The Locomotive Pattern consists of a grand trine in which two sides of the "grand triangle" are occupied with planets, while the third side of the triangle is empty; thus the locomotive is the geometric negative of the Wedge Planetary Pattern. The "boundary planets" of the occupied two thirds of the chart must be two planets in the grand trine (see page 53, upper left). If there is an open space within the two-thirds occupied area that exceeds 65°, then the pattern is not a Locomotive but probably an Hourglass. If there are two open areas within the two-thirds occupied area that each exceed 65°, then the pattern is probably a Tripod.

The Locomotive Planetary Pattern is very driven, and drives towards the midpoint of the open 120° area. This midpoint often symbolizes—by its sign and house position—what the Locomotive individual most wants in life.

This is the third most frequently occurring of all the planetary patterns. A dynamic and practical capacity, which while in a sense, eccentric, lacks extremes of universality or obsession. Celebrities with a Locomotive pattern are/were Steve Allen, James Arness, Dirk Benedict, Pat Boone, Dave Brubeck, Eric Clapton, Tim Curry, Hugh Downs, Arthur Fiedler, Bobby Fischer, Art Garfunkel, Henry Kissinger, Lynn Redgrave, Jane Russell, Aaron Spelling and Ed Sullivan.