Ouest 4-6-2 Locomotives in France

Class 2 901 (Locobase 2754)

Data from Robert Dubois,"Note on the Pacific Type of the French Western Railway," Bulletin of the International Railway Congress Association (English Edition), Volume XXII, No 12 (December 1908), pp. 1293-1299. See also Albert H Bone, "Some Recent Designs of Locomotives for Service on Continental Railways", Cassier's Magazine, 1910, pp. 561-609 and I N Jevica's [] (visited 29 May 2004) as well as info published on [] (visited November 2002) by Roland Arzul.

Rather massive-looking engines with their high-pitched Belpaire firebox, relatively tall drivers, and extended smokebox. All valve gear operation was outside, even though the HP cylinders were located between the frames, so a view of the locomotive shows two sets of Walschaert gear in tandem.

Arzul comments that the prototypes didn't lead directly to series production because the Ouest was absorbed by the Etat national system soon after they appeared. At the same time, their designer R. Dubois died prematurely. Even so, the Etat did base its first Pacifics on these two stylish locomotives; see Locobase 15170..

At first used in passenger service between Paris and Montparnasse, 2901 & 2902 (by then renumbered 231-001 and 231-002) were eventually relegated to mixed-traffic, then all-freight service. Retirement came quite early in 1928