EXPLORING THE 141-R IN THE USA

Auteur : Clive Lamming

At the time of the Liberation, the state of the French network was such that it was virtually impossible to operate it without a massive and unprecedented influx of new locomotives. Of the 17,259 locomotives owned by the SNCF in 1938, the occupying forces had "borrowed" 2,946 for use on the German network, and around 6,000 were still in working order.

The remainder, around 10,000 locomotives, had been destroyed during the war, or were awaiting repair for an indefinite period due to a lack of parts or tools, or because their workshops had been destroyed. On 15 May 1944, a French delegation arrived in New York, led by René Mayer, Minister and one of the co-founders of the SNCF in 1937. At the time, the American and Canadian industry was the only one in the world capable of producing 250 to 300 locomotives a month.

At this time, the company was also considering a type 141 or "Mikado", a mixed locomotive suitable for all purposes, with average performance but adequate given the urgency of the requirements. The number of locomotives to be produced was however limited to 1,340, as the American and Canadian companies already had full order books.

Here they are at last, these "beautiful Americans" and they are not cars, although these locomotives are the rail equivalent of the famous US Army Jeep. The buffer beam, firebox door and screens almost made them French. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Collection Trainsconsultant-Lamming

THE FINAL CHOICES OF THE SECOND MISSION

A second delegation of SNCF engineers, led by Léguillé, Head of the region's Equipment Division, and draughtsmen from the SNCF's Locomotive Research Department (DEL), left for the USA in December 1944 and defined what was to become the 141-R. It was to be a simple, robust locomotive, with generously dimensioned, solid parts and inexpensive, easy-to-maintain components. Above all, these locomotives were going to be easy to operate, allowing them to be used in "normal service", i.e. without a permanent crew and able to be operated in 3 x 8 shifts by different teams on a continuous basis.

The Americans are notorious for building locomotives to these specifications. However, the French mission was responsible for enhancing these American features by requesting an overhanging steel firebox, a mechanical loader (or "stoker"), cast steel wheels, oil lubrication instead of grease, grease fittings operated by "pins", a servomotor for the gear change, and an even smaller minimum curve radius, reduced from the usual American 105 m to 81 m: something unheard of for a locomotive of this weight and length.

Other features unknown in France were to become a standard feature of the 141-R, such as a comfortable American-style driver's cabin with seats. Only six months after the studies began, on 10 July 1945, the first 141-R left the Lima Locomotive Works. In April 1946, the 700 locomotives of the first batch were ready for service. During the summer of 1947, deliveries of the 141-R 700 to 1220 were made: an incredible production speed!

A very common "R", but here in a spoked drive wheel variant (except the 3rd axle with American "Boxpok" wheels) and Cole rear bissel. Black version with fuel tender. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Collection Trainsconsultant-Lamming

There were already many types of model 140 or 141 in the USA when the French mission visited. No specific type was reproduced, and the 141-R, inspired by these 140s or 141s, required special production because it had many French-style features. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Collection Trainsconsultant-Lamming

One of the official diagrams of the time, presented in its "dimensioned" form in millimetres, distributed by the SNCF for identification by staff. The tender is a coal version (left) or a combined coal and fuel oil version (right).© IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Collection Trainsconsultant-Lamming

AILLEURS, À LA MÊME ÉPOQUE

THE AUSTRIAN 132, CARL GÖLSDORF'S MAGNIFICENT MASTERPIECE

Pays de montagnes, l’Autriche se doit d’offrir aux grands trains internationaux qui la traversent, des performances équivalentes à celles des réseaux des pays de plaine pour ne pas en réduire la vitesse. Mais l’empire austro-hongrois laisse en héritage un réseau aux voies médiocres, et il faut donc construire des locomotives à la fois puissantes, mais légères.

GÖLSDORF AND THE AUSTRIAN PROBLEM

The engineer Carl Gölsdorf (1861-1906), who was responsible for designing locomotives, was unable to rebuild the Austro-Hungarian lines. And it was by increasing the power of locomotives that he solved the problem and succeeded in providing the Austro-Hungarian network with a performance to match. In 1893, he developed a remarkable type 220, which performed as well as the 220s on other European networks, which were significantly heavier. When it came time to switch to the "Pacific" locomotive, however, the weight had to be increased to provide sufficient traction power.

This is where Karl Gölsdorf showed his capacity for innovation: he simply reversed the "Pacific" or 231 type to make a 132. This new axle arrangement meant that there were two load-bearing axles under the firebox, which is the heaviest part of the locomotive, instead of just one, thereby reducing the axle load. When more power was needed to pull large international trains like the Orient-Express, rather than creating a Mountain 241, the engineer Adolph Giesl, a pupil of Gölsdorf, created a magnificent 142, which proved to be a success.

The "Orient-Express" in all its splendour, solid blue, towed by a 132 series 310 Gölsdorf from 1911. Four carriages and two freight wagons are the limit allowed by these locomotives. In the 1950s, the composition was still the same. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Collection Trainsconsultant-Lamming

The magnificent type 142, series 214, built in 1928 in the Gölsdorf spirit by his pupil Adolphe Giesl. This was the only Austrian machine capable of pulling fast, heavy trains over the tough Balkan gradients. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Collection Trainsconsultant-Lamming

AN ERA

A gentle, quiet atmosphere on board the Paris-Strasbourg " train on tyres " that the SNCF tried out in 1950. The disastrous bearing of the tyres, which "stuck to the rails", discouraged the most powerful locomotives and rapidly put an end to the existence of this train and to all other trains running on tyres on rails. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Collection Trainsconsultant-Lamming