Re: Late 1800's wheel profile?

The ICC was founded in 1887 but was not regulating the technology of railroading, and Of course, in the 1800's there was no FRA or even USRA... the industry was self regulated by the Master Car Builder's Association, who created a set of rules for cars in interchange... (so locomotives were not specifically included, and passenger cars were ignored to some extent... )

The MCB had a standard wheel profile it published. You can find it on line in the 1906 car builders dictionary (figure 5234)

[www.archive.org]

The standard wheel profie was adopted in 1886, refined in 1906, by increasing the flange height... that change being adopted in 1907... While details have been refined, it is esscially the same wheel profile used today.

Locomotives could of course have blind drivers, or half flanges, and would occasionally have wider treads on a more or less standard wheel profile (maintaining the flange size and taper.)

Randy Hees

Director, Nevada State Railroad Museum, Boulder City, retired
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