Central do Brasil 2-8-8-4 Locomotives in Brazil

Class 1304 (Locobase 2496)

Data from H. le Fleming, "Illustrated Survey of Modern Steam Locomotives", in P [Patrick] Ransome-Wallis, Concise Encyclopedia of World Railway Locomotives, (London: Hutchison & Company, 1959), Plate 94, 376 (description), 383 (table) . See also "2-8-8-4" in Wikipedia at [], last accessed 19 March 2024; and "Huge Narrow Gauge Locomotives", a 2004 comment on the 1304's boiler problems on the NArkive at [], last accessed 19 March 2024. . (Thanks to Teemu Koivumaki whose 2023 email included a comprehensive spreadsheet of Brazilian steam locomotive builders, works numbers, and owners.) Works numbers were 23445-23448 in 1937.

Classic example of diminutive power in which an ordinarily scaled boiler rides on tiny drivers; Wikipedia observes that the 1304s had the largest boilers ever mounted on a narrow-gauge simple-expansion locomotive. H. le Fleming explained the size as required by the need for "power equivalent to a heavy European 2-10-0" in a locomotive putting at most 12 metric tons on any one driving axle and negotiating curves as tight as 230 ft radius. When these Mallets hit their tightest possible curve, the smokebox front had moved 19 inches (483 mm) off center, according to le Fleming..

Years after the locomotives entered service, it became apparent that "reports that the boilers were made from a particular molybdenum steel [St 47 K]that was popular in Germany in the 1930's as it was thought to be superior for boilers. It turned out to be quite bad in long

term stress and fatigue apparently, and so the locomotives did not have very long lives. The last one was operated around 1957."

See Locobase 20620, Locobase 1704, Locobase 5798, and Locobase 5798 for descriptions of this steel alloy and the need to replace the original boilers.

All four locomotives of the class were scrapped by 1968.