The NZR K class of 1877 was the first example of American-built locomotives to be used on New Zealand's railways. Their success coloured locomotive development in New Zealand until the end of steam. K88 "Washington" The NZR bought eight of these locomotives in the 1870's. They were built by Rogers, of Patterson New Jersey and gave excellent service, finally being written off in the 1920's. This one was buried in a riverbank for about fifty years, before being dug up and restored to steam. They are a 2-4-2 tender locomotive. This wheel arrangement was later named "Columbia"
The NZR K class of 1877 was the first example of American-built locomotives to be used on New Zealand's railways. Their success coloured locomotive development in New Zealand until the end of steam. K88 "Washington" The NZR bought eight of these locomotives in the 1870's. They were built by Rogers, of Patterson New Jersey and gave excellent service, finally being written off in the 1920's. This one was buried in a riverbank for about fifty years, before being dug up and restored to steam. They are a 2-4-2 tender locomotive. This wheel arrangement was later named "Columbia" after a loco which appeared at the Columbia exhibition, but Rogers called it a Hudson Double Ender. These locos were very successful and greatly influenced the type of locomotives used in New Zealand for the rest of the steam era. The first two bore names when they arrived, "Washington" and "Lincoln", but there was enough fuss made about buying engines from the rebel colonies and so the names did not last long. Neither did the bells, but in restoration both the name and the bell have returned. The crosshead feedpump has not been restored, perhaps wisely in view of the poor reliability of such pumps. The problem was that they were controlled by throttling the suction side, which causes cavitation and so is very hard on the pump. Curiously the Americans persisted in controlling pumps in this way for about 50 years, from the 1830's until injectors started to take over.
Size: 1944px × 1285px
Photo credit: © ART Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: alpha, ashburton, photograph, plains, railway, sony
