Y3 2-8-8-2

Union Pacific  No. 3672

Perfect For Heavy Freights!

First built for the Southern Pacific in 1909 to tame its tough western grades, the 2-8-8-2 articulated Mallet soon caught the attention of roads facing similar problems.

In 1910, Norfolk and Western ordered five 2-8-8-2s (Class Y-1) similar to the SP models from Baldwin.

By 1918, lessons learned from the first group led to an improved version, the Y-2; with minor changes to the cylinders, these became Class Y-2a, which served as the basis for the United States Railway Administration (USRA) 2-8-8-2.

Although delivered too late for the war effort, the N&W received 50 of the USRA engines in 1919, which it classified as Y-3.

In 1923 another 30 were ordered with larger tenders (Y-3a), followed by 10 more in 1927 fitted with feedwater heaters.

During World War II, several Y-3s were sold to various western railroads that were desperate to ease motive power shortages.

Although well suited to coal-hauling duties in the Appalachians, the big articulateds proved too slow for most of their new owners and they were retired or sold following the war.

At home, Y-3s remained in service until 1958.

• Traction tires for superior pulling power
• Electrical pickup on loco & tender
• DCC Ready - 8-pin socket in tender
• Railroad-specific details
• Accumate® knuckle couplers
• Flywheel equipped for smooth operation
• Constant intensity & directional headlights
• RP-25 wheels operate of Code 55 or larger rail
• Heavy die-cast, split-frame chassis
• Powerful skew-wound motor

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