Etat 4-4-0 Locomotives in France

Class 2801 (Locobase 3882)

Data from Railroad Gazette, Volume XXXII, No 2 (12 January 1900).). See also the table presented on pages 363, 365 of the Groupe VI. - GTnie civil. - Moyens de transport. DeuxiFme partie. Classes 32 (Tome I), part of the series of Rapports du Jury Internationale of the Exposition Unverselle Internationale de 1900 Paris Exposition, hosted on the website of Le Conservatoire numTrique des Arts & MTtiers ([], Accessed 21 August 2005). See also DeGolyer, Volume 22, p. 124. Works numbers were 16830-16833 in June 1899.

RG reported that the Baldwin order was split into two groups -- these Vauclain compounds and six others that used simple expansion (see Locobase 3883). As delivered, the quartet were named Gortechalk, Vibraye, Montmirail, and Richilieu.

Noting the tall drivers and large boiler, RG commented: "plainly it is intended to haul light trains at high speeds." Indeed the very tall drivers made the whole engine look short-coupled and one wonders how steadily these actually rode. Each of two 13" (330 mm) piston valves supplied a set of one LP/one HP cylinders.

The RG comment illustrates why this quintet proved difficult to move to less premiere service. But their withdrawals took place over a ten-year period (1922-1932), suggesting their continued usefulness.

Class 2805 (Locobase 3883)

Data from Railroad Gazette (1900), Vol XXXII, No 2 (12 January 1900). See also DeGolyer, Volume 22, p. 125. Works numbers were 16838-16843 in June 1899.

RG noted that the Baldwin order was split into two groups -- these six simple-expansion engines and four Vauclain compounds (Locobase 3882). Like the compounds, this batch had names when they were delivered: Sazerac, La Charlre, Coulon, Chemille, Barbezieux , and Baignes.

One Baldwin specification note stated that the class was "designed so they can be changed to compounds if desired." Balanced pistons measured 10" (254 mm) in diameter.

After not quite 25 years of service, the class was superseded by other high-drivered express passenger engines. Their very tall drivers rendered them unsuitable for other passenger work, so they were reitred in 1920-1923.

Class Series 2751-2754 (Locobase 2140)

These engines used the Ricour piston valve, a complicated variant that Railroad Gazette (13 July 1900) believed was "hardly likely [to be] looked upon with favor by the American designer, notwithstanding the reassuring statements concerning its satisfactory behavior." In its campaign supporting compound locomotives, RG also cast doubt on M. Desdouits' claim that these piston-valve simples could actually matching the compounds in fuel economy. The numbers put forward (20 lb of water per hp per hour) are too low, in RG's opinion, to be valid since most US engineers believed that 25 lb/hp/hr was as low as a simple could get.

The Serve tubes had 8 "wings" in each, with each 0.10" thick wing projecting into the gas stream 0.43". These ribbed tubes were quite popular for a time, but one guesses their maintenance must have been a nightmare.

Class unknown (Locobase 3891)

Data taken from table published in Railroad Gazette (28 September 1900), which was compiled through direct communications with the various designers.

These locomotives appear to have been very similar to the de Glehn compounds of the Nord being built at the same time.