Vauclain Compound - Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages and Disadvantages

The claimed advantage for this arrangement, as with other compounding arrangements, was greater economy due to lower fuel and water consumption. In practice uneven forces at the crosshead produced excess wear, with increased maintenance costs thus offsetting any fuel economies. The integration of the compounding system into the smokebox saddle made conversion to conventional engines straightforward, so most Vauclain compounds were so converted and led normal lives thereafter. The only known operable example is Manitou and Pikes Peak Railway #4, which is preserved on-site along with the static display of its sister #5.