Class 10/G-020 / G-08 (Locobase 11680)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Volume 14, p. 204. Works numbers were 9469, 9471, 9476 in September 1888; 9621, 9628 in November 1888; 9719-9721, 9725, 9728-9730, 9732 in January 1889.

Like most Mexican steam locomotives, these had long lifetimes of at least five decades (except for 15 and 22, which were retired by 1930). The others were renumbered 25-32 and designated A-3. Four were retired in February 1941, one went to the scrapyard to 1945, and the last 3 were retired in November (2) and December (1) 1949.

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Class 107 / G-13 (Locobase 11664)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines, 1888, as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Vol 14, p.82.

Works numbers were 8807 in October 1887, 8937 in December, and 9006-9007 in January 1888.

For some reason, the locomotives were numbered in the order shown in the road number field. They were later renumbered in the same reverse order and nationalized with most of the rest of Mexican railroad engines in 1908, when the Nacional de Mexico was created..

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Class 115/G-016 (Locobase 16610)

Data from "Clase G-016" in NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams NG supplied in August 2013 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange collection.

Although ordered and delivered to the Mexicano Central as a single class (Locobase11658), four of the narrow-gauge Consolidations went the Interoceano in 1913 as their 10-12 and 14.

The other six were taken into the Nacional de Mexico's narrow-gauge motive power stud. Either the CM or the NdeM substantially modified the basic design, using the Vauclain compound H-2 boiler (Locobase as a starting point. The result was a more powerful sextet of locomotives that remained on the roster throughout World War II before five were retired in the late 1940s and 238 in February 1954.

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Class 15/ G-021 (Locobase 11749)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Volume 18, p. 102, Volume 28, p 240 and Volume 31, 198. See also J C Whitredge, Modern Locomotives (New York City: Railroad Gazette, 1901), pp. 143 and 145. Works numbers were 13035-13036, 13041 in November 1892; 27588, 27599 in February 1906 and 32731 in March 1908.

Works numbers were 13035-13036 and 13041 in November 1892 and 33566-33567 in July 1907.

El Ferrocarril Mexicano del Sur sought to open up those farther southern provinces of Mexico. It main line linked Puebla and Oaxaca, the latter lying 227.3 miles (366.28 km) south of the former.342.9 miles (551.84 km) south of MTxico City.

The specifications for this class give a detailed profile of the road over which they would travel. Maximum grades amounted to 4% and on the maximum grade the engines would encounter curves of 17 1/2 deg (100 metres radius). In this setting, the locomotives had to manage 120-130 tons on the straight, 100-110 tons on the curves. Minimum curvature would measure 80 metres.

All were bi-fuel locomotives delivered as wood-burners (and required to "steam well when burning wood") but provided with convertible grates to permit coal firing as well.

120 was retired from successor Nacional de Mexico in September 1951. 277 had a much shorter career that ended some time between 1920 and 1930. 121 lasted the longest of the three before being withdrawn in February 1954.

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Class 158 (Locobase 14733)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 17, p. 217. (Thanks to Wes Barris of steamlocomotive.com for his 28 June 2018 email reporting the missing metric equivalents to cylinder diameter and stroke.) Works numbers were 12849, 12852 in July 1892; 12860, 12871 in August.

Part of the surge in Baldwin's promotion of its four-cylinder compound system, this design headed for the NM's narrow-gauge operation. Each pair of cylinders (one HP, one LP) was served by a single 8" (203 mm) diameter piston valve. Note the relatively large-diameter fire tubes.

At some point after their delivery, the quartet converted to simple-expansion; see Locobase 11908.

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Class 165, 181 / H-2 (Locobase 11914)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Vol 21, p. 134 and 22, p. 196 and NdeM 1946ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. Baldwin works numbers were 15787-15790 in March 1898; 16450-16452 in January 1899; 17342-17343, 17368-17369 in January 1900

These Vauclain compounds came on the Mexicano in 1898-1900. Duplicating the boiler and firebox of the 1892 locomotives (Locobase 14733), these newer engines featured larger cylinders fitted with 9" (229 mm) piston valves, each of which served both the HP and LP cylinders on one side of the boiler.

Before too long, the Mexicano would rebuild the Consolidations as simple-expansion 17" x 20" (432 x 508 mm) engines in two sub-classes that were sufficiently changed to merit entries; see Locobase 11915-11916.

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Class 20 / A-1 / G-027 / G-09 (Locobase 11899)

Data from NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. DeGolyer, Volume 12, p. 130 is missing from the copy originally imaged on microfilm. Works numbers were 7516-7519 in December 1884.

Although shown with 145-psi boilers, these locomotives were delivered with vessels pressed to no more than 130 psi. Three of the engines operated into the 1940s with 34-35 retiring in February 1941 and 36 in 1946.

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Class 278 / G-031 / G-020 (Locobase 11906)

Data from NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley.

At some point after their delivery with 1 7/8" (47.625 mm) tubes (Locobase 14182), the NdeM gave these engines new boilers that had fewer larger-diameter tubes.

Another renumbering in 1930 brought this set in line with the earlier engines.

Four of the five were retired in 1954, but the 119 went to the Unidos de Yucatan in January 1956 where it ran until January 1960.

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Class 281/G-013 (Locobase 11901)

Data from NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley.

A single Consolidation has defied all of Locobase's efforts to identify its builder. Information in the diagram credited the locomotive to "Alco", but that amalgamation of eight existing locomotive builders (Brooks, Cooke, Dickson, Manchester, Pittsburgh, Rhode Island, Richmond, Rogers, and Schenectady) didn't occur until 1901. Searching through Gene Connelly's lists of all eight constituents turned up no locomotive that matched.

Its provenance may never been established.

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Class 4 (Locobase 13838)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Volume 39, p 168. Works number was 36909 in September 1911.

When this engine was ordered from Baldwin, the Vera Cruz specified the use of 1 3/4" tubes and an 8"-long combustion chamber "...to prevent fire impinging on the tube ends" in such a small firebox. Whatever the reason for the dissatisfaction, the #4 received a different boiler within a few years; see Locobase 11897.

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Class 4 (Locobase 15335)

Data from DeGolyer, Vol 74, pp. 411+. See also the Aguas Abajo blog entry for 14 Oct 2008 at [] . Works numbers were 57959 and 57961 in August 1924.

This superheated Consolidation was among the smaller such locomotives on Mexico's standard gauge. Its cylinders took steam from 10" (254 mm) piston valves.

The FC de RM was promoted by General Alvaro Obregón Salido (president from December 1920 to November 1924) to serve agricultural development in the Rio Mayo valley in northwestern Mexico near the Gulf of California. It had stations at San Ignacio (just southwest of Navojoa), San Pedro, Bacobampo, Etchojoa, Estación Rosas, Huatabampo y Yavaros. Its ruling grade was 2% and curves were as tight as 17 degrees.

Obregon's actual goal was the construction of a crescent-shaped road north and east from the port of Yavaros through Navojoa to Alamos. When the funding of the RM raised eyebrows within the Department of Communications and Transport, they were told that its construction was under the direction of the president himself. Moreover, before he left the presidency, Obregon privatized the railroad

The 4 was traded in December 1942 to the Southern Pacific de Mexico for the latter's 401. Renumbered 600 and placed in class C-45, the 600 served the SPdeM for nine years before bing sold to the FC del Pacifico in December 1951. After operating on the Pacifico for another two years, the 600 was retired in November 1953.

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Class 4/G-011 (Locobase 11894)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Vol 11, p. 263. See also NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley.Works numbers represented orders for the Morelos Railroad: 5370 in November 1880, 5438 in November 1881 and three originally delivered to Irolo Railroad: 6537, 6539-6540 in December 1882.

The Morelos locomotives were named Manuel Mendoza Cortina and Sacromonte and were given number 5-6 The three for the Irolo were named Calpulalpan, San Lorenzo, and Puebla 6 and numbered 4-6. When relettered for the Interoceanico, the Morelos engines kept their numbers and the Irolos were given 11, 14, 12; then 8, 10, 9. Renumbering as a batch in 1910 ran 97, 98, 94-96. And in 1930, the upside numbering continued with 50-51, 47-49.

Note: The Interoceanico was formed as a consolidation of several railroads. These were the MTxico, Morelos, Cuernavaca y el Amacusac (16 April 1878); Acapulco _ MTxico (8 July 1880); Jalapa _ San AndrTs Chalchicomula (6 September 1880); Ferrocarril de Morelos al Mexicano (27 November 1880); Jalapa _ Veracruz (10 January 1881); 27 de Junio del mismo año, extension of the Veracruz _ San AndrTs to link up to the Ferrocarril de Morelos (27 June 1881); Peralvillo _ los Reyes (23 December 1881); and the Acapulco (21 January 1881) in a company as the Ferrocarril Interoce_nico de Acapulco, MTxico, Morelos, Irolo y Veracruz.

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Class 40 / G-01 (Locobase 11820)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 11, p. 264. Works numbers were 6994, 7003-7004 in October 1883; 7012, 7014 in November.

Following immediately on the heels of the larger class of Consolidations described in Locobase 11812, this quintet had more tubes of a smaller diameter, a larger firebox, and a longer wheelbase that allowed them to ride more lightly on the rails. Like the others, they were taken into the Nacional de Mexico in 1908

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Class 44/G-01 (Locobase 11812)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 11, p. 184. See also the detailed description (in Spanish) of this construction entity's mandate in "Compañfa Constructora Nacional Mexicana y Ferrocarril Nacional Mexicano", part of Resena Historica y , Agosto de 1837 hasta Diciembre de 1894 de Jurisdiccion Federal (Mexico City: F Diaz de Leon Sucesores FA, 1895), p.20 inter alia; and " LAS PRIMERAS LINEAS-Ferrocarril Nacional Mexicano" at the Estacion Torre´n website ([], last accessed 21 December 2014) . Works numbers were 6761, 6767, 6772, 6779-6780, 6783, 6785 in May 1883; 6800-6801, 6813, 6815, 6819, 6823, 6828, 6830 in June; 6856-6857 in July; 6871, 6873, 6876, 6882 in August.

The CCNM was formed to construct two railway lines, one from Mexico to the Pacific, the other to the northern border. Several contracts to build elements of this network before a 10 January 1883 law consolidated all of those concessions. Ultimately, the northern line from Mexico to Nuevo Laredo was opened in Novembe 1888 on 1,350 km (521 mi) of narrow-gauge line. This was converted to standard gauge in 1903.

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Class 50 / G-012 (Locobase 11900)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines, 1890, as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Vol 16, p. 122. Works numbers were 11284-11285 in October 1890; 11324-11325, 11348, 11357, 11371-11372, 11393, 11407 in November.

As described in Locobase 11709, this class was delivered with a trailing truck; perhaps the very first "Mikado". Again as related, the innovation didn't last - the trailing trucks were removed by the end of 1891.

Designated class G-012, the Consolidations carried on for more than 50 years in some cases with 58 retiring in 1948.

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Class 60 (Locobase 3239)

Data from "Locomotives for the Interoceanic Railway, Mexico", Railroad Gazette, Volume 30, No 40 (7 October 1898), p. 721. Works numbers were 4792-4793, 4796-4799 in July 1898.

Outside-frame Consolidations with everything showing -- springs, cranks -- except for the valve motion itself. These were all-steel engines, with a steel boiler and firebox, steel cab, drivers, driving boxes. Fired by coal briquettes.

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Class 66 / G-3 (Locobase 12324)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Vol 21, p. 171. Works numbers were 16473-16474 in January 1899.

Eventually the MR was absorbed Nacional de Mexico in 1950, renumbered 59 and 61 and placed in class G-24.

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Class 706 / G-13 (Locobase 9627)

Data from Catalogue Descriptive of Simple and Compound Locomotives built by Brooks Locomotive Works, Dunkirk, NY (Buffalo, NY: Matthew-Northrup Company, 1899). See also NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

Builder info from B.Rumary, 25 Kingscombe, Gurney Slade, Radstock, BA3 4TH, ENGLAND and Jeremy Lambert as supplied by Allen Stanley in March 2004.

Works numbers were 2826-2835

This stubby Consolidation had an "Improved Belpaire" boiler with a large cab and mainline -type dimensions. The Brooks catalogue gave the total heating surface as 2,344 sq ft, of which 204 sq ft was direct heating surface. Locobase goes with the NdeM figure, which fits more exactly with the calculated tube areas.

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Class 80 / G-026 / G-025 (Locobase 11913)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 22, p. 219 and NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. Baldwin works numbers were 17408-17409 in January 1900.

Even as the Interoceanic was buying several batches of Consolidations, it took a flyer on this pair of Vauclain compounds. They were fitted with 9 3/4" (248 mm) piston valves, each of which served both the HP and LP cylinders on one side of the boiler. Unlike many such locomotives, however, these two would retain their compound layout for more than 25 years before being rebuilt in 1926 to dimensions very much like the simple-expansion engines shown in Locobase 11912.

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Class 80/G-7 (Locobase 11955)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley and DeGolyer, Volume 27, p. 293. Works numbers were 25993-25994, 26008, 26014 in July 1905.

Baldwin's specification for this quartet of light Consolidations noted that the frames were to be of cast steel and "main and extension frames to be made extra heavy on account of rough track." The reinforcement requirement appeared at several points, all aimed to absorb the heavier shocks of bad track.

Delivered as coal burners, the class's tenders held 5,000 US gallons (18,925 litres) of water and 7 tons of coal, the spec stating "Height of tender to be regulated so that water can be taken from water tanks on the level, the height of which from rail to center of goose neck is 11' 5" (3.48 m).."

In 1908, the VCalP became the Vera Cruz & Isthmus. The four Consolidations in this order retained their numbers. When the VC&I was nationalized in 1930, however, the quartet was placed in class G-7 and renumbered.

1034 was sold off by 1946 to Veracruz Terminal, 1033 was retired in April 1954, the 1035 in January 1955, and the 1035 in March 1957.

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Class 9/ G-029 (Locobase 14186)

Data from DeGolyer, Volume 49, p. 95. Works numbers were 33566-33567, 33598-33600 in July 1909.

These Consolidations repeated some 1892 Baldwin engines (Locobase 11905) in general size, weight, even tube count. The intervening 17 years led to the usual weight gain and boiler-pressure increase, but the new locomotives also had slightly smaller-diameter tubes that reduced their evaporative heating surface. (Indeed, Baldwin rarely if ever fitted 1 7/8" tubes, so this dimension must have been a particular requirement of the railway.)

The specs give a good portrait of the lines operating conditions. Clearly, the dominant condition was the maximum 4 1/2% grade, which had 17 1/2 degree (radii of 100 metres/328 feet), up which the engines were required to haul 120-130 short tons (109-118 metric tons) . The firebox burned either coal or wood and had grates fitted with rocking bars and a drop plate as well as a spark-arresting stack.

Soon after the class arrived on the road, the Sur de Mex was incorporated into the NdeM and renumbered. Another renumbering in 1930 brought this set in line with the earlier engines.

Four of the five were retired in 1954, but the 119 went to the Unidos de Yucatan in January 1956 where it ran until January 1960.

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Class A-4 / G-010 (Locobase 11652)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines, 1888, as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Vol 15, p. 256. Works numbers were 10670, 10673 in February 1890; 10738-10739, 10747, 10750 in March; 10836, 10842 in April; and 10929, 10930 in May.

Compared to other Mexican Consolidation classes, even those of the 3-foot gauge, these were rather small engines. The specification sheet showed a different boiler pressed to 130 sq ft and holding 154 tubes and 947 sq ft, a grate with approx 16 sq ft area, slightly smaller firebox of 101 sq ft area, and 38" drivers. It's not clear if these dimensions changed before delivery or with the fitting of a newer boiler.

But they served their purpose (which included being long-since paid for) for decades, long enough to be reclassified and renumbered in 1930.

The first to retire was 40 (ex-43) in March 1935. The most of the others followed over the next 6 years (last two retiring in February 1942), but for some reason 41 and 44 remained in service until 1948.

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Class A-6 / G-024 / G-023 (Locobase 11910)

Data from NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. 4792-4793, 4796-4799 in August 1898; 5209-5214, 5221 in July 1899

These set of Consolidations had small fireboxes and grates. (The latter was perhaps less directly related to heat production in an oil-burner, but most of the other Consolidations had larger furnaces.) The 66 appeared on its own page in the NdeM Diagram book probably because it alone operated its valves with outside Walschaert radial gear.

61, 63 were sold to the United Railways of Yucutan in January 1956 and renumbered 161, 163. 72 folowed in 1958 and took #172. 60 went to the Edaville museum Railway in South Carver, Mass in 1963.

69-70 both were retired in 1967 and placed on displays. 69 wound up in Nacozari de Garcia and 70 could be seen at Empalme's City Park. 67 retired a year later and went on display at Monument to Revolution Museum in Mexico City's Plaza de la Republica.

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Class E-1/G-03/G-07 (Locobase 11898)

Data from NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. Works numbers were 10957 in June 1890, 11783 in April 1891, 12875 in August 1892, 12969 in October 1892, 14409 in August 1895.

Small firebox on this relatively large narrow-gauge Consolidation. This class was formed by the Ferrocarril de Mexico from the three engines sold to the Michoacan (Locobase 11691) in 1890 and engines with somewhat deeper fireboxes sold at about the same time to the Vanegas, Cedral & Rio Verde as their 3 (Vanegas) and 6 (Rio Verde). Locobase suspects that the data shown in the NdeM specs represents this pair as it matches in many respects the information in the DeGolyer Library collection's Baldwin specifications Volume 16, p. 268.

Two were retired by 1930, two by 1941, and one -- 220 (works 12875) -- held on until 1952.

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Class E-2/G-04/G-017 (Locobase 11903)

Data from NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. See also Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern , Methodist UniversityVolume 22, p. 49. Works numbers were 15324 in May 1897, 16522-16523 in February 1899 and 19034 in May 1901.

These Consolidations had short strokes that made their cylinders nearly square. 96 (later 242) received 17" x 20" cylinders and retired in 1947. 239 was scrapped in 1931 soon after the Mexicano was absorbed by the NdeM while 240 and 241 (works 19034) operated until February 1954.

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Class E/G-02 (Locobase 11658)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 14, p. 180. Works numbers were 9468-9469, 9471, 9473, 9476 in September 1888 and 9962-9963, 9969 in April 1889, 9992-9993 in May.

Although ordered and delivered to the Mexicano Central as a single class, this decade of narrow-gauge Consolidations later split into two group. The CM sold 114, 116, 118, and 141 to Interoceanales Mexicano in 1913 as their 10-12 and 14.

The other sixwere taken into the Nacional de Mexico's narrow-gauge motive power stud as class G-01; Ssee Locobase 16610.

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Class G-019/G-03 (Locobase 11896)

Data from NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. See also DeGolyer, Volume 21, p. 255. Works numbers 16201 in September 1898.

This little wood-burning Consolidation was ordered by Felipe Martel. The specs show a boiler with 98 tubes that measured 12' (3.66 m) long each and safety valves set to 160 psi (11.03 bar).

The SMaT was chartered on 25 June 1881. By 1898, the line had a branch to Tezuitlan and was seen as an asset in a region that promised to be a great mining center. Although the railway's 37 km (23 miles) had been authorized for sale to the Ferrocarril Oriental de México, the federal government didn't approve the sale until 13 March 1905.

It was taken onto the Kansas City, Mexico & Orient in 1908. By 1930, it had been adopted by the Nacional de Mexico with a shorter boiler. It was retired in 1952.

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Class G-029/G-019 (Locobase 11905)

Data from NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley.

These Consolidations were delivered (Locobase 11749) with 128 2 1/4" (57 mm) tubes; when these were replaced by the 154 2" tubes shown in the specs, tube heating surface increased by 75 sq ft (7 sq m) or 7%.

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Class G-030 (Locobase 3237)

Data from "New Motive Power for Railways of Mexico", Railway Age, Volume 71, No 20 (12 November 1921), pp. 937-939; and DeGolyer Library, Volume 65, pp. 393+ .Works numbers were 55023-55027, 55051-55061 in September; 55109-55112 in November.

Designed to scale 4 1/2% grades and negotiate 21-deg curves, these were the back-country oil-burning Consolidations. Hidden within their frames, however, was a layout that would permit conversion to standard-gauge operation. This is seen in the outside bar frame that masked the wheels.

Weight estimates for the class were 99,265 lb (45,026 kg) on the drivers, 110,265 lb (50,015 kg) for the locomotive. These numbers yielded a relatively low 3.73 factor of adhesion. RA's figures, used by Locobase in the data table, show a more useful 3.87.

On 20 January 1922, J Harry Stephan of Baldwin's Mexico office responded to an inquiry by Eddystone's Glaenzer concerning the changes the railway made to the class after they arrived. Stephan listed six changes as follows:

Exhaust changed to have a single 4 1/2" (114 mm) nozzle vs the double nozzle supplied.

Cleaning pipe diameter was reduced from 12" (305 mm) to 10" (254 mm).

In the firepan, the hopper was removed from the bottom of the pan and replaced by a straight plate supported by straps and covered with 1" (25.4 mm) thick fire brick.

Air pump relocated from inside the smokebox to a position outside and upward ahead of the stack

Fire door was replaced by a plain circular with peep hole but without the usual air inlet and dampers

Blow-down valve was applied in dome cap at left side.

Stephan added that despite the railway's suggestion that the changes be incorporated in future locomotives of this type, he felt the firepan and fire door alterations in particular should be applied only if the customer specifically requested them.

The NdeM later installed larger fireboxes in all the locomotives of this and the 1924 class; see Locobase 11918.

Most were scrapped at the end of their NdeM lives although a few had second careers. 265 was sold in 1968 to the sugar refiner Cia.Industrial y Azucarera (San Juan Covarrubias) and was scrapped only in 1984. The 286 was sold in June 1965 to the paper mill Fabrica del Papel de San Rafael.

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Class G-030/G-021 (Locobase 11907)

Data from NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. Baldwin's works numbers were 27588 in February 1906 and 32731 in March 1908.

Locobase 1749 shows the seven locomotives produced by Baldwin for the Mexicano del Sur,

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Class G-031/GR-3 (Locobase 947)

Data from table in the Locomotive Cyclopedia of 1947; andDATOS DE LOCOMOTORAS

DEPARTAMENTO TECNICO DE FUERZA MOTRIZ Y MAQUINARIA

FERROCARRILES NACIONALES DE MÉXICO EDITADO POR SECCIÓN METODOS DE TRABAJO, 1950 supplied by Allen Stanley in August 2013 from his extensive Rail Data Exchange collection.. Works numbers were 68740-68744 in July 1936.

These skinny gauge Consolidations were produced late in the steam era and benefited from a sizable proportion of superheater area. Beginning in 1948, the class was converted to roll on the standard gauge and redesignated GR-3 ("R" standing for "recalentador"/superheater).

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Class G-032/G-013 (Locobase 10757)

Data from "Locomotives for the Mexican Southern, "Railway Master Mechanic, Volume XXVI [26] (July 1902), p. 260. Works numbers were 25796 in April 1902.

Cooke delivered this Consolidation in the same year as it supplied the Ten-wheelers shown in Locobase 9960.

Their size reflected the desire to pack a useful amount of pulling power into a skinny-rail package, although their fireboxes were small. One noticeable feature was the placement of the firebox between the third and fourth coupled axles.

At a later date, the MdeSur decreased the cylinder diameter to 16" (406 mm).

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Class G-033/G-030 (Locobase 11918)

Data from NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. See also DeGolyer, Volume 74, p. 402. Baldwin works numbers were 7918, 57922-57928 in July 1924.

This large class was a repeat of the 1921 engines described in Locobase 3237.

Even though the firebox/grate area ratio fell within usual bounds, the direct heating surface area was quite low. As shown in this entry's data, all of the engines later carried a modified firebox that was larger by 8 sq ft (to 87.3 sq ft/ 8.1 sq m) and had a grate area of 19.44 sq ft (1.8 sq m), which slightly improved the ratios. Tender fuel capacity later grew to 2,102 US gallons (7,956 litres) of oil; the diagram shows no increase in tender weight.

The 1924 batch never had Mexicano road numbers and the 1921 class was renumbered by Nacional de Mexico in 1930 to provide a solid block of numbers. The entire class operated in the mid-to-late 1960s.

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Class G-034/G-018 (Locobase 11904)

Data from NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. Works number was 62095 in September 1920.

Note that even as late as the 1920s, the narrow-gauge railways within the NdeM were still ordering saturated-boiler locomotives. Indeed, very little of this design differs much in size or power from those supplied 30 years earlier. One difference is the provision of outside Walschaert radial valve gear during production.

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Class G-15 (Locobase 9495)

Data from NdeM 1946 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange. See also "Consolidation Locomotive for the Mexican Central", The Railway Age, Vol XXXII [32], (29 November 1901), pp. 631-634.

Fifteen Consolidations of the usual sort, although the cylinder stroke is shorter than most others of the time. Also, RA's report takes a long look at F W Johnstone's flexible staybolt design.

The class was originally delivered as coal burners, their tenders carrying 12 tons (10.9 metric tons) and weighing 123,000 lb (55,792 kg) loaded. Weight on drivers was 160,000 lb (72,575 kg) and loaded weight came to 180,000 lb (81,647 kg).

Of these, four would be retired before 1930 but other would carry on for decades. The last of the G-15s in NdeM service was withdrawn in 1960.

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Class G-16 (Locobase 11961)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley.

The Vauclain-compound Consolidations that were delivered to the El Paso & Northeastern in 1901-1902 are described in Locobase 11962. It's not clear to Locobase when the railroad removed the compound-cylinder arrangement, but he suspects it was accomplished within a few years.

Nine of the class were sold to the American Smelting & Refining Company in 1916-1920. ASARCO sold the batch to (or was likely nationalized by) the Nacional de Mexico in 1927, which put them in the G-16 class and numbered them 1123-1132.

205 and 198 were sold in January and February 1919 to the New Mexico Central as their #10-11. The NMC soon was absorbed by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and these two locomotives occupied their own 875 class. Both were scrapped in November 1929.

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Class G-17 (Locobase 11963)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

Out of the large class of Consolidations delivered by Rogers to the Illinois Central in 1902-1904 (Locobase 6970), two later wound up on the Nacional de Mexico as G-17s. (The IC transferred the engines in April 1921.)

They were part of the 1904 Rogers batch whose boilers held about 40 fewer tubes than the earlier engines.

Although many of the class later received an update that included a superheater, this pair apparently did not.

By 1946, the 1134 had been withdrawn. The 1133 departed sometime in the 1950s.

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Class G-22 (Locobase 9493)

Data from NdeM 1946 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

Drury (1993) credits this engine to Baldwin and after Allen Stanley sent Locobase a copy of Copeland's FCM roster, the ID was certain. Drury reports that the 1230 left the NdeM in 1957.

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Class G-24 (Locobase 11968)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. See also DeGolyer Library, Vol 65, pp. 381 and 383. Works numbers were 54766-54769 in May 1921 and 55087 in September.

Originally the first four locomotives of this design went to the Cia Mexicano de Combustibles and were numbered 911-914. The September engine went to La Fe Mining as their 831. All five went to work on the NdeM after that national line nationalized some of the remaining private industrial roads.

1239 retired relatively early in December 1948, 1240 in October 1957, 1241 in June 1958, and 1237-1238 in 1962.

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Class G-26 (Locobase 11535)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 26, p. 145. Works numbers were 23904, 23906-23907, 23914, 23957-23958, 23970-23973, 23990, 23993 in March 1904; 24024, 24077, 24094 in April 1904.

These were among the biggest Consolidations ever to go into service on a Mexican railway. Their grates were sizable, boiler heating surface considerable, but their firebox heating surfaces were surprisingly small.

The tank collar on the tender specified that this class would operate on the Ruta De Laredo service. This operating area presented "hard water" according to the specs, which also included a 4 June 1904 letter from William Burckel. This "hereafter" note said that later versions would require "heavier draft rigging front and back", which suggests couplers and other such gear hadn't proved sufficiently rugged in service.

At some later date, the class's steam-generating parts would be substantially modified; see Locobase 16536).

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Class G-27/G-28 (Locobase 9491)

Data from NdeM 1946 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

G-26 the 30 that came in 1906, and G-27 the last 30 that finished off the order in 1907. Some of the G-26s were superheated (see Locobase 9492) and boilers from the two retired G-28s were superheated and mated to new frames as GR-32s.

Other than six engines that went out service before 1930, most of the rest didn't retire until the mid-1950s and the last operated until 1963.

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Class G-29 (Locobase 11970)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in August 2013 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

Locobase has covered these Baldwins since they first arrived on the Kansas City Southern as Vauclain compounds (Locobase 14454), were converted to simple expansion (Locobase 6843), and superheated (in some cases; see Locobase 9446).

At least one engine--the one in this entry--enjoyed a long second career with a new boiler and firebox. Indeed, the locomotive was made over stem to stern. Driver diameter decreased by four inches, the coal-burning firebox was replaced by one that burned fuel oil, and the engine wheelbase shrank by six inches.

Renumbered 1364, the rebuilt locomotive remained in service until 1953.

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Class G-3/G-16/G-14 (Locobase 11363)

Data from "Equipment and Supplies: Locomotive Building, Railway Age Gazette, Vol 28 (8 December 1899), pp. 921-922. Works numbers were 5412-5415 in August 1899 and 5480-5481 in December.

These Belpaire-boilered Consolidations were virtual repeats of the Brooks locomotives shown in Locobase 9627. One interesting detail is that only the main drivers were to be of cast steel; the other three sets were cast iron.

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Class G-3/G14 (Locobase 11448)

Data from "Locomotive Building," The Railway Age, Vol 28 (15 September 1899), p 691. See also DeGolyer, Volume 22, pp. 90+. Baldwin works numbers were 16707-16710 in May 1899; 17006-17016, 17069-17079 in September; 17170-17177 in October.

In a short period, the MCR procured a large stud of Consolidations built to the same basic requirements. Brooks (Locobases 9627 and 9495) and Rogers (Locobase 11363) fulfilled orders, but the largest single production batch came from Baldwin in 1899. Like the others, this locomotive had a good-sized boiler and grate rolling on a relatively light-footed frame. As delivered, the tender held 6 tons of coal, weighted 38,000 lb (17,237 kg) empty and 91,300 lb (41,413 kg) loaded.

And like the others most of these engines enjoyed careers of more than 50 years each and two accumulted 60 years in service.

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Class G-32/G-39 (Locobase 11983)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Volume 30, p. 134. (Many thanks to Wesley Brockway for his 22 April 2016 email asking about the 739 and for "The Family and Travels of William Brockway (1852-1924)" , privately published. Works numbers were 29357, 29367 in October 1906; 29378, 29401-29403, 29446, 29462, 29507-29508, 29549-29550, 29576, 29585-29586, 29609-29610, 29631-29632 in November; 29738 in December. Another order for the Nacional Mexicano had works numbers 29198, 29206, 29211, 29225-29227, 29237-29238, 29245, 29267-29269 in October 1906 as well.

These two threads of the same design were delivered in the same year and, after the 1908 nationalization of Mexican railroads, grouped in the same class. These were big Consolidations, not much smaller than similar engines in US service. They trailed cylindrical Vanderbilt tenders.

Locobase always welcomes vignettes and anecdotes that put its locomotives in a particular context. So Wesley Brockaway's 2016 email asking for more information on a well-known photo of four insurrectionists riding the pilot of Nacional de Mexico 739. His subsequent permission to use some of his remarkable family history allows us to discuss the image from a different perspective.

William Brockway had moved from Massachusetts to Mexico sometime after 1884 with his wife in children, the latter headed by Wesley Daniel Brockway (born 1878). By 1900 and recently married, Wesley had caught on as a mechanista (engineer) on the Mexican National. He had moved his wife Lucina and six children to El Paso by 1910 because of the outbreak of revolution in Mexico.

At some point in the next few years, the 21st century's Wesley's great grandfather and namesake met history in a very personal way: "Family lore, photographic evidence, passport applications and birth of his children indicate that may have been held in involuntary servitude, driving a revolutionary train probably controlled by Emiliano Zapata during the early part of the revolution, (the family always said he was on a Pancho Villa train.)."

21st Century Wes adds later in his meticulously researched account: "Family lore states that Wesley was held in "involuntary servitude" for three years by Pancho Villa. ((Although there is some question as to which group of revolutionaries Wesley was driving a train for, there is photographic evidence that he was an engineer on a train held by revolutionaries around 1910. According to a mural which used the picture of the train as a model, these revolutionaries are Zapitisas, not Villistas.)) Based on child birth years, there was a period between 1911 and 1914 when the regular cycle of a child every two years was broken.))"

[Wesley and his family relocated to Cuba in May 1914 and moved to Hillsborough, Florida in 1919. Wesley Daniel Brockway was 47 years old when he died in Tampa in August 1925.]

All of this class would later be superheated as GR-42s; see Locobase 11984.

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Class G-32a, G-41 (Locobase 11980)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. Works numbers were 48863-48866 in November 1910.

According to Drury (1993), this quartet began its career on the Norte. By the time it was documented in the 1950 diagram, 1482 had been fitted with a superheater. For the changes, see Locobase 11981.

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Class G-33 (Locobase 16356)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in August 2013 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange collection.

Locobase 11535 shows the class as originally delivered with a large boiler and small firebox. After the reorganization in 1908, this class was redesignated G-33 and renumbered. At some point, the NdeM replaced the original boiler with one holding 40 fewer tubes, which yielded 292 sq ft (27.13 sq m) less tube heating surface area. A larger firebox increased direct heating surface by 23%, possibly by adding arch tubes.

Except for 634-635, which were retired in 1930, and 1380, retired in July 1946, this group was renumbered again and operated until the mid-1950s.

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Class G-35 (Locobase 11977)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley.

By the time these ex-Colorado Midland locomotives (described in Locobase 11976) showed up in the NdeM's 1950 diagram book, their boilers had been modified, or more likely replaced. Boiler pressure dropped by 20 psi, the boiler now held 38 fewer tubes (in a smaller vessel) while the firebox gained some area.

1436, 1438, and 1437 retired in August , September, and October of 1953, respectively. 1435 followed in August 1954 while 1434 continued until April 1957. 1438 ended the class's service career in July 1957.

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Class G-36 (Locobase 9487)

Data from Angus Sinclair (ed), "Baldwin 2-8-0 for the Internacional Mexicano", Railway and Locomotive Engineering, December 1903, p. 563 and from NdeM 1946 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange. See also DeGolyer, Volume 25, p. 299. Works numbers were 22439 in July 1903, 22653 in August, 22910, 23074, and 23080 in October.

These were substantial Consolidations when they went into service on the IM. That railroad was taken over by the state-run Nacional de Mexico in 1911. They were never superheated or otherwise substantially modified. One was scrapped in July 1946; all of the others retired in September 1953.

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Class G-37 (Locobase 11978)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley.

The original configuration of these ex-Kansas City Southern locomotives is described in Locobase 6842. By the time we encounter them in the NdeM book, a new boiler and firebox of significantly smaller capacities provided steam for the running gear. 78 small tubes were removed and the new firebox had a slightly smaller grate, but more heating surface area. The larger FHS was more important in the oil-burner that these had become. Locobase cannot say when the conversion was made, as the KCS also burned oil in many of its locomotives.

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Class G-44/G-18 (Locobase 11964)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams-Standard Gauge supplied in August 2013 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

Formerly Illinois Central C-56 1/2 class locomotives 689 and 696 (Locobase 6970) built by Schenectady and delivered in 1903.

Within two decades, the pair was sold to the NdeM in April 1921. At some point, the two engines must have received new boilers as both grate area and tube heating surface area decreased, a reduction of 42 tubes accounting for the latter.

The duo enjoyed long second careers before 1136 retired in March 1957 and 1135 followed exactly three years later in March 1960.

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Class G-5 / G-25 (Locobase 12623)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 25, p. 50. . Works number was 21388 in December 1902.

This was a stubby, chubby Consolidation packing a short boiler stuffed with small tubes. Once the CM was incoorporated into the Nacional de Mexico in 1908, the designation and road numbers changed (the latter twice). It was scrapped in May 1931.

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Class G-5/G-6 (Locobase 11172)

Data from R. Godfrey Ashton, "Oil-Burning Locomotives,"Railway Master Mechanic, Vol 36, No 3 (March 1912), pp. 106-109. See also Alfred H Gibbings, Oil fuel equipment for locomotives and principles of application (London: Constable & Company, 1915), p. B and DeGolyer, Volumes 24, pp. 72-73; 25, p. 259; and 28, p. 228.

Works numbers were 19498 in August 1901, 19587 in October; 19713, 19729, 19763, 19785 in November; 19872, 19883 in December 1901; 27394-27395 in January 1906; 27414, 27442, 27460, 27486-27487, 27502 in February 1906; 32354, 32364, 32411-32412, 32427, 32465 in December 1907; and 32545, 32587 in January 1908. The locomotives 66-67 were delivered as Vauclain compounds with 14" HP and 24" LP cylinders.

#61 was adapted by Baldwin to test an oil-fuel-burning system. As Ashton noted at the time, the TR was a transcontinental line covering 189 miles from Puerto Mexico (Coatzacoalcos) on the Atlantic coast to Salina Cruz on the Pacific. He reported that speeds of trains were limited to 15 mph (24 kph).

Writing three years later, Gibbings didn't think much of Baldwin's sytem: "The steam-jet burner is placed at the back end ..., but there is no protective brick lining against the plate at that end and therefore nothing to warm up the cold air which enters around the burner." He noted that the steam-jet design, like several others, seemed liable to leak air past the combustion chamber: "It really seems in some cases to be an open invitation for excess air to enter, just as if several holes were left purposely open in the bed of a coal-fired engine." He condemned the system saying: "Indeed, it is an open question whether [it] does not necessitate such conditions of combustion that complete compliance therewith is impossible within a locomotive firebox."

In 1906-1908, the N de T bought 16 more Consolidations built to the same specifications (Locobase 11954) and designated them G-6. The specs called for the class to be able to scale a 1 1/2% grade while hauling about 600 short tons.

The first two G-5s were sold to the Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Obras (S C O P); the others remained in service with the Tehuantepec and later the Nacional de Mexico until the mid-1950s. The same was true of the G-6s, which were retired in January 1955, except for the 543-544 in September 1944 and 540 in March 1945. At the other end of the calendar, 537 retired in February 1957, 536 in 1959, 542 and 545 in 1962.

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Class G-5/G-6 (Locobase 12674)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 25, p. 259 and "Some Recent Baldwin Locomotives," The Daily Railway Age, Volume XXXV, No.25a (24 June 1903), p. 1062. Works numbers were 22094-22095, 22243, 22248 in May 1903.

Locobase 11172 shows the 1901 set of Consolidations that made up the bulk of this class. Like the earlier engines, this quartet had Belpaire firebox in which the railway burned oil. The DRA report summarizes who ran these engines and what was expected. "This road runs from the town of Coatzacoalcos on the Gulf to Salina Cruz on the Pacific coast and has been under construction for some time, now being completed except for a short distance between Achobal and Santa Lucrecia, which portion it is expected will be finished at an early date. The locomotives furnished were built to haul 600 tons on a 1% per cent grade, the track being in good condition and the frictional resistance not exceeding eight pounds per ton."

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Class G-50/GR-23 (Locobase 11967)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. See also the Discover Mexico's "Parque Fundidora en Monterrey un lugar genial para pasear y divertirte" at [], last accessed 1 August 2019. The superheater surface area is an estimate based on a similar Alco locomotive described in Locobase 9839. Works numbers were 63100-63103 in August 1921 (order number was S1364).

This iron and steel concern was formed on 5 May 1900 and began operating in 1903 in the Estado Libre y Soberano de Nuevo León, a Mexican state that lies south of Texas and separated from the Gulf of Mexico by Tamaulipas State. It was the first integrated steel industry in Mexico and is credited with having led Mexico in joining the industrial revolution.

Not long after the enterprise's output had reached 22 million tons in 1917, the company bought this Consolidation quartet. It's not clear to Locobase if the locomotives continued to serve the FFAM after February 1926, when the class was taken onto the NdeM's roster. In 1930, the original designation changed and the locomotives took new road numbers.

They remained on the NdeM's books until 1962.

After its closure in 1986, the large site was originally to have been reforested, but the Secretaría de Desarrollo Urbano y Ecología (Secretariat of Urban Development and Ecology) instead proposed transforming part of the area into a family-oriented leisure attraction. Inevitably, such an ambitious idea proved a complex effort to make, but the result was a 144 hectare (346 acre) park of which 80 hectares (198 acres) are green spaces.

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Class G-6 (Locobase 11954)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange. See also Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 28, p. 228 and Volume 31, 126;and Percy F Martin, "Mexican Railways and Oil-Fuel", Railway News, Volume 86 (24 Novmber 1906), pp. 852-854. Works numbers were 27394-27395 in January 1906; 27414, 27442, 27460, 27486-27487, 27502 in February; 32354, 32364, 32411-32412, 32427, 32465 in December 1907; 32545, 32587 in January 1908.

Three years after the FCNT bought the set of Consolidations shown in Locobase 12674, it went back to Baldwin for a slightly tweaked variant that had a longer wheelbase. They were rated to pull 600 short tons up a 1 1/2% grade on the condition that resistance not exceed 80 lb/ton and that the cars be in good condition.

Delivered with the tender shown in the specs, the class later trailed larger tenders weighing 113,000 lb (51,256 kg)) loaded with 5,000 US gallons (18,925 litres) of water and 3,000 gallons (11,355 litres) of oil.

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Class G-6/G-21/G-26 (Locobase 11969)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley.. Works numbers were 29025-29028 in February 1904, 29292-29336 in March.

This was a huge class of Consolidations supplied by the Paterson builder over a four-year period. G-26 came to represent the 65 that arrived in 1903-1904 and were smaller than those that arrived two years later. You can see those in Locobase 9491.

Apparentlly the class suited first the CM's and later Nacional de Mexico's requirements as none were retired before the mid-1950s.

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Class G45/GR-20 (Locobase 1377)

Data from Railway Age (12 November 1921). See also NdeM 1946 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley and DeGolyer Library, Vol 65, pp. 404+ and Vol 74, pp. 416+.

The NdeM ordered the first 40 from Alco's Brooks Works, which sub-contracted with Baldwin to produce 20 of the engines. The Baldwin specs says their 1921 order was to built "as American Locomotive Company's specification A-10731-B dated July 12, 1921, with Appendix sheets Nos 1 to 21." These had Baldwin works numbers 55030, 55071-55083 in September, 55113-55118 in November.

Baldwin added fifteen more in 1924 (works numbers were 57857-57863, 57887-57888, 57917, 57934-57937 in July 1924, 57960 in August.). In their specifications, the Baldwin engines had 11" (241 mm) piston valves. 850 was completed with an experimental superheater; see Locobase 153

The railway's profile included 3 1/2% grades and curves of 14 1/2 metric degrees

Retirements occurred from 1953 to 1963.

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Class G45/GR-20 - 850 (Locobase 15336)

Data from DeGolyer Library, Vol 74, pp. 416+. See also (e.g.) the patent for the Larrey & Godard superheater at [] . The Age of Experimentation had not fully passed away for the NdeM, at least as far as this single oil-burning Consolidation went. While all of the Brooks and all but one of the Baldwins had by now standard Schmidt superheater, the 850 had a different kit. The engine did not have flues per se; all of its tubes were of the large-diameter (i.e., 2 1/4") variety. Steam was superheated by a Larrey & Godard design for which they obtained US patents.

Theodoro Larrey and Luis Godard devised a combination steam superheater and draft-distributing deflector. The diagrams accompanying the application show a header at the top of the front tubesheet to which the dry pipe is bolted. The two steam pipes coming down curve into a heart-shaped "deflector plate" which is roughly the same size as the portion of the front tubesheet that actually contains tubes.

The hot gases from the tubes struck the rear of the deflector plate, through which the steam from the dry pipe was passing. The hot gases would heat the plate and superheat the steam, which is then let into the 11" (241 mm) piston valves.

As this may have been the only locomotive fitted with this device, one suspects that this smokebox superheater, like all others, proved unable to challenge Schmidt's firetube system.

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Class GR-031 (Locobase 11919)

Data from NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. See also "La Fidelita, la maquina de vapor construida por guanjuatenses", El Economista blog post on 23 de mayo de 2012, last accessed 6 November 2018 at []. Works numbers were 68740-68744 in July 1936.

These were among the few superheated Consolidations to run on a Mexican narrow-gauge railway. The basic boiler then in use saw a sacrifice of 95 of its small tubes (over half of the total) in favor of the 19 larger flues. Such a reconfiguration conferred a sizable reheat (the R in the class ID denotes recalentador -- superheater) and most likely a considerable power boost. The outside frame allowed the most space for firebox and boiler on a narrow span.

The last locomotive in the class took shape 28 years after the first six when the workshops (talleres) at Acámbaro delivered it on 31 May 1944. El Economista' post declares that the locomotive represented "toda una hazana" (quite a feat, suggests Locobase). According to the article, the lovingly, one might say faithfully. preserved locomotive on display at the station cost only 80,000 pesos to build when a US-built engine of the same time cost 385,000 pesos. La Fidelita, decked with flowers, two Mexican flags, and a portrait of pries Miguel Hidalgo Costilla, took its inaugural trip on 10 June 1944 between partió de Acámbaro a Tacubaya.

"The existence of the new steam engine", El Economista contended, sparked "discontent" (literal translation) or "unease" (Locobase's suggestion) in the US because it showed that Mexico no longer depended on the technology from the former country. Apparently because it copied Alco's 1916 design, the American builder demanded that the NdeM dismantle, "once and for all, all of its workshops, including those in Acámbaro."

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Class GR-26 (Locobase 9492)

Data from NdeM 1946 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

Alco's Cooke works in Paterson, New Jersey produced 125 Consolidations for the Mexican Central in the first decade of the 20th Century. Quite serviceable in their own right (see Locobase 9491), many of the engines retained their saturated-steam boilers up until retirement.

Many of the G-26s, however, were made over with superheaters, larger cylinders, piston valves actuated by Walschaert gear. Locobase's superheater area is an estimate based on several locomotive classes with similar superheater layouts - the range of area runs almost 100 sq ft, so the figure is approximate.

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Class GR-3 (Locobase 11948)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010by Allen Stanley.

The G-031s described in Locobase 947 were rebuilt to run on the standard gauge (4' 8 1/2") beginning in January 1948 with 292, renumbered 900 and ending with 293-294, renumbered 905-906 in June and August 1952. Very little changed during the widening and they remained in service until 1962.

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Class GR-32 (Locobase 11974)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. Superheater surface area is not separately stated; the specification value is an estimate based on several other North American 2-8-0s with similar tube lengths and identical flue diameters and count.

Clearly, the large class of Cooke-built Consolidations (Locobase 9491) coped convenientyl (here the alliteration ends) with the installation of a superheated boiler. In addition to the usual reduction of small tubes in favor of large flues, the modification added 47 sq ft of thermic syphons to the firebox heating surface.

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Class GR-34 (Locobase 11975)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. Superheater surface area is not separately stated; the specification value is an estimate based on several other North American 2-8-0s with similar tube lengths and identical flue diameters and count.

Alco's Paterson, New Jersey Cooke Works supplied this class of Consolidations with saturated boilers in 1902-1903. Some time later, the class was superheated.

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Class GR-38 (Locobase 11982)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. Superheater surface area is not separately stated; the specification value is an estimate based on several other North American 2-8-0s with similar tube lengths and identical flue diameters and count.

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Class GR-40 (Locobase 11979)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. Superheater area is not recorded separately in the NdeM diagrams.

These were Alco engines that entered service with saturated boilers in 1909-1910 on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific.

Part of a large class that was superheated in the late 19teens and early twenties, the 4 engines in this group later received thermic syphons that added 58 sq ft to the firebox heating surface.

After a 35-year career with the Rock Island, they came into the NdeM in 1942.

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Class GR-41 (Locobase 11981)

Data from NdeM 1950 Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. Superheater surface area is not separately stated; the specification value is an estimate based on several other North American 2-8-0s with similar tube lengths and identical flue diameters and count.

According to Drury (1993), this quartet began its career on the Norte. By the time it was documented in the 1950 diagram, 1482 had been fitted with a superheater. For the changes, see Locobase 11981.

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Class GR-42 (Locobase 11984)

Data from 1950 NdeM Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. Superheater surface area is not separately stated; the specification value is an estimate based on several other North American 2-8-0s with similar tube lengths and identical flue diameters and count.

Locobase 11983 has the original saturated-boiler engines that came to the Interoceanico and the Mexicano in 1906. Modifying the locomotives to incorporate a superheater required the usual trade-off of small tubes for large flues - in this case 136 of the former were deducted to make room for 36 flues. At the same time, the firebox heating surface increased substantially with the addition of two thermic syphons totalling 61 sq ft (5.67 sq m) and the cylinder diameter expanded by an inch.

All but two of the class would serve into the 1950s and 1960s before retiring. The Ferrocarril Mexicano bought six: 1509 (ex-1460), 1527 (ex-1461), 1528 (ex-1468), 1524 (ex-1473), 1502 (ex-1478), and 1526 (ex-1479). These took road numbers 301, 307, 308, 305, 300, 306.

1429 (ex-729) was withdrawn sometime before 1946. 1472 (ex-739) , the engine in the "4 revolutionaries" photo described in Locobase 11983, was the only locomotive in the class to meet an untimely end when it wrecked in September 1949.

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Class GR-44 (Locobase 11985)

Data from 1950 NdeM Locomotive Diagrams Standard Gauge supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. Superheater surface area is not separately stated; the specification value is an estimate based on several other North American 2-8-0s with similar tube lengths and identical flue diameters and count.

This pair of locomotives came from a class of Pittsburgh-built engines supplied in 1911 and 1913 to the Bessemer & Lake Erie. On that railroad, they fell into classes C2B to C2D. After more than 30 years of service, the B & LE sold 2 of the class to the NdeM.

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Class H-1/G-06/G-026 (Locobase 11908)

Data from 1946ca NdeM Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley.

Locobase 14733 shows this quartet of small Consolidations in 1892 when they were delivered as Vauclain compounds.

At some point after their delivery, the quartet converted to simple-expansion, perhaps in 1903.

Still later, Locobase suspects, came the boiler upgrade shown in this entry's specs, which included a change to more and narrower boiler tubes and the introduction of outside Walschaert radial valve gear.

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Class H-2 G-087/G-28 (Locobase 11916)

Data from NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley.

Locobase 11914 shows the eleven-engine class of Vauclain compound Consolidations that arrived on the Mexicano in 1898-1900. Four wound up with substantially different boilers. This septet, however, saw only slight modification to the firebox and the boiler.

In the late 1940s, the Nacional de Mexico sold four of them back to the Mexicano which renumbered them and ran the group for another 7 to 10 years. It retained 166-168 until 1965-1966.

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Class H-2 / G-08 / G-27 (Locobase 11915)

Data from NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley.

Delivered as Vauclain compounds (Locobase 11914), this foursome was substantially rebuilt as simple-expansion locomotives a few years later. The new boiler had more, but smaller-diameter tubes and a slightly larger firebox.

The class showed considerable durability and remained in service until 1964.

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Class I / G-09 / G-029 (Locobase 11917)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Vol 23, p. 83 and 22, p. 196 and NdeM 1926ca Locomotive Diagrams supplied in December 2010 by Allen Stanley. Baldwin works numbers were 17986-17987 in July 1900.

Not only was this pair substantially bigger and heavier than the other Consolidations making their way to Mexican narrow-gauge railways at this time, they were quite unorthodox in appearance. The firebox was wider than most and the cab appears to have struggled to enclose it. Also, the specification shows a boiler with 180 2 1/4" tubes, while the 1926 diagram shows a boiler of almost identical area sporting 203 2" tubes.

See Locobase 11918 for the much later G-030s delivered in the 1920s, which retained the specified large-diameter tubes.

LIke the other turn-of-the-century engines, this twosome served until retirement in June 1965. (The 261 had been leased to the Coahuila & Zacatecas in 1960.)