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The Heisler locomotive was one of the famous American geared steam locomotives. Counting all Shay, Climax, Baldwin and Heisler types about 4,000 locomotives have been built. Charles L. Heisler received a patent for the design in 1892 following the construction of a prototype in 1891. Similar to a Climax locomotive, Heisler’s design featured two cylinders canted inwards at a 45° angle to form a ‘V-twin’ arrangement. Power then went to a longitudinal drive shaft in the centre of the frame that drove the outboard axle on each powered truck through bevel gears in an enclosed gearbox riding on the axle between the truck frames. The inboard axle on each truck was then driven from the outboard one by external connecting rods.
The Heisler was the fastest of the geared steam locomotive designs, and yet was still claimed by its manufacturer to have the same low speed hauling ability.
850 Heisler type locomotives have been built, the last one was delivered by the Heisler Locomotive Works in 1945.
