This N Scale Class Y6b 2-8-8-2 from Broadway Limited is based on the the workhorses operated by the Norfolk & Western railroad. Starting with locomotive #2120 in 1936, the Y6 class would become the final refinement of the 2-8-8-2 design, and the Y6b is considered the epitome of the compound mallet development. The N&W shops in Roanoke, Virginia gave all Y Class engine and tender axles roller bearings and they used the same outside frame lead truck as the Class A. The trailing truck was also equipped with roller bearings which were fit into an outside frame design. With these improvements, the Y6's cost considerably more than their earlier brethren, but the maintenance records show that these locomotives had a time available for assignment far superior to any of the predecessors.
The Y6b had a starting tractive effort in simple configuration of 152,206 pounds. In the compound mode, a tractive effort of 126,838 was achieved. The locomotives delivered 5,500 horsepower. The Y6b locomotive weight was 582,900lbs with 522,850lbs directly on the drivers.
When the N&W ceased its mainline steam operations in 1959, 50 of the Y6s were still running out serviceable miles in the coal fields waiting for the final order of diesels to replace them. The last of the Class Ys were retired in the summer of 1960.