Articulated Locomotives beyond duplex.

[Alex the Aki]

Now I would do this myself if I had any knowledge skill or the time to learn it. So I have a question for those more capable than I. is the creation of these possible. as of current there is only one Duplex Locomotive in the game, the Big boy, 4-8-8-4 Duplex Mallet Locomotive. but it's less well known larger locomotives I wish to ask about. UIC system arrangement in brackets, I probably got it wrong because I don't understand it too well.

let's start with the Triplex locomotives, since these where actually built. 2-8-8-8-2 (1-D-D-D-1) Triplex locomotives where operated By Erie Railroad (numbers 5014, 5015 and 5016) and the Virginian Railway had a single 2-8-8-8-4 (1-D-D-D-2) built (unable to find locomotive number, but did find their class, XA). while not a great success these beasts where used for banking, as pusher engines where their power would assist trains up steep slopes on the line. I primarily understand that the animating of the locomotives would be comparatively more difficult due to the 3 sets of driving wheels both the front and rear of which pivot to traverse corners.

Next are the Quadruplexes. the Simplest of these would be the beyer peakcock Quadrulex, it has a garret layout, well partially, the front and rearmost drive wheels are attached as a mallet locomotive to the tenders. it is a 2-6-6-2+2-6-6-2 (1-C-C-1+1-C-C-1) and may be simpler to build than a purely mallet locomotive, or may be harder due to more parts. but our next Quadruplex is US patent number 1,100,563 by Baldwin, 2-8-8-8-8-2 (1-D-D-D-D-1). I have the feeling this monstrosity will be a total pain, as it's a flexible mallet, while it would be impressive to see running, I doubt anyone would want to try ensuring it functions. when I started writing this I didn't realise but there was in fact a Quadruplex built in Belgium, No 2096:1932 a Franco-Costi with 0-6-2+2-4-2-4-2+2-6-0 (C-1+1-B-1-B-1+1-C). Our last Quadruplex though is 'the big boy garrett', We'll meet this again later. a 2-8-8-4+4-8-8-2 (1-D-D-2+2-D-D-1) design it's not that terrible looking from the picture I have found.

Quintuplex, or what Quintuplexs I can find. which are two proposals in Baldwin, a 2-8-8-8-8-8-2 (1-D-D-D-D-D-1) and a 2-10-10-10-10-10-2 (1-E-E-E-E-E-1), I don't think silly describes these well enough, being proposals I don't know much about them, beyond some drawing existed.

Now I have one final group, the Hexaplex, 6 sets of driving wheels, a Franco-Crosti project had one as 2-4-4-2+2-8-8-2+2-4-4-2 (1-B-B-1+1-D-D-1+1-B-B-1). apparently they wanted to sell it to Russia. But the big boy Garrett is back as 'the bigger boy', there was space under the boiler, so they stuck wheels there, so it's now 4-8-8-0+4-8-8-4+0-8-8-4 (2-D-D+2-D-D-2+D-D-2). In case you needed some really heavy locomotive with huge tractive effort.

in practice they could serve a purpose, if you have a steep incline then such a locomotive could be useful if you can't simply replace it with a tunnel or a huge run up (e.g. realism or making a train set)

But quite honestly, I am quite happy with any articulated steam engines, they are my favourites. and would love to see others thought on the task of modelling these for the game.

[Skiwee]

Took me a bit to understand the technical terms your using, as I'm not that dedicated to the topic. But regardless of the configurations mentiond above, it's all possible to animate. There are very few limitations on whats possible.

[Eresian]

I want to point out. The Big Boy was not a duplex historically, nor was it a mallet. It employed the same articulation as a mallet but it used simple expansion rather than compound. Mallets are compound, Big Boys are simple.

Also, duplex means that both engines are fixed on the same frame. The Big Boy had its front engine mounted to swivel, like a mallet. The Big Boy in game is neither articulated like a mallet nor like a duplex. Duplexes are not articulated. Mallets have a fixed rear engine. The in-game Big Boy has both engines swivelling.

The only examples of American duplexes that I am aware of are the Pennsylvania's S1, T1, Q1, and Q2 locomotives. They were not articulated and did not have swivelling engines. All other multi-engine steam locomotives swivel and thus are not duplexes.

These are all common mistakes but I just wanted to clear up the terminology.

[☢HAL 9000]

After trying (and failing) to understand what your going on about, I think this is what your looking for:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1741620392&searchtext=

[Alex the Aki]

it is exactly what I was talking about. a articulated locomotive beyond duplex. triplex and quadplex.