Central de Aragon Articulated Locomotives in Spain


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 060-4001 (Locobase 3471)

Data from [link], the web site of the Spanish National Railway.

These Mallets were heavily used on the Valencia-Teruel-Calatyud line, "which offered a continuous incline some 85 kilometers in length" (Locobase translation of RENFE comment). [link] (28 April 2003) reproduces the diagram with all weights and dimensions and a summary of construction that shows three batches, delivered 1912, 1927, and 1928.


Class 060-4011 (Locobase 5508)

Data from [link], the web site of the Spanish National Railway.[link] (28 April 2003) reproduces the diagram with all weights and dimensions.

These were the first Mallets and arrived unsuperheated. According to a description of the locomotives held by El Museo del Ferrocarril de Vilanova i la Geltru (translated by Locobase), these were also the first locomotives of Swiss origin to operate in Spain.

When RENFE assumed control in 1941, this Mallet class was moved off the former FCA lines to circulate (or shuttle) between Valencia and Utiel as well as operating south of Valencia toward Alicante. By the 1970s, the by-then venerable haulers were shifted to Murcia.


Class 160-4001 (Locobase 3374)

Data from [link], the web site of the Spanish National Railway. See also Via Libre, Nmo 67 (Julio de 1969) ([link], last accessed 1 June 2014), p. 21-22 and the MATERIAL MOTOR RENFE 1947 diagram book posted by carlos lavagoneta arroba and retrieved from Picasa 8

[link], last accessed 1 June 2014.

This quartet of Mallets was originally delivered as 0-6-6-0 tank engines that conjured with the need to pull 375 tons (413 short tons) in the Port of Escandon. They were true Mallets with low-pressure cylinders driving the forward driver set and the high-pressure cylinders receiving the live steam ahead of the rear driver set.

Their tanks held an unusually high quantity of water (5,284 US gallons or 20,000 litres) and bunkered five tons of coa1(11,023 lb). And for only the second time in Europe, the engine's weight in working order exceeded 100 tonnes (110 short tons). In fact, the 41 weighed 108,000 kg (238,099 lb or 118.8 short tons). The axle loading came to 18 tonnes (19.8 short tons).

This high weight proved to be the design's biggest shortcoming; they were simply too heavy for the Aragon's right of way. The simplest and ultimately effective remedy was moving the fuel and water storage to a separate tender and adding a leading Bissel pony truck to spread the remaining weight. Axle loading dropped by 38%. The resulting profile lacked grace. The short flared stack, two thimble domes placed at equal lengths on the boiler, and a narrow cab seem malproportioned.

The locomotives remained in service for decades. The Via Libre report says that the engines pulled powerfully but were slow because they rolled on very small drivers. They moved to the Cordoba shed to serve the Belmez line and ended up rostered in the Bobadilla shed, from which they were withdrawn in 1952.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class060-4001060-4011160-4001
Locobase ID3471 5508 3374
RailroadCentral de AragonCentral de AragonCentral de Aragon
CountrySpainSpainSpain
Whyte0-6-6-00-6-6-02-6-6-0
Number in Class944
Road Numbers61-6951-5441-44/160-4001 a 160-4004
Gauge5'6"5'6"5'6"
Number Built944
BuilderHenschel & SohnSLMBorsig
Year191219061902
Valve GearWalschaertWalschaertWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 8.86 / 2.70 8.86 / 2.70 9.84 / 3
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)25.10 / 7.6525.10 / 7.6536.50 / 11.12
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.35 0.35 0.27
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)45.17 / 13.7745.17 / 13.7757.15 / 17.42
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)26,874 / 12,19025,133 / 11,40028,660 / 13,000
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)161,224 / 73,130150,355 / 68,200171,960 / 78,000
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)161,224 / 73,130150,355 / 68,200198,416 / 90,000
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)76,500 / 34,70076,500 / 34,70082,673 / 37,500
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)237,724 / 107,830226,855 / 102,900281,089 / 127,500
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)3900 / 14.773900 / 14.773696 / 14
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)5 / 55 / 55 / 5
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)45 / 22.5042 / 2148 / 24
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)47.20 / 120047.20 / 120043.30 / 1100
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)188.50 / 1300188.50 / 1300171.10 / 1180
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)15.75" x 23.62" / 400x60015.75" x 23.62" / 400x60018.5" x 23.62" / 470x600
Low Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)23.62" x 23.62" / 600x60023.62" x 23.62" / 600x60027.95" x 23.62" / 710x600
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)27,536 / 12490.1327,536 / 12490.1337,761 / 17128.12
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 5.86 5.46 4.55
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)102 - 1.97" / 50207 - 1.97" / 50256 - 1.969" / 50
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)21 - 5" / 127
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)14.76 / 4.5014.76 / 4.5017.88 / 5.45
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)124.92 / 11.61118.36 / 11204.52 / 19
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)26.04 / 2.4226.90 / 2.5046.29 / 4.30
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1216 / 113.011679 / 156.042357 / 219
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)401 / 37.27
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1617 / 150.281679 / 156.042357 / 219
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume228.31315.23320.75
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation490950717920
Same as above plus superheater percentage613650717920
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area29,43422,31134,993
Power L1674628112488
Power MT553.48247.30191.39

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