The Bridge and Building Dept. gang has finished their work at Cleveland. It is now being looked over. Lawrence Baggerly Collection.
That's impressive steel for 130 years ago, resting on what appear to be concrete piers. Though what look like form lines may be brick and mortar lines. Hard to tell, but the slope back tender in the background implies its owner may be a switcher, not a road engine.
I've never heard of an 0-4-0 being used as a road engine--not even in countries which used 0-6-0 types as passenger power.
Switchers; steam, diesel and electric, did and still do road work. From making transfer runs to being called upon for a local. They may be limited in tonnage capabilities, but it did and does happen. That 0-4-0 appears to be on another track, which crosses the bridge behind that in foreground.
Definitely true. Switchers do venture out on the road. Likewise, road locomotives have always found themselves getting relegated to heavy switching duties. Particularly things like Consolidations and SD-9s.
On the Niles- Benton harbor switch run we would change engines with the yard engine at BH . Most of these engines had throttles that did not have notched positions 1-8 . The track was 30 mph. ,so with 15 cars it was not going to be fast. Once we left Niles I would hold the throttle wide open with a rubber tied to the bell valve . If I needed to slow down I would use the brakes and leave the throttle wide open . Coming back to Niles Jct. it was uphill and all these little would pull was about 20 cars washing machines and dryers . I have seen the stacks be red hot half way up from the from the body to the top of the stack . LEW
Here is the other photo from this set of two. Big Four Stock Express stock car going to the Yard while the B&B (Bridge and Building Dept.) gang watch. 1887 vintage (Cleveland). Lawrence Baggerly Collection.
