During the steam era, the 0-6-0 six wheeled switching locomotive was a behind the scenes workhorse locomotive at yards and terminals .

I spotted this photograph at My link page falen Flags.Org, located to the right of Your computer screen at http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/

Railfan photographer Greg Dickenson, photographed this Wabash Railroad 0-6-0 switcher at work at an unknown location on the southside of Chicago Illinois on August 13th, 1938.

0 6 -0"s and their larger relative the 0 -8 -0 swither locomotives, were mostly used at freight yards and passenger train terminals. Most of the time, they slowly moved back and forth. They would either be assembling or disassembling a freight train in the yard. Although their speed was limited, they were capable of light road work on branchlines, and would sometimes be assigned to switching locals or short way freights.

Larger 0-6-0's and 0-8-0's, could sometimes be found pulling transfer trains between train yards in most any urban metropolitan area during the steam era. These locomotives were also known as "Yard Goats" by some railfans.