached tenders and damaged rolling stock, to and from various repair, maintenance and holding facilities within their assigned engine yard. The extreme shortness of the shop switcher is a deliberate design feature, explained by their need to accompany their consist during maneuvers on the turntable and engine shop transfer tables.

The W6, at just less than 42 feet, sacrificed pilot and trailer wheelsets and tender; carrying instead, about 4,000 pounds of coal in an ad hoc coal bunker located directly behind the cab. The W6 also featured a sporty 2,000 gallon saddletank draped across the boiler near the center of the locomotive. The saddletank held enough water for about two (2) hours of operation between refills.

The engine sound files for this model were supplied by Gary Hoorn & Associates.

Statistics
==========
Boiler Pressure: 200 PSI
Tractive Effort: 40,163 pounds
Length: 41 feet 11.5 inches (pulling faces)
Height: 15 feet 3.25 inches (top of steam whistle)
Drivers: 56 inch
Period of Operation: Early 1900s to 1960

Bibliography
============
'Norfolk & Western Steam (The Last 25 Years)',
by Ron Rosenberg and Eric H. Archer
'The Norfolk & Western Railway: Williamson Terminal-1953',
by Vern French

Author: Bruce Perry

N&W Class W6 Shop Switcher
• config.txt 7.08KB
w6_alpha_numbers
alphanumber_0.tga 4.04KB
alphanumber_1.tga 4.04KB
alphanumber_2.tga 4.04KB
alphanumber_3.tga 4.04KB
alphanumber_4.tga 4.04KB
alphanumber_5.tga 4.04KB
alphanumber_6.tga 4.04KB
alphanumber_7.tga 4.04KB
alphanumber_8.tga 4.04KB
alphanumber_9.tga 4.04KB
w6_art
w6_art_512.texture.txt 69 bytes
w6_art_512.tga 1.00MB
w6_art_icon.texture.txt 71 bytes
w6_art_icon.tga 32.02KB
w6_body
absoluteblack.texture.txt 36 bytes
absoluteblack.tga 12.53KB
cabgreen.texture.txt 31 bytes
cabgreen.tga 48.53KB
coal.texture.txt 27 bytes
coal.tga 48.53KB
engineblack.texture.txt 34 bytes
engineblack.tga 48.53KB
env_metal.bmp 12.05KB
env_metal.texture.txt 32 bytes
saddletankblack.texture.txt 38 bytes
saddletankblack.tga 48.53KB
w6.texture.txt 25 bytes
w6.tga 768.53KB
w6_body.im 770.55KB