Rio Grande do Sul 2-6-0 Locomotives in Brazil

Class 1 (Locobase 13987)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 44, p. 188. Beginning with Volume 18, 15 July 1912 issue,p. 144, Locomotive Magazine (London) published Lionel Wiener's multi-part report on "The Locomotives of the Rio Grande do Sul Railway, Brazil). The series begins with a two-page overview of operating conditions on pp. 144-145.Works numbers were 40738-40741 in October 1913.

Wiener reasoned that the RG do Sul deserved attention because of its size and length, with some runs extending as far as 491 miles (791 km). Gradients were steep and frequent, the track poorly ballasted and laid with 36-46 lb/yard (18-23 kg/metre). Maximum speed was 28 mph (45 kph) for passenger trains, 18 mph (29 kph) for freights.

The contract for this quartet of Moguls was made with the Empreza Constructora Joao Correa a Irma de Brazil and the Banco da Provinda de Rio Grande do Sul

Class 24 (Locobase 20098)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 20, p. 177. Lionel Wiener, "Locomotives of the Rio Grande do Sul", Volume 18 (15 November 1912), p. 235. Works numbers were 23997 in March 1904 and 24026-24027 in April.

22 years after the Rio Grande ordered several Moguls from Baldwin (Locobase 12210), it came back to the Philadelphia builder for three more. These were slightly scaled down from the earlier engines with less cylinder volume and a smaller boiler, but they put more weight on the rails. They also burned soft coal instead of the Cardiff briquettes used in 1882.

Class Rio Grande (Locobase 11802)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 11, p. 190; Volume 12, p. 26. See also Lionel Wiener, "Locomotives of the Rio Grande do Sul", Locomotive Magazine, Volume 18 (15 July 1912), p. 146. Works numbers were 6434 in October 1882; 6436-6439, 6441 in November; 7175-7178 in February 1884, and 7280-7283 in April.

The 1882 sextet of Moguls had the following names: Rio Grande, Piratinim, Povo-Novo, Pelotas, Sao Jose do Norte, and Santa Izabel. Four that followed in early 1884 were dubbed: Cangussu, Serrito, Jaguarao, and Herval. In April, four more--Larros, Capella da Luz, Sao Lourenco, and Bage were produced. These engines trailed larger tenders with capacities of 2,200 US gallons (8,327 litres) of water each.

Fuel for this class consisted of fine coal blended with "some resinous substance" pressed into a hard briquette (according to a contemporary report in Railroad & Engineering Journal, Volume LXII, No. 10 (October 1883), p. 479.). Wiener reported that the "Cardiff briquettes" contained 3,850 BTU, of which only 3,300 BTU would be absorbed by a locomotive firebox. The briquettes were mixed in with the more calorie-substantial Cardiff coal, which offered BTU levels as high as 14,500. At the time of their delivery, the Rio Grande to Bage line of 175 miles had been completed with 42-lb/yard (21 kg/metre) rail.

NB: see Locobase 13987 for an overview of the RG do Sul as described by Lionel Wiener in 1912.