Re: Blind Drivers - a few questions

kcsivils Wrote:
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> Were blind drivers ever used on standard gauge
> locomotives with long, stiff wheelbases?


Yes! Regularly--during some eras regularly enough that it could be considered standard practice. During the 1870's/1880's period probably the majority of locomotives with from 3 to 5 coupled axles used blind drivers on at least one axle. Later they crop up regularly, though not universally, in the various 2-10-2 and similar designs throughout the country. The development of lateral motion axle boxes caused a decline of blind driving wheels in new construction, with some older locomotives being retrofit.


The locomotives that became class D&RGW K-27 were built with the second and third pairs of drivers flangeless, which as noted above was basically standard practice for the era.