Category talk:Steam locomotives

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[edit] Discussion from Categories for deletion

This category was listed for deletion on January 11, 2005. There was no clear consensus to delete so it has been retained. A copy of this discussion follows. RedWolf 00:31, Jan 28, 2005 (UTC)


This category has been rendered redundant by the introduction of the Category: Locomotives by Whyte classification, which includes all steam locomotives. Musicandcomedy 13:42, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC)

  • No it doesn't. Category: Locomotives by Whyte classification is a subcategory of steam locomotives since there are multiple ways of classifying steam locomotives, e.g. by nationality, gauge, etc.Dunc| 15:54, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC)
    • I agree there are many ways of dividing steam locomtives, but if we have all steam locomotives in a category organised by Whyte notation and then again in a category organised by owning railway company, why would we need another category with all steam locomotives in without any arrangement? Musicandcomedy 16:07, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC)
    • As a container for the other steam locomotive categories. It's also the case that someone encountering an unclassified article and not familiar with the classification schemes will want to put the article into a more general category (steam locomotives is a good example, other umbrella categories include, in biology, insects and arachnids) Then the article will be visible to people who find themselves maintaining those categories in detail, and they can pick up the task of refining the classification.--Tony Sidaway|Talk 16:16, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC)
    • I take your point, but I would have thought that the overarching category Locomotives should be sufficent for the needs of non-specialists. My concern about putting the Whyte Notation category in the steam locomotives section is that diesel shunting locomotives are also described by the Whyte Notation (in the UK at any rate). If we are to have subdivisions by Whyte in both a steam and non-steam category, things could get complicated. Why not leave division by Whyte as a sub-category of Locomotives and ignore the extra layer of steam or non-steam? I still can't see what it's adding. Musicandcomedy 16:44, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC)