Sao Paulo a Rio Grande 2-8-2 Locomotives in Brazil

Class 301 (Locobase 15128)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Vol 66, pp. 278+. Works numbers were 55021-55022 in September 1921.

Wood-burning Mikados apparently based on the Alco duplicates described in Locobase 15129, this pair was bought by the Sorocabana for service on their Sao Paulo-Rio Grandel line. The two followed the 214s almost immediately in production but mounted superheated boilers and were outfitted with Baldwin components. This change called for 8" (203 mm) piston valves, but the larger tender still carried 2 1/2 cords of wood.

This was one of the most powerful metre-gauge Mikados delivered by Baldwin to work on a Brazilian railway.

Class 303 (Locobase 15397)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University,Vol 78, pp. 262+. Works numbers were 58343-58356 in April 1925 and 58391-58400 in May.

Relatively small, well-balanced, bi-fuel (coal AND wood) superheated Mikados, this pair of engines generated substantial quantities of superheated steam that was admitted to their cylinders through 8" (203 mm) piston valves. Features of the locomotive included a large grate, a low grate to heating surface area, high degree of superheat, a combustion chamber, and two arch tubes that were shipped "unapplied", but ready for installation at the destination. Its fuel was a combination of pine knots and Brazilian coal.

Locobase has found little about the owners and knows only that the railway had maximum grades of 3% and relatively gentle curve radii of 80 metres.

The roster of such Mikes on the SPRG would be supplemented by the two LePrevost locomotives shown in Locobase 15398 and the Macedo engine briefly describe in Locobase 15399.