Arauco 2-8-0 Locomotives in Chile


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 9 (Locobase 16024)

Data from "Locomotives for South American Railways", The Locomotive, Volume 16 (15 September 1910), p.202-203; and "A British Built Tank Locomotive for Use in Chili [sic]", The Model Engineer and Electrician, Volume XIX [19], Whole No 380 (6 August 1908), p. 134. Works numbers were 2685-2688 in 1889, 3047in 1900; 3211 in 1906; 3257, 3282 in 1907; 3350, 3362 in 1908; 3600-3601 in 1912.

The Arauco Company gained the authority to build their short railway on 23 October 1884. It ran south from the port of Concepcion on Arauco Gulf 95 km (60 miles) south to Curanilahue; a branch line served the port of Arauco on the Gulf's southern shore. Ruling grades rose 1.6% for 1,600 metres (1 mile) against traffic, 1,800 metres (1.1 miles) with the traffic. Minimum curve radii were a benign 200 metres (656 feet).

The Model Engineer report says that the design of this tank engine was "regarded as a special one by builders and user alike." Among other details, they reported, the spring gear "is compensated on the American system, the bearings of the compensating beams being on hardened steel knife edges." The first engines in the class arrived with classically British copper firebox and brass firetubes. By 1908, both the firebox and the tubes were made of steel, which was very rare in British-built locomotives.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class9
Locobase ID16024
RailroadArauco
CountryChile
Whyte2-8-0
Number in Class12
Road Numbers9-12, 14, 16-18, 20, 22-24
Gauge5'6"
Number Built12
BuilderRobert Stephenson & Co
Year1889
Valve GearStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)9 / 2.74
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)27 / 8.23
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.33
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)27 / 8.23
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)109,760 / 49,786
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)1440 / 5.45
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 2.20 / 2
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)42 / 1067
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)150 / 1030
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)15" x 22" / 381x559
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)15,027 / 6816.14
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort)
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)86 / 7.99
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)17.50 / 1.63
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)856 / 79.52
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)856 / 79.52
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume190.24
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation2625
Same as above plus superheater percentage2625
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area12,900
Power L13001
Power MT

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