Elsass-Lothringen 4-6-2 Locomotives in Germany

Class S6 / S12 / 231A (Locobase 7917)

Data from [] and from "British and Foreign Locomotive Footplates," The Locomotive Magazine, Vol XV (15 October 1909), p. 189; and diagram Loco: 143, Societe Alsacienne de Constructions Mecaniques from locomotive book supplied by Dany Machi up at [] as

Diagrammes des machines SACM construites a GRAFENSTADEN (October 2007).

The only Pacifics built by the EL during its 49-year independent existence, these engines proved a mediocre design. The superheater was too small for a boiler already at the lower end of capacity. The narrow, French-style Belpaire firebox rode between the drivers and the Serve tubes (large diameter with internal ribs) may have been too few in number. (Note: tube measurement is inside diameter; external diameter was 70 mm (2.76").

Because the Prussian railways S10 4-6-0s and south German Pacifics later grouped as BR 18s offered more power and were available, production of the S12 stopped at 8.

Their later history suggests that tall drivers and the Pacific layout in a pre-existing form had its virtues for power-hungry railrways after all. At the end of World War I, this octet was thrown into the mix of German war reparations locomotives given to victorious countries and assigned to France. When the SNCF was formed in 1938, they were classed as 231A and given 301-308 as road numbers. Three survivors of the Second World War -- 303, 306, 307 -- went to Luxemburg as their numbers 3711-3713. They ran for the CFL until November, August, and December of 1950, respectively. Two others -- 302, 304 -- remained in East Germany and ran until 1953. Another two in Poland were scrapped in May 1946.