Indian Railways Heavy Passenger Locomotive

Railway Locomotive Profile: Indian Railways British Engineering Standards Association Heavy Passenger 4-6-0 Steam Locomotive
Built: 1905 to 1950
Builders: North British Locomotive Company, Vulcan Foundry, Robert Stephenson & Company, Kitson & Company, William Beardmore & Company

The British resolved to make up for the different gauges that made up the Indian Railways by designing standard railway locomotives to run the trains across the Indian Subcontinent. For the broad gauge lines there was this Heavy Passenger engine used to haul the mail and express trains, including the Imperial Indian Mail from Bombay to Calcutta. They worked diligently and capably for at least 80 years during their lives on the railways, and due to the dissatisfaction of larger and more powerful engines remained in service. They were extremely handsome locomotives, as they were even more British than any locomotive that ran in England who also built the Indian Railways. The image of the engine was based on a 4-6-0 locomotive built by North British for the Glasgow & South Western Railway in 1903. A very distinguishable feature of this engine, as well as of every other Indian Railways steam engine, was the tender cab to provide extra shelter from the elements, as well as give an extra aesthetic result. Cowcatchers attached to the buffer beams were also a prominent device upon these engines more commonly found on North American steam locomotives. The earliest built engines had inside slide valves, internal Stephenson valve gears, and no superheating. Later these engines were converted to be like the latter examples built that had superheating, outside piston valves, and external Walschaert valve gears. The boilers had Belpaire fireboxes. The engines could still be found pulling passenger trains during the 1980s, and by about 2000 the age of steam had ended in India. Trains are very much important to public transport in India, and now they have been taken over by diesels and electric locomotives. But many a railway enthusiast, like myself, begs to one day see this engine magnificently performing once again, pulling an express passenger train across the countryside at full steam.

Technical Specifications:
Tractive effort: 22,590 lb.
Axle load: 39,500 lb. (18 tons)
Cylinders: (2) 20 1/2 X 26in.
Driving wheels: 74in.
Heating surface: 1,476sq. ft.
Superheater: 352sq. ft.
Steam pressure: 180lb./sq. in.
Grate area: 32sq. ft.
Coal: 16,800lb. (7.5 tons)
Water: 4,000gall. (4,800 US gall.)
Adhesive weight: 118,000lb. (54 tons)
Total weight: 273,000lb. (124 tons)
Length overall: 62ft. 3 1/4in.