Garratt locomotive

A Garratt locomotive is a type of articulated steam locomotive invented by British engineer Herbert William Garratt that is articulated into three parts.^[1] Its boiler, firebox, and cab are mounted on a centre frame or "bridge". The two other parts, one at each end, have a pivot to support the central frame; they consist of a steam engine unit – with driving wheels, trailing wheels, valve gear, and cylinders, and above it, fuel and/or water storage.

Articulation permits locomotives to negotiate curves that might restrict large rigid-framed locomotives. The design also provides more driving wheels per unit of locomotive weight, permitting operation on lightly engineered track. Garratt locomotives produced as much as twice the tractive effort ^{[note 1]} of the largest conventional locomotives of railways that introduced them, reducing the need for multiple locomotives and crews.

Cite error: There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}} template (see the help page).