The American type locomotive, illustrated in Fig. 7, is typical of the small sized engines of this construction which are now being rapidly replaced by other types. For a period of nearly fifty years ending about 1895, the American type locomotive was more commonly used for passenger service than any other type.A comparison of things with reference to size, weight, and color impresses their relative characteristics upon the mind. For this reason, the illustrations of the Tornado and the Mallet compound locomotives are given in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9, respectively, the former being an early development, and the latter the most recent heavy freight locomotive.
The Tornado was the second locomotive owned by one of the parent lines forming a part of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad. This locomotive was imported from England and put into service in March, 1840. It has two inclined cylinders 9 inches in diameter with a common stroke of 20 inches and a single pair of drivers 54 inches in diameter. The fire-box stands upright and is cylindrical in form, while the boiler proper is horizontal and but 34 inches in diameter. The steam is admitted to an exhaust from the cylinders by plain slide valves controlled by the Hook motion.
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