4-4-2 Steam Locomotives in Germany

Groáherzoglich Badischen Staatseisenbahn


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class Group IId / BR 14.4 (Locobase 1489)

Data from Maurice Demoulin, Locomotive Actuelle ... (Paris: Librairie Polytechnique Ch.Beranger, 1906), p 206-207. See also "Badische II d" in Wikipedia at [], last accessed 23 July 2023; and

Data from Lawford H Fry, "The Steam Locomotive of the Future", Cassier's Magazine, Volume XXXI, (October 1906 - April 1907), p.216. Maffei works numbers were 2235-2246 in 1902. Karlsruhe works numbers were 1673-1678 in 1905.

Designed by Alexander Courtin and Anton Hammel, this Atlantic cut the travel time between Mannheim and Karlsruhe (60.4 m/37 1/2 miles) even as it pulled heavier trains of 300 tons. Once established in service, each engine averaged 700 km (435 miles) daily.

OS Nock (RWC III, pl 106) commented: "They had that Maffei specialty (sic) of all four cylinders driving on to one axle. This eliminated the effect of hammer blow, made the engines easy on the track, and very smooth riding."

NB: German data often featured tube heating surfaces calculated using their interior (fire side) diameters, but including the external (water side) diameter. Calculated based on the fire side yielded 2,114 sq ft (196.4 sq m) and 210 sq m (2,260 sq ft) evaporative heating surface. Locobase uses the EHS based on the external diameter to simplify comparison with Anglo-American built engines.)

Demoulin took particular note of the trailing axle, which traveled almost 13 ft (3.95 m) behind the coupled axles and which had 20 mm of lateral play as well. Like many of the Bavarian engines, these Atlantics had the pointed smokebox nose that together with the "windcutter" cab fairings implied feats of great speed. Wikipedia reports a supporting trial result from April1904 in which a IId hauled a four-car, 138 ton train over the 62.5 km (38.8 miles) between Offenburg and Freiburg im Breisgau. It reached a maximum speed of 144 kph (89.5 mph) and averaged 116 kph (72 mph).

After World War I, ten of this class went to France as war reparations. Operated by the Chemins de Fer de l'Etat, they were numbered 221-901 to 221-910. These outlasted the BR 14 class in German service, which retired in 1925. The last of the French engines ran until 1934.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassGroup IId / BR 14.4
Locobase ID1489
RailroadGroáherzoglich Badischen Staatseisenbahn (Baden State)
CountryGermany
Whyte4-4-2
Number in Class18
Road Numbers733-750
GaugeStd
Number Built18
BuilderMaffei
Year1902
Valve GearHeusinger
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 7.22 / 2.20
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)34.19 / 10.42
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.21
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)58.73 / 17.90
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)36,817 / 16,700
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)73,414 / 33,300
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)166,918 / 75,700
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)5280 / 20
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 6.60 / 6
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)61 / 30.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)82.70 / 2100
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)239.30 / 1600
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)13.19" x 24.41" / 335x620
Low Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)22.44" x 24.41" / 570x620
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)15,526 / 7042.48
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.73
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)274 - 2.047" / 52
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)15.75 / 4.80
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)146.39 / 13.60
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)41.98 / 3.87
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2459 / 228.45
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2459 / 228.45
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume636.98
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation10,046
Same as above plus superheater percentage10,046
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area35,031
Power L19419
Power MT565.70

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