[?] Subscribe To This Site

Central Vermont Railway Steam Locomotives

The classifications given by railroads to their steam locomotive fleets were as varied as the machines themselves with several different designations within a particular class! The Central Vermont Railway steam locomotives also carried several class designations and although the railroad was rather small in size fielded some very large models including 4-8-2 Mountains and 2-10-4 Texas Types. In any event, the information here is merely meant to list the general types of steam locomotives operated by the Central Vermont Railway and does not go into detail about their specific differences.

While the CV did have large steamers like Mountains and Texas Types for heavy drag service in northern New England it tended to rely on smaller wheel arrangements for most tasks such as Ten-Wheelers and Consolidations (along with a few Pacifics). As with the rest of the industry, the CV had retired its steam fleet by the late 1950s in favor of diesel. While none of the railroad's large steam locomotives are known to survive, at least one original CV steamer is known to exist, a 4-6-0 Ten-Wheeler preserved at the Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, Vermont.

Class B

The CV's Class B steam locomotives included 4-4-0 Americans, of which there were two units in the class; B-1-c and B-3-a.

Class D-2-a

The CV's Class D-2-a denoted a single 2-6-0 Mogul.

Class E-7-a

The CV's Class E-7-a denoted a single 2-6-0 Mogul.

Class G-2-a

The CV's Class G-2-a denoted a set of 4-6-0 Ten-Wheelers.

Class I

The CV's Class I steam locomotives included 4-6-0 Ten-Wheelers among three different classes; I-6-b, I-6-c, and I-7-a.

Class K-3-b

The CV's Class K-3-b denoted the railroad's only three 4-6-2 Pacifics.

Class M

The CV's Class M steam locomotives included 2-8-0 Consolidations among two different classes; M-2-a and M-3-a.

Class N-5-a

The CV's Class N-5-a denoted a fleet of sixteen 2-8-0 Consolidations.

Class 0-9-a

The CV's Class 0-9-a were three 0-6-0 switchers.

Class P-1-a

The CV's Class P-1-a were eight 0-8-0 switchers.

Class T-3-a

The CV's Class T-3-a denoted the railroad's fleet of ten 2-10-4 Texas Types.

Class U-1-a

The CV's Class U-1-a denoted the railroad's only four 4-8-2 Mountains.

For much more information about Central Vermont Railway steam locomotives please click here for detailed roster information that covers every steamer the railroad operated.

For more reading on the Central Vermont Railway, and its steam locomotives, you might want to consider purchasing one of the books in the series, The Central Vermont Railway – A Yankee Tradition by author Robert Jones. This comprehensive series, spanned in several volumes, thoroughly details the Central Vermont from its earliest beginnings to its final years. Depending on what time period you are interested in reading about the CV this series of books covers it all. If you have any interest in the Central Vermont or would just like to learn more about this New England Railroad I would strongly recommend one of Mr. Jones’ fabulous volumes covering the railroad. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing these books please visit The Railroad Diamond by clicking the tab in the menu to your left marked "TRD Store".

footer for central vermont railway steam locomotives page