Articulated Steam Locomotives in Germany

Groáherzoglich Badischen Staatseisenbahn


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class VIIIc / 55 61 (Locobase 5067)

Data from "Badische VIIIc" in Wikipedia at [], last accessed 29 September 2022.

Bad.St.B acquired two Mallets, the first in Germany, in 1893 because they believed that four driven axles in a rigid wheelbase would be too unwieldy on the curvy Schwarzwald railway. Grafenstaden supplied the first two (works numbers in 4536-7).

The first two (which had 12 bar boiler pressure, and a slightly larger grate of 21.09 sq ft and 111.69 firebox heating surface) arrived in 1893. According to Wikipedia,they were soon found to run "unevenly"and to have slippery drivers. But they must have had redeeming qualities because the railway ordered 30 more.

They had the dimensions shown in the specifications. These arrived as follows:

Year Builder Works numbers

1895 Karlsruhe 1383-94

1899 Esslingen 3057-62

1900 Esslingen 3088-99

[], source of the data, notes that the French railroad Est received 8 locomotives (545, 548, 630, 632, 694, 698, 701, 702 to 4751-4758) after World War I as reparations and the Belgian State system took 546 as B 9900. The rest were surveyed by the new DRG, but were not taken into service.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassVIIIc / 55 61
Locobase ID5067
RailroadGroáherzoglich Badischen Staatseisenbahn (Baden State)
CountryGermany
Whyte0-4-4-0
Number in Class32
Road Numbers518-519, 538-549, 629-634, 691-702
GaugeStd
Number Built32
Builderseveral
Year1893
Valve GearHeusinger
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 5.74 / 1.75
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)19.03 / 5.80
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.30
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)40.35 / 12.30
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)31,967 / 14,500
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)127,427 / 57,800
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)127,427 / 57,800
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)3696 / 14
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 5.50 / 5
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)53 / 26.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)49.20 / 1250
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)188.50 / 1300
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)15.35" x 23.62" / 390x600
Low Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)23.62" x 23.62" / 600x600
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)25,485 / 11559.82
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 5.00
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)206 - 2.047" / 52
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)14.11 / 4.30
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)103.94 / 9.66
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)20.77 / 1.93
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1451 / 134.85
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1451 / 134.85
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume286.81
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation3915
Same as above plus superheater percentage3915
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area19,593
Power L12543
Power MT175.99

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