FC del Potrerillos 2-6-2 Locomotives in Chile

Class 1 (Locobase 14520)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Vol 54, p. 372 and Vol 78, pp. 302+. See also the description of the railway at the Los Andinos website at [], last accessed 1 September 2013. Works numbers were 45106 in February 1917 and 58412 in May 1925.

Running through the Atacama Desert, this railway served a mine that was about 100 miles (160 km) inland from the port of Chanaral where the Andes Copper Company was digging out low-grade copper-bearing porphyry. This superheated Prairie tank helped move the ore trains. Sixty miles (97 km) of the track leading west from the mine and the smelter was built by the company; the other 40 miles (64 km) were Chilean State rails. The Portrerillos offered curve radii of 280 feet (85.3 m).

Piston valves measuring 9" (279 mm) supplied superheated steam to the cylinders. The second engine was, of course, heavier, coming in at 2 tons (907 kg) more. A provision relating to altitude (a common requirement in western South America) said that the fire box openings should be "sufficient for altitude of 10,000 feet [3,048 metre] above sea level." A related condition was the use of "non-lifting injectors" because of the range in operating altitude from 0 to 10,000 feet.

See Locobase 14522 for the Consolidation ordered at exactly the same time to the same specifications that used a separate tender and powered four of its five axles.