4-6-0 Steam Locomotives in Portugal

Class 201 (Locobase 9703)

Data from "Locomotivas de Vapor de Via Larga"p. 10 , posted Posted by Guarda Freio at 18:01, 23 September 2018, at [], last accessed 25 January 2026; and [], last accessed 30 November 2008. Works numbers were 12195-12200 in 1913.

Originally delivered to the S e S for passenger service, these engines remained in service until the end of steam on the Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses.

Class 401 (Locobase 21302)

Data from "Portuguese Express Locomotive", Railway Age Gazette-Mechanical Edition, Volume , No 3 (March 1915), pp. 117-118, and skeptical editorial comment on that issue's editorial page 106.. Works numbers were 2747-2752 in 1908.

According to Ferropedia's Spanish-language site, this sextet was a Bavarian attempt to come up with an express compound locomotive for the Portuguese Railways. As such, they strongly resembled the Bavarian Railways S 3/5 Ten-wheeler (Locobase 5991) and S 3/6 designs. A 1930 photo shows an unusual shield under the smokebox that wrapped around to embrace the cylinders. The steam dome sat well forward, ahead of the sand dome, and the cab had a "wind-splitter" wedge-shaped face.

RAG's detailed report described the details and performance of this design. All four cylinders lay en banc and drove on the leading coupled axle, the HP cylinders inside the 4" (102 mm) deep bar frames and LPs outside. Like the Vauclain compound designs, the two cylinders on each side used a single piston valve to alternately supply the HP and LP cylinders. Each valve used a small-diameter valve in the center to feed and exhaust the HP cylinder. Both ends were devoted to the LP cylinder, each one timed to supply steam at opposite ends of the piston stroke.

RAG reported "It is said that these completely fulfilled all the required conditionis, their performance having proved highly satisfactory in every way." The journal highlighted the contention that the design developed "exceptionally high power per unit of weight."

Maffei and CP claimed that the engine generated a maximum of 2,214 horsepower in actual service, RAG reported. Five sample indicator cards "taken in service on a level line at various speeds and cutoffs" showed the following values:

Speed (mph) BP (psi) Cutoff % Train weight (tons) IHP

40 213 40 341 830

56 213 38 341 1,234

62 203 35 355 2,054

63 227.5 50 388 2,214

67 227.5 40 314 1,799

RAG Mechanical Edition's editorial comment agreed that a balanced compound passenger locomotive developing 2,000 IHP "is a performance rarely, if ever, equalled in American practice." RAG's skeptically assessed the claim by giving examples of high-performing American engines of equal or greater capacity that measured 1,600-1,700 hp in roughly similar conditions. Their verdict: "Comparing the Portuguese lcoomotive with these engines the possibilities of such a performance on its part are not evident."

After 30 years in Portuguese service, the Lisbon shops added superheaters to the boilers (see Locobase 9704).

The first of the class - 403 - retired on 20 February 1952. The others left service over the next 9 years with 406 making the final exit on 21 July 1961.

Class 401-supetheated (Locobase 9704)

Data from [], last accessed 30 November 2008; and "Locomotivas de Vapor de Via Larga"p. 31 , posted Posted by Guarda Freio at 18:01, 23 September 2018, at [], last accessed 25 January 2026. See also "Portuguese Express Locomotive", Railway Age Gazette-Mechanical Edition, Volume , No 3 (March 1915), pp. 117-118, and skeptical editorial comment on that issue's editorial page. Works numbers were 2747-2752 in 1908.

NB: Tube & Flue heating surface areas calculated from the external (water) diameter. Inside (fire) diameter measured 174.97 sq m (1,883 sq ft)..

Locobase 21302 supplies the details for the original saturated-boiler version of this sextet.

After 30 years in Portuguese service, the Lisbon shops added superheaters to the boilers. The first of the class - 403 - retired on 20 February 1952. The others left service over the next 9 years with 406 making the final exit on 21 July 1961.