2-6-6-2 "Mallet Mogul" Locomotives in the USA

The first Mallet was an 0-6-6-0. Around 1905 the Great Northern Railroad was interested in one but wanted a locomotive that was better suited to main line operation. Baldwin built five "0-6-6-0"s with leading and trailing two-wheel trucks. This configuration suited the GN's curving main line of the Cascades.

It wasn't until 1910 that 2-6-6-2s were built with their firebox behind the drivers and supported by the trailing truck which is normally why one would have a trailing truck. Subsequent 2-6-6-2s were built following this design.

The 2-6-6-2 was primarily a low-speed locomotive. This wheel arrangement was also commonly used on the logging railroads in the Western USA. However, the C&O (Chesapeake & Ohio) continued developing the 2-6-6-2. Their versions evolved into very large road locomotives. With their smokebox-mounted air pumps, they looked quite impressive. Fortunately, two of these class H-6 C&O locomotives survive today.

This wheel arrangement was also used by the Southern Pacific in their development of the Cab Forward locomotive. On the SP this wheel arrangement was called a "Mallet Mogul".


Railroads that used 2-6-6-2 "Mallet Mogul" Locomotives in the USA (data provided by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media)

Surviving Examples of 2-6-6-2 "Mallet Mogul" Locomotives in the USA

No.ClassF.M. WhyteGaugeRailroad LineLocationStatusBuilder InfoNotes
46 (110)2-6-6-24'-8½"CWR (Weyerhaeuser) Pacific Southwest Railway Museum, Campo, CAdisplayBaldwin #62064, 1937 Appeared in There Goes A Train.
122-6-6-24'-8½"SW Forest Ind Pioneer Historical Museum, 2340 N Ft Valley Rd (US 180), Flagstaff, AZdisplayBaldwin #60870, 1929
1102-6-6-2T4'-8½"Rayonier (Weyerhaeuser) Black Hills Central Railroad, Hill City, SDoperationalBaldwin #60561, 1928
1082-6-6-2T4'-8½"Weyerhaeuser Black Hills Central Railroad, Hill City, SDoperationalBaldwin #59087, 1926Restoration From Snoqualmie, WA.
1308H-62-6-6-24'-8½"C&O C.P. Huntington RR Hist Soc, Huntington, WVdisplayBaldwin #74277, 1949 One of only two surviving C&O 2-6-6-2s, the other one being C&O (WMSR) 1309. Placed on the National Register of Historical Places on January 31, 2003.
382-6-6-24'-8½"Weyerhaeuser Modoc Northern Siding, Merrill, ORdismantledOperated by Rayonier INC. until 1968, making her the last Baldwin logging mallet to be retired from commercial use. From a lot a mile from Great Western Railroad Museum, McCloud, CA, Fred Kepner collection. Being kept by the Oregon Coast Scenic.
1309H-62-6-6-24'-8½"WM (C&O) Western MD Scenic Shops, Ridgeley, WVoperationalBaldwin #74278, 1949Restoration From the B&O Railroad Museum. Last steam locomotive built by Baldwin. Test fired and moved under its own power on December 31, 2020. Debuted in excursion service on December 17, 2021.
62-6-6-24'-8½"Weyerhaeuser Northwest Railway Museum, Snoqualmie, WAdisplayBaldwin #60412, 1928Operated from 1969 to 1974.
11110 ton2-6-6-24'-8½"US Plywood Northwest Railway Museum, Snoqualmie, WAdisplayBaldwin #59701, 1926 Operated from 1974 to 1990.
42-6-6-2T4'-8½"Clover Valley Niles Canyon Railway, Sunol, CAoperationalBaldwin #57684, 03/1924Ran test runs in the summer of 2012.
82-6-6-2T4'-8½"Rayonier Roots of Motive Power, Willits, CArestorationBaldwin #58064, 1924 From Shelton, then Chehalis, WA.
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