Magyar Allamvasutak 4-4-2 Locomotives in Hungary


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 202 (Locobase 1543)

A E Durrant The Steam Locomotives of Eastern Europe (Newton Abbot:David & Charles, 1966). pp 29, 40; and [link] says this was the Class II (later the Class 201). Works number was 1500 in 1900.

Simple-expansion experiment with piston valves to compare to the Class 201 described in Locobase 1547.

P[eter] M[ichael] Kalla-Bishop, Hungarian says this engine was the only MAV type to have the steam domes joined by a pipe. "To prevent carry over of water as far as possible," he explains,"steam was collected in the rear dome and conveyed to the front dome where the regulator [throttle] was sited." Rated at 62 mph (100 km/h).


Class II/201 (Locobase 1542)

Data from the table presented on pages 370, 372 of the Groupe VI. - Genie 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 ([link], Accessed 21 August 2005); A E Durrant The Steam Locomotives of Eastern Europe (Newton Abbot:David & Charles, 1966), pp 29, 40; and [link] says this was the Class Im (later the Class 202).

Obviously testing the waters of this arrangement, the railroad built one of these two-cylinder compounds and, a year later, one simple-expansion type (Locobase 1547).

After some thought, the 203 class appeared as the definitive Hungarian Atlantic.


Class In/203 (Locobase 1544)

Data from Dr. R. Sanzin, "Die Lokomotiven auf der Intertionalen Austellung in Mailand 1906, 6. 2/5 gekuppelte vierzylindrige Verbund-Schnellzuglokomotive Schnellzuglokomotive mit rauchrohrenuberhitzer (Bauart Schmidt) der ungarischen Staatsbahnen ...", Zeitschrift des Oesterreichischen Ingenieur- und Architeckten-Vereines, Vol LVIII Nr. 49 (7 December 1906), p 690. See also Charles R King, "Hungarian Locomotives and their Performances", Railway Engineer, (September 1911), pp. 289-290; and (October 1911), pp. 324-325.

These were the definitive Hungarian Atlantics, attractive and competent. They had high running boards with a pointed smokebox cover and "wind-cutter" V-shaped cab fronts, which together with the slender rods and wheel spokes gave them a lithe look. Mechanically they adopted a wide firebox, which had five arch tubes, and piston valves on all four cylinders, whch were arranged line abreast and drove the first axle.

The front bogie had widely spaced axles and the rear truck rode behind the firebox. Trailing behind the engine was the first Vanderbilt tender to appear in Europe.

Sanzin's report notes a claimed top speed while trailing 75 tons of 142 km/h (88 mph). Another trial run on level track pulled 357 tons of train at 110 km/h (68.5 mph). The trials described in the 1911 Railway Engineer report turned up some good performances for these locomotives, but Charles King's assessment had to address the heavy rate of fuel consumption to produce one pound of steam. "[F]ew great railway systems of Europe, except Hungary and Austria, use black coal of such low evaporative power. The efficiencey of the boiler is much affected thereby." (He added what struck Locobase as a very American way to look at the issue when he noted that "engine efficiency" was not affected by coal consumption.]

And the coal was pretty weak with one 1 lb of coal evaporating 5 lb of water, not comparable to the 1:10 ratio achieved by Welsh coal. So at 225 psi, "48% more of the inferior coal is used to generate the same weight of steam." When this is taken into account, he contended, the ratios for the Hungarian Atlantics just about matched those of the Great Western Star-class locomotives.

On the other hand, King reported, the high receiver pressure in the intercepting valve--which would on starting allow HP steam to enter the LP cylinders at a somewhat reduced pressure--was set at a relatively high pressure which normally tended "to overload the large pistons at all speeds, low and high." One result was a tendency for the drivers to slip on starting. But he rejected a commonly used solution that used longer cutoffs in LP cylinders than in HP cylinders because he believed the loss in power in the LP cylinders outweighed any benefit from balancing piston loads.

P[eter] M[ichael] Kalla-Bishop, Hungarian says 32 were ordered, but only 24 built; the other 8 became 322 class 2-6-2. After some initial trouble with cracking cranks on the inside cylinders, the engines were demoted to freight service until new cranks of hardier steel were produced.

18 went to Romania after 1918.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class202II/201In/203
Locobase ID1543 1542 1544
RailroadMagyar Allamvasutak (MAV)Magyar Allamvasutak (MAV)Magyar Allamvasutak (MAV)
CountryHungaryHungaryHungary
Whyte4-4-24-4-24-4-2
Number in Class1124
Road Numbers
GaugeStdStdStd
Number Built1124
BuilderMAVAGMAVAGMAVAG
Year190119001906
Valve GearWalschaertWalschaertWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 7.94 / 2.42 7.38 / 2.25
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)28.44 / 8.6732.09 / 9.78
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.28 0.23
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)34,173 / 15,50135,849 / 16,261
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)69,664 / 31,60069,225 / 31,40069,853 / 31,685
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)142,912 / 64,825144,954 / 65,750163,936 / 74,360
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)90,301 / 40,960104,565 / 47,430
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)235,255 / 106,710268,501 / 121,790
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)4752 / 18
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 8.80 / 8
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)58 / 2958 / 2958 / 29
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)82.70 / 210182.70 / 210083.90 / 2130
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)185 / 1300188.50 / 1300227.70 / 1570
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)20.1" x 26.8" / 510x68019.69" x 26.77" / 500x680 (1)14.17" x 25.98" / 360x660
Low Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)29.53" x 26.77" / 750x680 (1)24.41" x 25.98" / 620x660
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)20,588 / 9338.5713,919 / 6313.5618,001 / 8165.13
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 3.38 4.97 3.88
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)239 - 2.008" / 51291 - 2.047" / 52
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)14.76 / 4.5017.22 / 5.25
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)143.11 / 13.30137.24 / 12.75
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)30.34 / 2.8230.34 / 2.8241.98 / 3.90
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2034 / 189.032034 / 1892823 / 262.30
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2034 / 189.032034 / 1892823 / 262.30
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume206.66431.19595.33
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation561357199559
Same as above plus superheater percentage561357199559
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area26,97631,250
Power L167337940
Power MT428.85501.19

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