Nitrate Railways 2-8-2 Locomotives in Chile


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 103 (Locobase 15277)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Vol 72, pp. 168+ and Vol 78, pp. 324+. Works numbers were 58041-58042 in September 1924, 58066-58069 in November, and 58635-58640 in January 1925.

The Nitrate Railways returned to Eddystone four years after it took delivery of the first set of oil-burning Mikados (Locobase 15191), the company added a dozen more, larger and more powerful 2-8-2s. Piston valves measuring 10" (254 mm) admitted superheated steam to the cylinders. A Worthington-Simpson open-type feed water heater helped stretch a coal dollar (or peso) even further.


Class 91 (Locobase 15191)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Vol 66, pp. 386+. See also the EngRails reprint "British Enterprise in South America"--The Activities of Two Important Systems at [link] . Works numbers were 53206 in April 1920; 53229, 53246-53249 in May.

Gene Connelly assigns different road numbers to this sextet of superheated, oil-burning Mikados. They were essentially identical to the 1919 logging 2-8-2s described in Locobase 14691, but adopted for a very different service. The superheater dictated the use of piston valves (8"/203 mm diameter).

The British-owned Nitrate Railways was formed in the mid-1860s in the province of Tarapacá and stretched from Pisagua south to connect with several main depots including the well-known nitrate port at Iquique.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class10391
Locobase ID15277 15191
RailroadNitrate RailwaysNitrate Railways
CountryChileChile
Whyte2-8-22-8-2
Number in Class126
Road Numbers103-11491-96
GaugeStdStd
Number Built126
BuilderBaldwinBaldwin
Year19241920
Valve GearWalschaertWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)12.50 / 3.8112 / 3.66
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)28.25 / 8.6127.58 / 8.41
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.44 0.44
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)56.17 / 17.1252.53 / 16.01
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)31,360 / 14,22528,000 / 12,701
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)123,500 / 56,019110,500 / 50,122
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)170,000 / 77,111140,000 / 63,503
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)110,000 / 49,895110,000 / 49,895
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)280,000 / 127,006250,000 / 113,398
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)4600 / 17.425500 / 20.83
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)1700 / 64352000 / 7570
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)51 / 25.5046 / 23
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)44 / 111844 / 1118
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)180 / 1240180 / 1240
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)19" x 24" / 483x61018" x 24" / 457x610
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)30,127 / 13665.3927,039 / 12264.70
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.10 4.09
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)178 - 2" / 51164 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)27 - 5.375" / 13724 - 5.375" / 137
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)15.96 / 4.8612.08 / 3.68
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)158 / 14.68140 / 13.01
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)40.50 / 3.7625.50 / 2.37
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2239 / 208.091575 / 146.38
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)490 / 45.54328 / 30.48
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2729 / 253.631903 / 176.86
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume284.29222.82
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation72904590
Same as above plus superheater percentage86025370
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area33,55929,484
Power L112,4689761
Power MT890.27778.98

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