Vascongados 2-6-0 Locomotives in Spain

Class 50 (Locobase 6332)

Reder (1974, pl 225) for data. See also []

Basque's steep and winding railway in the Biscay region needed a handy freight engine with as short a wheelbase as possible. Krauss supplied these locomotives with the Krauss-Helmholtz bogie that combined the lead truck and the front driving axle. Although identified as a Mogul, the design was actually a "supported tank", sometimes rendered 2-6-0+2; based on Engerth's designs, the concept used the added power supplied by the first tender axle, which was also powered by the boiler's steam. Using the first tender axle to provide some of the support allowed Krauss to furnish the design with a relatively large firebox.

The result was very satisfactory, easily maintaining 38 mph (70 km/h) on the level and negotiated curves as tight as 100 yards in radius. Tonnage rating was 300 tons up 2.6% at 18 1/2 mph. Reder regally pronounces that this design "was one of the masterpieces of locomotive construction."

Reder adds that 27 similar locomotives went to the North Spanish Coast Railroads from Krauss and Maffei chipped in 6 more. (The original order, Reder says, went to the Sebastian & Elgoibar (later Vascongados) and the Cantabrian.

Once the Vascongados electrified its operation, this class served out their days on several other lines. One, the Poferrada & Villablino, ordered 4 more of the type from Macosa in 1950 and 1956; see Locobase 4912.