FC Argentine Great Western 2-8-0 Locomotives in Argentina


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 21/22 (Locobase 11234)

Data from diagram supplied at the [link] site, last accessed 17 April 2010.

This simple-expansion Consolidation class was delivered by North British Locomotive Company with saturated boilers to the Argentine Great Western in 1906-1907. They had Belpaire fireboxes and larger boilers than the Serie 3 cross-compound classes.

According to the much later diagram drafted by the AGW's nationalized offspring (FC D F Sarmiento), the 2100-2104 were later superheated for the General San Martin Railway. Locobase is not sure when that would have happened and the diagram provides no additional information.


Class 23 (Locobase 11235)

Data from diagram supplied at the [link] site, last accessed 17 April 2010.

Locobase knows that this class originally was built by North British in 1906-1907. At some later point, it was superheated to the dimensions and areas shown in the specifications. Many things he does not know - who bought these engines when they were new? When were they rebuilt? Did they always have larger-diameter small tubes?


Class 24 (Locobase 11236)

Data from diagram supplied at the [link] site, last accessed 17 April 2010.

Given the wide range of dates of production noted in the tables, Locobase suspects this was a sub-class created when the boiler was modified as shown in the diagram.

And quite a modification it was. Above and in front of the Belpaire firebox stood a long cylinder on two tubes that allowed steam in the boiler to rise into the cylinder.


Class 3 (Locobase 11230)

Data from diagram supplied at the [link] site, last accessed 17 April 2010. See also "The Buenos Ayres Great Southern Company's New Powerful Rolling Stock," Railway News (24 November 1906),p. 855.

This large class of cross-compound Consolidations have many of the same specifications as the Vulcan Foundry engines shown in Locobase 6370 and delivered to the FC del Sud de Buenos Aires (FCS) in the same period. Valves were inside, cylinders outside and slightly raked with the HP cylinder on the left side of the smokebox saddle. The firebox had the square-shouldered Belpaire lines.

All but five of these were superheated in the 1920s; see Locobase 11231.


Class 3 (Locobase 11231)

Data from diagram supplied at the [link] site, last accessed 17 April 2010.

The AGW began superheating many of its saturated-boiler classes in the 1920s. Locobase's date for this class is an estimate. As with many superheating projects, big changes were confined to the boiler itself where 5-6 small tubes ("chicos" in these diagrams) were swapped for each new flue ("grandes").

Unlike the North American practice, this update did not include simpling the expansion or replacing the valve gear. Beyer, Peacock supplied 29 new cross-compounds with superheaters and very similar dimensions in 1922; see Locobase 11232.

Just over half the class was later converted to oil-burning.


Class 3CS (Locobase 11232)

Data from diagram supplied at the [link] site, last accessed 17 April 2010. See also "Two-Cylinder Compound Locomotive, Buenos Ayres [sic] Western Railway", Locomotive Magazine, Volume XXVIII [28], No 358 (15 June 1922), pp. 155-156. Works numbers were 6057-6071 in 1921 and 6078-6092 in 1922.

Clearly, cross-compounding Consolidations proved a very satisfactory policy for the AGW because they bought them over a long period (both well before and some time after World War One) and retained them as compounds throughout their careers.

In the 1920s, the AGW superheated the large class of engines that came before the war; these are shown in Locobase 11231. The current entry describes the virtually identical batch that came from Beyer, Peacock in the same period. There were a few differences - notably a larger tender and the provision of Walschaert radial valve gear.

The LM report included a defense of "what must be regarded as an efficient form of the steam locomotive." Its value in "economical operation of slow-speed services", wrote the LM author, derived from the two-cylinder compound's "thermal advantage ...which remains valuable even when using superheated steam ...low first cost and maintenance charges."

When delivered, the class used oil fuel as shown in Locobase's specs. But the later diagram includes a fuel capacity of 6 long tons (6.6 short tons) of coal.

All but one remained cross-compound; the one that was simpled as a trial horse appears in Locobase 11233.


Class 3EX (Locobase 11233)

Data from diagram supplied at the [link] site, last accessed 17 April 2010.

Of the dozens of cross-compound Serie 3 Consolidations that came on the AGW over a long period (Locobases 11230-11232), only one seems to have been converted to simple-expansion. As the designation X and the relatively late date of the conversion suggests, this make-over of Serie 3CS #346seems to have occurred to rule out the possibility that by not doing so would deny the railway significant benefits to its bottom line.

Since this is the only one of 70 such engines to have been modified for simple expansion, it appears they were satisfied with what they had.


Class unknown (Locobase 16023)

Data from "Locomotives for South American Railways", The Locomotive, Volume 16 (15 September 1910), p.202.

This powerful 2-8-0 had a Belpaire firebox and an extended smokebox with a spark-arresting stack.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class21/22232433
Locobase ID11234 11235 11236 11230 11231
RailroadFC Argentine Great WesternFC Argentine Great WesternFC Argentine Great WesternFC Argentine Great WesternFC Argentine Great Western
CountryArgentinaArgentinaArgentinaArgentinaArgentina
Whyte2-8-02-8-02-8-02-8-02-8-0
Number in Class46104035
Road Numbers2101-2104, 2201-22082301-2306453-462 / 2403-2412301-340301-340
Gauge5'6"5'6"5'6"5'6"5'6"
Number Built1040
BuilderNorth BritishNorth BritishAGW
Year19481948190419051928
Valve GearWalschaertStephensonWalschaertStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)16.04 / 4.8917.25 / 5.2615.92 / 4.8516.04 / 4.8916.04 / 4.89
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)24.05 / 7.3325.17 / 7.6723.58 / 7.1924.05 / 7.3324.05 / 7.33
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.67 0.69 0.68 0.67 0.67
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)50.79 / 15.4853.88 / 16.4248.04 / 14.6448.92 / 14.9148.92 / 14.91
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)34,635 / 15,71035,838 / 16,25626,656 / 12,09134,158 / 15,49434,606 / 15,697
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)136,495 / 61,913141,786 / 64,313106,395 / 48,260133,049 / 60,350134,815 / 61,151
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)154,414 / 70,041154,105 / 69,901154,105 / 69,901149,400 / 67,767149,414 / 67,773
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)138,761 / 62,941139,544 / 63,296139,544 / 63,29696,483 / 43,764
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)293,175 / 132,982293,649 / 133,197293,649 / 133,197245,883 / 111,531
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)6001 / 22.736600 / 254921 / 18.644200 / 15.914200 / 15.91
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 6.70 / 6 6.70 / 6 6.70 / 6 6.70 / 6
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)57 / 28.5059 / 29.5044 / 2255 / 27.5056 / 28
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)55.50 / 141058 / 147352 / 132155.50 / 141055.50 / 1410
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)203.10 / 1400203.10 / 1400178.40 / 1230203.10 / 1400203.10 / 1400
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)19.02" x 25.98" / 483x66019.02" x 25.98" / 483x66017.01" x 24.02" / 432x61019" x 26" / 483x660 (1)19.02" x 25.98" / 483x660 (1)
Low Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)27.5" x 26" / 699x660 (1)27.52" x 25.98" / 699x660 (1)
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)29,235 / 13260.7927,974 / 12688.8120,267 / 9192.9719,762 / 8963.9019,784 / 8973.88
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.67 5.07 5.25 6.73 6.81
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)152 - 1.89" / 4887 - 2.126" / 54176 - 1.89" / 48241 - 1.875" / 48128 - 1.89" / 48
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)24 - 5.236" / 13321 - 5.236" / 13321 - 5.236" / 133
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)12.14 / 3.7012.6712.58
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)169.90 / 15.79136.97 / 12.7399.96 / 9.29137.73 / 12.80138.80 / 12.90
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)30.02 / 2.7927.98 / 2.6020.98 / 1.9524.75 / 2.3024.75 / 2.30
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1657 / 154.031377 / 128.011176 / 109.251633 / 151.771292 / 120.10
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)302 / 28.05313 / 29.07264 / 24.50
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1959 / 182.081690 / 157.081176 / 109.251633 / 151.771556 / 144.60
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume193.95161.17186.14382.79302.45
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation60975683374350275027
Same as above plus superheater percentage70126762374350275881
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area39,68333,10417,83327,97332,983
Power L111,48811,212410148809163
Power MT742.20697.34339.91323.45599.37

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class3CS3EXunknown
Locobase ID11232 11233 16023
RailroadFC Argentine Great WesternFC Argentine Great WesternFC Argentine Great Western
CountryArgentinaArgentinaArgentina
Whyte2-8-02-8-02-8-0
Number in Class301
Road Numbers341-370399
Gauge5'6"5'6"5'6"
Number Built30
BuilderBeyer, PeacockAGWRobert Stephenson & Co
Year192119321910
Valve GearWalschaertWalschaertWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)16.04 / 4.8916.04 / 4.8916.04 / 4.89
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)24.05 / 7.3324.05 / 7.3324.60 / 7.50
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.67 0.67 0.65
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)50.79 / 15.4850.79 / 15.48
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)35,887 / 16,27834,635 / 15,710
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)136,495 / 61,913136,495 / 61,913144,480 / 65,535
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)154,414 / 70,041154,414 / 70,041160,160 / 72,647
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)138,768 / 62,944138,761 / 62,941119,840 / 54,359
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)293,182 / 132,985293,175 / 132,982280,000 / 127,006
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)6001 / 22.736001 / 22.735400 / 20.45
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)2800 / 2545.50 6.70 / 611 / 10
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)57 / 28.5057 / 28.5060 / 30
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)55.50 / 141055.50 / 141055.50 / 1410
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)200 / 1380203.10 / 1400186 / 1280
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)19" x 26" / 483x660 (1)19.02" x 25.98" / 483x66020" x 26" / 508x660
Low Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)27.5" x 26" / 699x660 (1)
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)19,460 / 8826.9229,235 / 13260.7929,626 / 13438.14
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 7.01 4.67 4.88
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)114 - 1.875" / 48128 - 1.89" / 48
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)21 - 5.236" / 13321 - 5.236" / 133
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)13.67 / 4.1712.58
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)137 / 12.73138.91 / 12.91186 / 17.28
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)24.50 / 2.2824.96 / 2.3235 / 3.25
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1292 / 120.031292 / 120.122352 / 218.51
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)264 / 24.53264 / 24.52
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1556 / 144.561556 / 144.642352 / 218.51
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume302.86151.23248.79
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation490050696510
Same as above plus superheater percentage573359316510
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area32,05833,00934,596
Power L1901195935973
Power MT582.17619.77364.57

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