SNCF 141 R

SNCF 141 R
Locomotive 141 R 568 in Gray on November 27, 1981
Numbering:	1−1340
Number:	1323
Manufacturer:	Development and construction Baldwin Locomotive Works under license American Locomotive Company Lima Locomotive Works Montreal Locomotive Works Canadian Locomotive Company
Year of construction (s):	1945-1947
Retirement:	1974
Type :	1'D1 'h2
Gauge :	1435 mm ( standard gauge )
Length over buffers:	24.13 m
Service mass:	115.5 t (coal-fired), 116.25 t (oil-fired)
Top speed:	100 km / h
Coupling wheel diameter:	1,650 mm
Driving wheel diameter:	1651 mm
Impeller diameter front:	914 mm
Rear wheel diameter:	1067 mm
Control type :	Walschaerts
Number of cylinders:	2
Cylinder diameter:	597 mm
Piston stroke:	711 mm
Boiler overpressure:	15.5 kg / cm²
Heating pipe length:	5181.6 mm
Grate area:	5.16 m²
Superheater area :	65.40 m²
Evaporation heating surface:	250.74 m²
Service weight of the tender:	75 t
Water supply:	30 m³
Fuel supply:	Hard coal , heavy fuel oil
Oil or coal firing

The 141 R of the French state railway SNCF is a steam locomotive series with the wheel arrangement 1'D1 '(also known as " Mikado "). In a way, it represented a curiosity on their tracks, as it did not correspond to the French construction principles, but rather had the robust design of the US steam locomotives. From 1945 to 1974, the 1,323 locomotives were in use on most of the French route network and hauled both the heaviest express trains and long freight trains. In terms of maintenance, they were undemanding, the 739 coal-fired machines among them processed a wide variety of coal qualities without any problems thanks to a stoker. In the first years after the Second World War , the 141 R took over around a third of all train-kilometers and 49% of the total gross tonne-kilometers at the SNCF. This series was the determining factor in French train operations.

history

The beginnings of the 141 R

At the end of the Second World War there was an acute shortage of locomotives in France . Of the 13,212 SNCF machines in operation in August 1939, only 5824 were still operational after the liberation of the country in October 1944. The SNCF had to hand over 4143 locomotives, including mainly powerful two-cylinder engines, to the Deutsche Reichsbahn (as of June 15, 1943) . Other locomotives fell victim to allied attacks and acts of sabotage by the Resistance .

With the 140 W and 150 W “Austerity” built in England and the American 140 U “Front Français”, 951 locomotives for the transport of military trains came into the country in the course of Operation Overlord . These simple machines, which with their axle load of 15.5 t could operate throughout the French network, were, however, specially designed for this purpose and not for a long service life.

Large transport capacities were required for the reconstruction of the country and for the supply of the large cities. However, as a result of the war damage it had suffered, French industry was unable to counteract the shortage of locomotives. Therefore, at the end of 1944, the Provisional Government of the French Republic decided to order a large number of “Mikado” steam locomotives from US and Canadian locomotive manufacturers. As early as the first half of 1944, a commission had been set up to define the basic modalities of this Franco-American cooperation and to record offers from American companies. In the course of several study trips to the USA, the specifications were prepared for a locomotive that should be powerful, robust, easy to maintain, easy and quick to build, easy to operate and also inexpensive. In autumn 1944 the results were examined by the SNCF and the original plans were adapted to French requirements. The use of standard parts (boiler, smoke chambers) and lubrication with oil instead of grease were required. The minimum bend radius should be 81 m to the machine without restriction in the depots to move. One of the most important adjustments was the use of the metric system , which delayed the start of production as the American factories first had to procure appropriate tools. In January 1945 the specification was completed.

USRA Light Mikado

141 R 840 in the Massy-Palaiseau station of the Grande Ceinture, 2001

Driver's cab of the 141 R 1199

Based on the USRA Light Mikado , the Baldwin Locomotive Works developed a locomotive adapted to French conditions. These adjustments mainly concerned the clearance profile of the SNCF, the European screw couplings, side buffers, brakes, the distance between the rear surfaces of the wheelsets and left-hand steering, etc. These locomotives were financed under the Loan and Lease Act of 1941 (and not the Marshall Plan , as is often the case falsely accepted and disseminated). The amount of credit required was $ 170 million.

The first series of 700 machines was commissioned in February 1945. Production was divided between the three largest US locomotive manufacturers: Baldwin Locomotive Works in Chester (Pennsylvania) , American Locomotive Company (Alco) in Schenectady ( New York ) and Lima Locomotive Works in Lima (Ohio) . According to the series scheme of the SNCF, after the sequence of numbers indicating the axle arrangement (for a front axle , four coupling axles and a rear axle), they were given the letter R, which indicates the time of the first handover (for steam locomotives newly delivered to the SNCF, the Assign letters P to U).

The Canadian manufacturer Montreal Locomotive Works in Montreal and the Canadian Locomotive Company in Kingston ( Ontario ) were also involved in the second series of 640 machines .

short delivery time

At the end of the Second World War, American manufacturers had very modern means of production. The working method in the assembly of the locomotives was similar to that in the automotive industry . Thus the first series of 700 machines could be produced within only eleven months (from July 1945 to May 1946).

For comparison: The French Schneider works took four years to produce the 35 machines of the 241 P series (from June 1948 to July 1952).

The first locomotive of the series, the 141 R 1 built by Lima, left the factory on July 30, 1945. The 141 R 466 was the first to arrive in France with the cargo ship Harold Wilson and was unloaded in the port of Marseille on November 3, 1945 . In April 1946, the last of the first series of 700 machines was completed. With the 141 R 1340, the last locomotive of the series left the factory of the Canadian Locomotive Company in July 1947; she was, like 755 other 141 Rs before, unloaded on September 5, 1947 in the port of Cherbourg .

Manufacturer	Factory numbers	number	Company numbers
Lima Locomotive Works	8867-9046	180	141 R 1-180
American Locomotive Company	74054-74313	260	141 R 181-440
Baldwin Locomotive Works	72254-72513	260	141 R 441-700
Baldwin Locomotive Works	72699-72763	65	141 R 701-765
	72857-72897	41	141 R 766 - 806
	72928-72981	54	141 R 807-860
American Locomotive Company	73934-74053	120	141 R 861-980
	74833-74872	40	141 R 981-1020
Lima Locomotive Works	9112-9211	100	141 R 1021-1120
American Locomotive Company	74916-74955	40	141 R 1121-1160
Baldwin Locomotive Works	72982-73017	36	141 R 1161-1196
	73046-73049	4th	141 R 1197-1200
Montreal Locomotive Works	75010-75109	100	141 R 1201-1300
Canadian Locomotive Company	2368-2407	40	141 R 1301-1340

The whereabouts of the 17 missing locomotives

A total of 1340 machines were built for the SNCF. Seventeen locomotives could not be put into service: the numbers 1220 to 1235 and 1241 were lost in April 1947 in a violent storm off Newfoundland in the North Atlantic when the Norwegian heavy lift carrier Belpamela sank . Rumors of the alleged loss of another machine in the port of Marseille have not been proven and were formally denied in 2007.

commitment

The museum locomotive 141 R 1199 has a “Mistral” sign here, but was never used before this train

Initially, the top speed of the 141 R was set at 90 km / h, which is why it was mainly used in freight transport. Little changed when the top speed was increased to 100 km / h in 1948. Above all, the coal-fired machines ("Charbonnières") remained largely in the freight and express freight train service. Even if there was a change en route, the personnel were in principle provided by the home depot until February 1947.

In the 1950s, the western network became the domain of oil-fired machines, only the Caen depot remained loyal to the coal-fired 141 R. However, a number of Charbonnières returned in the following decade, where they supported the 141 P in Argentan and replaced the 141 C in Thouars . Deviating from the rule, the coal-fired 141 Rs of the Argentan depot of circulation 910 were driven by permanent staff from May 1966. From 1967, before freight trains, there were also double skins with diesel locomotives of the BB 66000 series , the latter always running on the Zugspitze.

Up to 1965, a total of 31 oil-fired 141 Rs were used on the Marseille – Ventimiglia line in front of the Mistral long-distance train between Marseille and Nice , which only had 1st  car class . On the smoke box door they carried a sign with the name of the train on it.

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  Oil fired 141 R in Vernon (Eure) (1963)

• 

  141 R with freight train in Chenonceaux (1963)

• 

  Coal-fired 141 R in front of a passenger train in Chenonceaux (1963)

Retirement

The locomotives remained in use until the official end of the steam service of the SNCF. On March 29, 1974, the 141 R 420 was the last time a steam locomotive was on its way from Béning to Sarreguemines on a regular train . The last machine in service was the 141 R 73 from the Sarreguemines depot . On March 31, 1974, it transferred the auxiliary car from its depot to Forbach, before being parked on April 4, 1974.

useful information

The 141 R 1187 proved its efficiency when it reached almost 60 km / h on October 19, 1975 on a special trip with a trailer load of approx. 250 t on an incline of 25 ‰. This locomotive is now available as an exhibit in the Cité du Train issued ( "Cité du Train"). Other locomotives of the series have also been preserved in France (see below).

technology

The locomotives had either a bar or integral steel cast frame and a powerful boiler , the running axles were stored in Bissel racks. The stable frame offered good conditions for high speeds, but because of the Bissel frames and the high stress on the superstructure due to the relatively rough running , their maximum speed was limited to 100 km / h. The boiler had a combustion chamber and two Nicholson thermosyphons, and the pressure was limited to 15.5 kp / cm². Thanks to a high overload capacity with a total heating surface of 250.74 m², more than 2500 HP could be achieved on the draw hook in everyday operation  .

The first series comprised 700 coal-fired machines with a stoker and an American induced draft system (self-cleaning front end). Of the 623 locomotives of the second series that were equipped with Kylchap suction train systems, 584 were equipped with oil firing. Externally, the oil-fired locomotives were easily recognizable by the lock of the smoke chamber door in the form of a lying Y and a centrally placed SNCF logo , while the coal- fired locomotives had a center lock with a handwheel. Two oil-fired machines later received (No. 842 in 1962 and No. 1201 in 1968) first series smoke chamber doors.

The locomotives were coupled with four-axle tenders of the 30 R series, the walls of which were made of 6 mm thick steel. They held 30 m³ of water in all variants, those of the 700 machines of the first series took up 11 t of coal. The two bogies corresponded to American designs. The tender numbers were identical to the locomotives with which they were delivered. In the course of time, however, tenders were exchanged without their operating numbers being changed accordingly.

The tenders of the oil-fired locomotives existed in both riveted and welded construction; in the first, 9.50 m³ oil type, the tank was installed in the coal bunker, but the basic structure of the tender remained unchanged. In addition, tenders optimized for cross-country runs were delivered, which contained 13.25 m³ of oil.

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  Coal-fired 141 R 420 in Gray : without smoke deflectors , smoke chamber door with hand wheel (1982)

• 

  Oil-fired 141 R 840 with a Y-lock on the smoke chamber door

• 

  Riveted tender 30 R of the 141 R 840

Whereabouts

locomotive	Manufacturer	Manufacturer number	Construction year	Today's home	useful information	image
141 R 420	American Locomotive Company	74293	1946	Clermont-Ferrand	Coal firing. Property of the Société Civile de Conservation de la 141 R 420 . in working order Classified  as Monument historique  ( 1987 ) .
141 R 568	Baldwin Locomotive Works	72381	1945	Vallorbe	Coal firing. Formerly CITEV , then acquired by Swiss Classic Train GmbH . operational.
141 R 840	Baldwin Locomotive Works	72961	1946	Aubrais	Oil firing. Property of the Amicale des Anciens et Amis de la Traction à Vapeur Center / Val de Loire. operational . Classified  as a monument historique  ( 2003 ) .
141 R 1108	Lima Locomotive Works	9199	1946	Écomusée du haut-pays et des transport of Breil-sur-Roya	Oil firing. Property of the SNCF. Maintained by the Amicale des Anciens et Amis de la Traction à Vapeur AAATV Nice. Exhibited in the museum.
141 R 1126	American Locomotive Company	74921	1946	Toulouse	Oil firing. Property of the SNCF. Is maintained by the Amicale des Cheminots pour la Préservation de la 141 R 1126 . in working order Classified  as Monument historique  ( 1998 ) .
141 R 1187	Baldwin Locomotive Works	73008	1946	Mulhouse Railway Museum	Oil firing. Property of the SNCF. Exhibited in the Cité du train in Mulhouse.
141 R 1199	Baldwin Locomotive Works	73048	1947	Le Mans	Oil-fired property of the SNCF, currently parked in Le Mans . Previously based in Nantes .  Classified as Monument historique  ( 1984 )
141 R 1244	Montreal Locomotive Works	75053	1946	Brugg	Oil firing. Property of the Mikado 1244 association . operational.
141 R 1298	Montreal Locomotive Works	75107	1947	Nîmes	Oil firing (Tender 30 R 1102). Property of the SNCF. It is maintained by the Association Provençale de Préservation et d'Animation Ferroviaire . operational but not registered on the SNCF Réseau network .

Remarks

1. ↑ The originally intended destination port of Bordeaux could not be used because the curve radii of the port tracks were too small

Web links

Commons : SNCF 141.R  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Bernard Collardey: Il était une fois dans la Vie du Rail - 36) La fin des 141 R at lettreducheminot.fr
• www.mikado1244.ch

Individual evidence

1. ↑ 141-R SNCF, detailed technical data. Retrieved July 15, 2020 . 
2. ↑ Les 141 R. Retrieved July 15, 2020 . 
3. ↑ ^{a b c} J. Michael Mehltretter: Full steam ahead. Power and technology of steam locomotives . 1st edition. Transpress, Stuttgart 2013, ISBN 978-3-613-71469-4 , p. 67 f .
4. ↑ ^{a b c d} L′arrivée des 141 R “charbon” à l'Ouest in: Ferrovissime No. 9. P. 54 ff.
5. ↑ ^{a b c d e f} Les 141 R fuel: d'excellentes locomotives de transition (1 ^re partie) in: Ferrovissime No. 35, special page 1 ff.
6. ↑ Announcement of the loss of the 17 Belpamela machines. Retrieved July 19, 2020 . 
7. ↑ 141R 1 à 1340. Accessed July 19, 2020 . 
8. ↑ 141-R SNCF at voisin.ch, accessed on August 2, 2020
9. ↑ ^{a b} L'arrivée des 141 “charbon” à l'Ouest in: Ferrovissime No. 12, p. 44 ff.
10. ↑ ^{a b} Les 141 R de la deuxième tranche ... Comment les reconnaître? in: Ferrovissime No. 36, p. 51 ff.
11. ↑ Ferrovissime No. 71 (September / October 2014), p. 16.
12. ↑ Bernard Collardey, André Rasserie: Les 141 R ... ces braves américaines . LA VIE DU RAIL, Paris 1982, p. 88 .
13. ↑ J. Michael Mehltretter; Full steam ahead. Performance and technology of steam locomotives , p. 322.
14. ↑ Entry No. PM63000348 in the Base Palissy of the French Ministry of Culture (French)
15. ↑ ^{a b} La 568. Retrieved on July 15, 2020 (route of 141 R 568). 
16. ↑ ^{a b} 141 R 840. Retrieved on July 15, 2020 (history of 141 R 840 on the website of its owner). 
17. ↑ Entry No. PM58000626 in the Base Palissy of the French Ministry of Culture (French)
18. ↑ ^{a b} Freight locomotive 141 R 1108. Retrieved on July 15, 2020 (French, route of 141 R 1108 on the eisenbahn-museumsfahrzeuge.com page). 
19. ↑ ^{a b} LOCOMOTIVE 141 R 1126. Retrieved on July 15, 2020 (French). 
20. ↑ Entry No. PM31001389 in Base Palissy of the French Ministry of Culture (French)
21. ↑ ^{a b} Freight locomotive 141 R 840. Retrieved on July 15, 2020 (route of 141 R 1187 on the website eisenbahn-museumsfahrzeuge.com). 
22. ↑ ^{a b} Locomotive 141 R 1199. Retrieved July 15, 2020 (portrait of 141 R 1199 on the website of the French Ministry of Culture). 
23. ↑ ^{a b} Visite guidée de la 141 R 1199 au Mans. November 21, 2019, accessed July 15, 2020 (Historail). 
24. ↑ ^{a b} La loco à vapeur R 1199 ne sifflera plus à Nantes. June 17, 2018, accessed July 15, 2020 . 
25. ↑ ^{a b} Locomotive 141 R 1199. Retrieved July 15, 2020 . 
26. ↑ Entry No. PM35000721 in Base Palissy of the French Ministry of Culture (French)
27. ↑ ^{a b} Association Mikado 1244. Accessed July 15, 2020 . 
28. ↑ ^{a b} Nîmes: Le musée du rail met la vapeur ... Accessed June 19, 2015 . 
29. ↑ ^{a b} 141R 1298, la résurrection. Retrieved January 6, 2016 .