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Gotthard Railway A 3/5 No. 201-230
Switzerland | 1894
30 produced
No. 214 in the data sheet of the SLM
No. 214 in the data sheet of the SLM
SBB Historic

At the beginning of the 1890s, express trains were still transported on the Gotthard railway in two separate ways. In the lowlands from Lucerne to Erstfeld the trains were pulled by light tank locomotives and in the mountains freight locomotives took over. In order to accelerate these trains, new locomotives were needed that combined sufficient tractive power with a higher maximum speed, thus making locomotive changes and double heading superfluous. The requirements were to transport an express train of 140 tonnes alone on the mountain and 250 tonnes on the flat.

In order to enable sufficient tractive effort and, at the same time, good curve running, the locomotive was given three coupled axles and a leading bogie, which made it the first locomotive of this wheel arrangement in Switzerland. A driving wheel diameter of 1,610 mm represented a good compromise for the required performance. For smoother running, coil springs were used instead of leaf springs, which were later replaced with leaf springs.

The first prototype with the number 201 was built with a three-cylinder compound engine. In order to develop a higher tractive force on the mountain, the low-pressure cylinders could be operated permanently with live steam. In the 202, a four-cylinder compound engine according to De Glehn was used, which also worked with the compound effect on the mountain.

For the production of the 28 series machines, the arrangement with four cylinders was chosen because it ran more smoothly and was more economical on the mountain route. Compared to the 202, the cylinders were enlarged while the boiler pressure was increased from 14 to 15 bars. The high-pressure cylinders acted on the first and the low-pressure cylinders on the second coupled axle. A slightly smaller boiler was installed in the last six locomotives from number 225 onwards. These locomotives were later retrofitted with a superheater

The locomotives could pull a 320-tonne express train on the flat at 50 km/h. A load of 140 tonnes was initially planned for the ascent at 40 km/h, which was later reduced to 120 tonnes to reduce fuel consumption. Likewise, the tender was expanded from a water capacity of 14.4 to 17 cubic meters. When the Gotthard Railway was nationalized in 1909, the SBB gave the locomotives the numbers 901 to 930. After the line was electrified in 1920 and these locomotives were slower than later type A 3/5 locomotives, they were retired between 1923 and 1926.

Variant201202203-230
General
Built18941897-1905
ManufacturerSLM
Axle config4-6-0 (Ten-wheeler) 
Gauge4 ft 8 1/2 in (Standard gauge)
Dimensions and Weights
Length53 ft 6 1/2 in54 ft 9 7/8 in
Wheelbase28 ft 6 1/8 in24 ft 6 1/8 in
Rigid wheelbase11 ft 6 9/16 in12 ft 6 13/16 in
Total wheelbase43 ft 11 9/16 in
Empty weight131,175 lbs134,482 lbs128,088 lbs
Service weight146,607 lbs149,914 lbs143,300 lbs
Adhesive weight101,413 lbs103,176 lbs
Total weight221,564 lbs224,871 lbs226,966 lbs
Axle load33,803 lbs34,392 lbs
Water capacity3,804 us gal4,491 us gal
Fuel capacity11,023 lbs (coal)
Boiler
Grate area24.8 sq ft25.8 sq ft
Firebox area132.4 sq ft137.8 sq ft
Tube heating area1,486.5 sq ft1,539.2 sq ft
Evaporative heating area1,618.9 sq ft1,677 sq ft
Total heating area1,618.9 sq ft1,677 sq ft
Variant201202203-230
Power Plant
Driver diameter63.4 in
Boiler pressure203 psi218 psi
Expansion typecompound
Cylindersthree, HP: 17 5/16 x 23 5/8 in
and LP: 18 7/8 x 23 5/8 in
four, HP: 13 3/4 x 23 5/8 in
and LP: 20 7/8 x 23 5/8 in
four, HP: 14 9/16 x 23 5/8 in
and LP: 23 5/8 x 23 5/8 in
Power
Power sourcesteam
Estimated power872 hp (650 kW)939 hp (700 kW)
Optimal speed27 mph33 mph28 mph
Top speed56 mph
Starting effort20,392 lbf17,013 lbf21,194 lbf
with start valve24,470 lbf20,416 lbf25,433 lbf
Calculated Values
steam locomotive
express
De Glehn compound
last changed: 03/2023
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