Under the Whyte notation system, a steam locomotive that has a single-axle leading truck followed by four powered driving axles, and no trailing wheels. Its popular name is "Consolidation" as its appearance coincided with the consolidation of several Eastern coal railroads. The Consolidation was extremely popular, especially in the first quarter of the 20th century.
1945 January and February, “Notes and News: American Locomotives in France”, in Railway Magazine, page 46:
The locomotive was the now inevitable American 2-8-0, No. 2623. There she stood, effectively blocking the level crossing, simmering gently, massively inert. It was almost dark, and one's final sight was of her high, firelit cab, the enginemen nonchalantly leaning out, waiting for the right-away, while impatient road convoys piled up on both sides of the crossing.
