Swiss Central Articulated Locomotives in Switzerland

Class Ed 2 x 2/2 (Locobase 6396)

Data from [] ... (1 Dec 2004), the Swiss Heritage Foundation website, supplemented by Camille Barbey, Les Locomotives Suisses (Geneve, Switzerland: Eggiman & Co, 1896), pp. 123-125. See also Data from Zeitschrift des Architecten und Ingenieur-Vereins, Vol XXXIX, No 1 (1893), p. 223.

SBB explains that in 1891 the Swiss Central railway had bought six Mallets (Locobase 15528). Although the 1891 locomotives were well-received, the SC wanted to keep axle loadings down. The boiler's size was reduced, but the pressure went up by two bars, the driver diameter dropped by 80 mm, and the frames were leaned down. To improve endurance, both water and fuel bunker capacities were increased.

The SBB's preserved example -- #196 -- first operated out of Olten heading up freights. From 1915-1938, 196 served the Le Pont-Le Brassus line. Its retirement in 1938 was followed by a long period as a display piece. It was finally restored to museum service in the 1990s.

Class Ed 2 x 2/2 (Locobase 15528)

Data from Camille Barbey, Les Locomotives Suisses (Geneve, Switzerland: Eggiman & Co, 1896), pp. 123.

These were the first of two batches of eight-wheeled Mallet compounds supplied to the Swiss Central. They were put on the Olten-Sissach section of the Olten-Bale line, an 18-km (11.8 -mile) segment that had grades of 1.7, 2.1, and 2.5%.

Class Ed 2 x 3/3 (Locobase 11251)

Data from Zeitschrift des Architecten und Ingenieur-Vereins, Vol XXXIX, No 1 (1893), p. 223.

This sextet belonged to the first generation of Mallet compounds, notably in their small size and tank-engine layout. These soon joined by 0-4-4-0Ts with higher axle loadings (Locobase 6396).