RENFE 4-8-0 Locomotives in Spain


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 240-2471 (Locobase 3388)

Data from [link] . This class includes locomotives supplied to three component railways and produced by five different builders -- a "standard" locomotive in many respects that differed only slightly in adhesion weight among the railroads. Note that the factor of adhesion at the specified MEP is quite low. RENFE uses 65% of nominal pressure (vs the more common 85%), which yields 39,480 lb and an FofA of 4.4.

Oeste road numbers run 2401-2405, Andaluces 4251-4255; [link] doesn't specify the MZA's range. RENFE's range covers 247 locomotives, but 2476-2480 were not delivered. Deliveries were interrupted by the Spanish Civil War and resumed in 1942. Builders, all Iberian, included MTM (Barcelona), Euskalduna (Bilbao), Babcock & Wilcox, Devis, and Macosa. Six more from MTM went to Portugal in 1947 as their 831-836.

In Lineas Del Tren (#290, 5 May 2003) [Por que llegaron a Espana las 1-4-1 Mikados francesas? reproduced on [link], accessed 7 Dec 2005], Angel Maestro credits this class with handling 400 tonnes of fast freights over the El Escorial-La Canada line, which featured a ruling grade of 2.1%. 2.1%. On the flatter profile between Venta de Banos and Valladolid, they were rated at 850 tonnes. These numbers compare well with virtually all other contemporary Spanish locomotives.

Pere Comas, whose Paleontologia Vaporosa posts on the family tree of Spanish 4-8-0s are referenced in Locobase 3382, identifies these as the ultimate expression of the original "Mastodontus Ibericus" that originally entered service on the MZA in 1921 (see Locobase 3384). When MZA added 5 locomotives with "Elephant Ears", they created, according to Comas, "Mastodontus Ibericas Otorrinus".

The Andaluces 4250 class "Mastodontus Ibericus Patanegris" was the immediate inspiration for the RENFE's considerably upgraded species he dubs "Mastodontus Ibericus Ibericus" (aka "Renfes"). Comas comments: "Su perfil, con las pantallas deflectoras caracteristicas, configuraran la silueta de las locomotora espanola por excelencia."

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class240-2471
Locobase ID3388
RailroadRENFE
CountrySpain
Whyte4-8-0
Number in Class242
Road Numbers2471-2717
Gauge5'6"
Number Built242
Builderseveral
Year1935
Valve GearWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)20.34 / 6.20
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)46.70 / 14.23
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.44
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)67.11 / 20.45
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)44,974 / 20,400
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)173,724 / 78,800
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)233,249 / 105,800
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)185,629 / 84,200
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)418,878 / 190,000
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)8839 / 33.48
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)11 / 10
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)72 / 36
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)64.20 / 1630
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)246.60 / 1700
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)24.02" x 27.95" / 610x710
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)52,651 / 23882.12
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 3.30
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)197 - 1.969" / 50
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)30 - 5.236" / 133
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)17.88 / 5.45
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)194.83 / 18.10
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)56.51 / 5.25
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2519 / 234
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)794 / 73.80
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)3313 / 307.80
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume171.84
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation13,935
Same as above plus superheater percentage17,280
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area59,576
Power L119,150
Power MT972.08

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