Leopolda Railway 4-2-0 Locomotives in Italy


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 51 (Locobase 6234)

Data from users.libero.it/allesandro.tuzza/fonti/sfr/1879sfrindice.htm (8 July 2004), an 1878 album of locomotives for the SFR reproduced by Allesandro Tuzza. (later cite: [link], Tavola 4). (Thanks to Teemu Koivumak for his 3 January 2021 email supplying the predecessor railway and the locomotive works numbers. ) Works numbers were 599, 600, 639, 640.

See Locobase 6238 for two earlier 2-4-0s and a brief history of the Leopolda. The 1848 engines shown here were unusual looking 4-2-0s in several respects. The carrying axles were separated by 8" 9"(2.67 m) while the safety valve stand over the fire box was a pillar that stood almost as tall as the stack. The illustrations shows lots of rivets, outside cylinders driving the single tall driver, and ornately styled steam dome and stack.

By the time the SF Livornese (into which the Leopolda had been incorporated) was itself absorbed by the Strade Ferrate Romane in 1865, the 53 had been discarded or sold.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class51
Locobase ID6234
RailroadLeopolda Railway (SFR)
CountryItaly
Whyte4-2-0
Number in Class4
Road Numbers51- 54
GaugeStd
Number Built4
BuilderRobert Stephenson & Co
Year1848
Valve GearStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)12.65 / 3.85
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)24.25 / 7.39
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)31,526 / 14,300
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)31,526 / 14,300
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)56,549 / 25,650
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)39,242 / 17,800
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)95,791 / 43,450
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)1426 / 5.40
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)53 / 26.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)78 / 1975
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)101.50 / 700
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)15" x 24" / 381x610
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)5973 / 2709.31
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 5.28
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)135 - 1.969" / 50
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)13.45 / 4.10
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)68.11 / 6.33
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)10.44 / 0.97
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)929 / 86.33
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)929 / 86.33
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume189.25
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation1060
Same as above plus superheater percentage1060
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area6913
Power L13413
Power MT238.67

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