Chilean State 4-6-0 Locomotives in Chile


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 237 (Locobase 12157)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 20, p.3. Works numbers were 14371-14372 in July 1895.

Gene Connelly's excellent Baldwin records show a 4-locomotive series of Eight-wheeler Vauclain compounds. The DeGolyer archive, however, shows that only the first two of the of the batch had two driven axles. All four of them had relatively large 10 1/2" piston valves to serve the combined HP/LP cylinders on each side.

Locobase suspects that the CSR saw this purchase as a chance to assess just under what conditions Vauclain compounds could be seen to work best. This pair explored freight service with smaller boilers and drivers and a bit more adhesion weight. See Locobase 12156 for the passenger Eight-wheelers.


Class 588 (Locobase 2739)

Data from DeGolyer, Volume 44, p. 200. Works numbers were 39687 in April 1913; 39746, 39750-39757 in May.

In appearance, a nice mixture of North American and British accents. The clean boiler, tapered safety valve stand, thimble steam dome, and flat smokebox cover are British. The high running board, large cowcatcher, outside piston valves and cylinders, and inside-bearing truck look American.

The CSR order split the 10 engines into 6 with saturated boilers, shown here, and 4 with superheaters. See Locobase 13999 for the latter.


Class 594 (Locobase 13999)

Data from DeGolyer, Volume 44, p. 205. Works numbers were 39754-39757 in May.

As noted in Locobase 2739, this design reflected a considerable British influence in its neat lines. The CSR order split the 10 engines into 6 with saturated boilers (Locobase 2739) and the 4 with superheaters in this entry. The usual tradeoff of tubes for flues didn't yield a great deal of superheat, although the combined heating surface remained relatively unchanged. Boiler pressure was cut by 15 psi.


Class unknown (Locobase 10750)

Data from Charles King, "The Chilian [sic] State Railways," The Railway Magazine (March 1908), pp. 209-214; see also the introductory article in the same journal at February 1908, pp.143-150 . First date is an estimate.

King explains that Borsig was the supplier of choice to the CSR in recent years and that this Ten-wheeler shared its boiler and motion with the 4-4-0 delivered by Borsig in the same years (Locobase 10749). This variant had more and smaller drivers, but was intended for passenger traffic as well. It ran on the Tabon section between Valparaiso and Santiago, "but have been found so useful," said the RM report,"that they have also run the express in spite of their small driving wheels."

(NB: in the article, King credits the 4-4-0 with the higher weight. Locobase deemed this unlikely and reversed the two sets of weights.)


Class unknown (Locobase 10751)

Data from Charles King, "The Chilian [sic] State Railways," The Railway Magazine (March 1908), pp. 209-214; see also the introductory article in the same journal at February 1908, pp.143-150 . First date is an estimate.

This Ten-wheeler design had a relatively large boiler, but used the same cylinders, driving rods, and motion as did the 4-4-0s (Locobase 10749) and 4-6-0s (10750) supplied at the same time. Also using the same boiler was a class of 2-8-0s that has substantially smaller drivers (see Locobase 10752).

The engines ran on the Tabon section between Valparaiso and Santiago, "but have been found so useful," said the RM report,"that they have also run the express in spite of their small driving wheels."

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class237588594unknownunknown
Locobase ID12157 2739 13999 10750 10751
RailroadChilean StateChilean StateChilean StateChilean StateChilean State
CountryChileChileChileChileChile
Whyte4-6-04-6-04-6-04-6-04-6-0
Number in Class264
Road Numbers237-238588-593594-597
Gauge5'6"5'6"5'6"5'6"5'6"
Number Built264
BuilderBurnham, Williams & CoBaldwinBaldwinBorsigBorsig
Year18951913191319051905
Valve GearStephensonWalschaertWalschaertStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)13.33 / 4.0612.75 / 3.8912.75 / 3.8915 / 4.5713.54 / 4.13
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)23.83 / 7.2624.75 / 7.5424.75 / 7.5426.67 / 8.13
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.56 0.52 0.52 0.51
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)45.98 / 14.0145.98 / 14.01
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)80,000 / 36,28799,000 / 44,906100,000 / 45,359
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)112,000 / 50,802140,000 / 63,503143,000 / 64,864101,920 / 46,230132,160 / 59,947
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)82,000 / 37,19582,000 / 37,19576,160 / 34,54676,160 / 34,546
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)222,000 / 100,698225,000 / 102,059178,080 / 80,776208,320 / 94,493
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)2900 / 10.984200 / 15.914200 / 15.913180 / 12.053180 / 12.05
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 5.50 / 5 5.50 / 5 5.50 / 5 5.50 / 5
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)44 / 2255 / 27.5056 / 28
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)56 / 142266 / 167666 / 167657 / 144857 / 1448
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)180 / 1240175 / 1210160 / 1210160 / 1100170 / 1170
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)12.5" x 24" / 318x61020" x 26" / 508x66020" x 26" / 508x66018" x 26" / 457x66018" x 26" / 457x660
Low Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)20" x 24" / 508x610
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)14,735 / 6683.6923,439 / 10631.7621,430 / 9720.5020,099 / 9116.7621,356 / 9686.93
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 5.43 4.22 4.67
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)180 - 2" / 51241 - 2" / 51146 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)19 - 5.375" / 137
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)12.29 / 3.7513.48 / 4.1113.48 / 4.11
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)124 / 11.52130 / 12.08129 / 11.98
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)20 / 1.8626 / 2.4226 / 2.4224.50 / 2.2831 / 2.88
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1270 / 118.031818 / 168.901509 / 140.191250 / 116.171830 / 170.07
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)243 / 22.58
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1270 / 118.031818 / 168.901752 / 162.771250 / 116.171830 / 170.07
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume372.56192.30159.62163.24238.98
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation36004550416039205270
Same as above plus superheater percentage36004550474239205270
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area22,32022,75023,530
Power L1363950258082
Power MT300.85335.70534.53

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