1929 - Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway - one locomotive
One 420hp Bo-Bo locomotive (or power van) numbered CM202. It weighed 59 tons with a top speed of 75 kmph. All four axles were powered. Part of the body was occupied by the parcels and luggage compartment. This and the Beardmore locomotive (CM201) would prove a valuable source of experience and training for the staff in this new form of traction - in general they were too small for the services that would soon be dieselised. Converted into a van during 1941, engines and motors removed, possibly for reuse?
Winterthur supplied the diesel engine for this locomotive.
1929 - Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway - two 1,200hp mobile power houses
Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway, two 1,200hp mobile power houses, numbered UE 1 & 2, used to haul five coaches, three 1st & two 2nd class. Traction motors under the coaches were powered by the MPH's. One was loaned to the FC Buenos Aires Pacifico. The CME of BAGSR was reluctant to initiate full electrification of the lines around Buenos Aires due to its cost, but believed in the idea of powered coaching stock, in this case drawing power from a diesel electric generator set installed in a 'mobile power house'. These units were semi-permanently coupled to five coach sets, the end coach being equipped with driving compartments, avoiding reversals at the busy Buenos Aires terminals. These two locomotives were ordered just after an order to Beardmore, the first diesel locomotives to work anywhere in South America.
Delivered in late 1930, each was powered by two Winterthur built Sulzer 8LV28 cylinder engines developing 600hp at 700rpm, powering an Oerlikon main generator & two 136hp Metropolitan Vickers traction motors - each coach carried two 100hp motors. The rigid frame supported four fixed axles, two of which were powered with a pony truck at each end (1-A-2-A-1 arrangement). The components were all received separately in Argentina, being shipped to the BAGS workshops, where the locomotives were put together. Because they were semi-permanently coupled to the coaching stock the MPH's carried only one driving cab. Locomotive weight was 92 tons, total train weight was 314 tons.
Each of the diesel electric generator sets provided power to one traction motor on the locomotive and one traction motor under the coaching sets, allowing flexibility as to how the train could be driven. Twelve of the twenty six axles were powered, of great importance for the high acceleration required for suburban traffic.
These two machines provided a comparison with the first diesel on the BAGS railway - a 375hp Bo-Bo diesel electric built by Beardmore. This locomotive's high-tensile steel liners required regrinding after 60,000 km, the cast iron liners of the Sulzer engines showed barely perceptible wear over the same distance.
The coaching stock had been built in the railway workshops at Remedios de Escalada. The coaches were large vehicles, 82 ft over buffers, the two bogies each carrying one traction motor.
They were most regularly operated out of the Plaza Constitucion terminal to Quilmes, their acceleration was superior to the regular steam fleet, but the MPU powered trains generally ran under the steam timings. With a driving position at each end their turn round time at the termini was vastly superior to the steam operated workings. Occasionally the two sets were combined. In the early years it was the practice to stop the engines at each station stop, leading to the engines going through the stop/start cycle over two hundred times a day!
The first general repairs were received during 1932, it was noted that only once in 160,000 miles of running had the locomotives required assistance, and that was due to an electrical fault.
They remained in service at least until 1948.
 | A view of one of the 1,200hp locomotives (UE 1 & UE 2) with the side and roof still to be added and showing the side by side installation of these eight cylinder inline power units. Presumably this installation was something of a precurser to the double bank LDA design which would surface about a decade later.
Photograph courtesy BAGS/Armstrong Whitworth/Sulzer |
 | Presumably this is one the 600hp power units in transit to Argentina for fitting into locomotive UE 1 or UE 2 - these locomotives were sent to Argentina in kit fashion, with assembly required at their destination.
Photograph courtesy Sulzer |
 | The completed UE 1, complete with coaching stock ready for service in Argentina. When inaugurated in service between Constitucion & San Vicente they took thirty minutes off steam's seventy minute schedule.
Photograph courtesy BAGS/Armstrong Whitworth/Sulzer |
1930 - Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway (Talleres Remedios de Escalada)- one locomotive
Buenos Aires Great Southern - (Talleres Remedios de Escalada) - one locomotive for the railway's repair shops outside of Buenos Aires, wheel arrangement 1-C-1, Sulzer 8LV28 592hp engine (the same as the two 1929 built powerhouses), a Vickers swash-plate hydrostatic hydraulic transmission - designed for driving sugar mill machinery, numbered DH501, weighing 72 tons, maximum speed 45km/h (28mph), used for shunting duties. This locomotive was not a success, having a very short working life, possibly by 1933 and disposed of shortly afterward? (or maybe disposed of during 1941?).
Two views of this most unusual locomotive. (Source MFN)
The above view clearly shows the two cooling unit radiators and fan shrouds - one system cooled the water, the second cooled the oil used in the hydraulic transmission.
1931 - Port of Rosario - Three shunting locomotives
The Port of Rosario in the province of Santa Fe sits on the west bank of the Parana River about 300km north west of Buenos Aires, Argentina and about 550km from the Atlantic Ocean. It marks the transition point on the Parana River between ocean going vessels and that of river navigation.
A factory portrait of one of the three shunters built by Henschel Locomotive Works, Kassel during 1931 for the Port of Rosario railway. They were powered by a six cylinder 330hp Sulzer engine with Oerlikon electrics.
These shunting locomotives weighed 58 tons with a maximum speed of 45 kmph. They were recorded as handling freight trains weighing up to 1,550 tons. The power units fitted were one of the transition models used between the LV & LD series. They carried a one piece cast steel crankcase and a one piece cast iron cylinder block - the earlier 1929 LV build engines had a single piece cast iron crankcase surmounted by six individual cast iron cylinder blocks.
Tractive Effort: one hour rating at 8.7kmph (5.4mph) = 7,600kg (16,950lb).
Maximum Tractive Effort: 14,000kg (30,800lb).
The locomotives were designed to haul 1,200 tons at 2.5mph on level track.
1989
Phil Graham captured these remarkable shots of one of the locomotives in use at San Nicholas (near Rosario) on March 15th 1989, some 58 years after its introduction. The locomotive still carried its original engine, however it could not be determined if the two other Henschel/Sulzer shunters were still intact. A remarkable find - one wonders just how long it survived after 1989?
Photographs courtesy Phil Graham - many thanks!!.
2006
Further views of the Henschel/Sulzer shunter were obtained by Cristian Huck during 2006 (their 75th anniversary). This machine clearly seems to have been out of service for a while but even in this state is a remarkable survivor and worthy candidate for preservation.
Photographs courtesy Cristian Huck - many thanks!!.
1933 - Buenos Aires Great Southern - three 1700hp mobile power houses
Buenos Aires Great Southern three 1700hp mobile power houses, 2 x 850hp 8LV34 550rpm, cylinder dimensions 340mm x 400mm, with 8 x 134 hp traction motors, tractive effort 38,000lb, weight in working order 133 tons. Numbered UE 3,4 & 5 they were used to haul eight passenger coaches, five 1st & three 2nd class. They had an increased top speed of 70mph but had the same traction motors and reduction gearing as the first two power houses. The newer machines were also lighter, 132 tons compared to 145 tons. The cost of the two engine-generator sets and ancilliary equipment was GBP16,400.
 |
A view of one of the 1,700hp double units having a power unit installed at the Scotswood factory.
Photograph from Armstrong Whitworth files |
 |
A view of two of the 1,700hp double units, showing the non-driving ends of the locomotives.
Photograph from Armstrong Whitworth files |
 |
One of the 1,700hp double units stands in the Works yard for a portrait.
Photograph from Armstrong Whitworth files |
These three MPU's were direct descendants of the 1930 built UE 1 & 2. Improvements included the use of two four axle trucks rather than the earlier rigid wheelbase. Each 'locomotive' was comprised of two half units, each containing an engine generator set, though only one unit had a driving compartment (an A-B unit in American diesel nomenclature). A third innovation was the use of Messrs J Stone & Co's 'Skefco' roller bearings on all axles, a welcome fitting in the dry dusty conditions of Argentina. The coaches were also fitted with roller bearings, some of which were noted still in use in the late 1960's.
The Winterthur built Sulzer engines were coupled to Brown Boveri main generators and two English Electric traction motors on the outer bogie of each half unit. The weight of each double unit was 133 tons, with eight coaches in tow the total train weight was 470 tons. As with UE 1 & 2 the performance of these three trainsets was impressive, particularly in light of their quick turnround times at the termini (5 to 10 minutes as compared to 35 - 45 minutes for the steam workings), however for most of their lives they slotted in to steam diagrams where their full potential was not always realised. Monthly mileages of 8,500km to 9,500km were the norm.
These MPU's remained in service at least until 1959, although one power-house was re-engined with two Paxman 1,500rpm engines and Metropolitan Vickers generators.
A side view of one of the double unit mobile power houses, CM3; click here for a larger view
How the mobile power units were used, seen here pulling a considerable rake of trailers, though I believe sets of eight were the norm for the double units. (Source FMF).
A cartoon from January 1947 featuring the English presence in South America, the likeness here appears to be of the 1,700hp mobile power houses..
A view from a 1933 issue of Diesel Railway Traction advertising Sulzer diesel engines shows the two 1,700hp mobile power houses with a lengthy train. On November 8th 1933 the chairman of the BAGS included this statement about the early diesel experiments on the BAGS in Argentina:
"....experiments with diesel engines were started by us some five years ago. Trials have convinced us that this form of traction for branch lines and similar light service has outstanding potentialities. We sent out two mobile power houses, each of 1,200bhp. Encouraged by the results obtained from these original power houses the company acquired three more powerful units, each of 1,700bhp. These were put into service in June this year and up to the present have run some 45,000 miles. Each of these 1,700bhp power houses operates an eight coach train, weight of which is 526 tons. Seating capacity is provided for 916 passengers. In addition to these units a diesel-electric locomotive of 1,700hp was sent out. Trials of this locomotive were satisfactory. These pioneer developments in diesel traction are being watched with great interest in railway circles, and each step we have taken so far has been attended with complete success....."
1933 - Buenos Aires Great Southern - one 1700hp twin unit locomotive
Buenos Aires Great Southern one 1700hp 'twin unit' locomotive, #CM210. After the success of the five MPH's one locomotive was ordered as a mainline version of UE3-5. The engines and main generators were the same, but carried six 230hp English Electric traction motors. These were similar to UE3 & 4 except that all the electricity generated for traction would be used by the locomotives. Each half unit had a driving compartment. When delivered the unit came with three different sized sets of driving wheels, axles & gears. After testing the 'mixed traffic' set was permanently fitted to the locomotive. Total weight was 145 tons.
The locomotive entered service in December 1933 and proved to be a remarkably successful machine. In service the locomotive worked 700 - 900 ton overnight passenger trains between Buenos Aires & Bahia Blanca, a round trip of 1,280km, with an average monthly mileage of 13,000km. In 1941/42 it was averaging 14,144km per month at an average cost of fifty cents per locomotive kilometre (20cents operating & 30cents maintenance). CM210 continued on this service after nationalisation in 1948, and was not retired until about 1960. The excellent record of this machine, particularly in the years leading up to World War Two is probably unmatched anywhere in the world.
 |
A well known view of one of the 1933 twin unit locomotive with a set of at least nine passenger coaches at Buenos Aires. All markings on the locomotives appear to have been 'removed' from the photograph. A threatening looking cowcatcher is mounted on the bufferbeam. |
1934 - Buenos Ayres Western Railway (Ferrocarril Oeste) - Railmotor
Buenos Ayres Western Railway (Ferrocarril Oeste) DE1 450hp Sulzer 8LV25 diesel electric articulated railmotor for branchline service, seating for 50, maximum speed 120km/h. The smaller vehicle carried the power equipment and parcels compartment, whilst the second longer vehicle was entirely for passengers. Vestibule connections were provided to allow a trailer to be added at either end. Total weight was 67tons, the total length was just under 90 feet, unusually electric heating was fitted. The railcar proved reliable, from October 1934 to October 1940 it covered over 621,000 miles, it was out of service for unscheduled reasons for 208 days, five of which were caused by engine problems, fifty seven due to the traction motors the remainder undisclosed. The design was not repeated, Armstrong Whitworth were leaving the railway traction business and the Argentina authorities were now purchasing light weight railcars with small quick running engines. The railcar survived into the 1960's.
Two views of the railmotor. (Source AAT)
1935 - Buenos Aires Provincial Railways - Four railcars
A view of railcar (furgon) M1 whilst on test in Switzerland.
During 1933 an order was placed by Buenos Aires Provincial Railways with Soc. Espanola Babcock y Wilcox for four metre-gauge double bogie diesel-electric railcars. After several months the order was transferred to Sulzer Brothers, who started shipment of the completed vehicles during the autumn of 1935. Sulzer Brothers were the main contractors and supplied the power unit, Brown Boveri supplied the electrical equipment and the mechanical portions were from Christoph & Unmack of Niesky, Silesia, although final installation of the equipment was at Sulzer's workshops in Winterthur.
The railcars were powered by the new four-stroke lightweight six cylinder design (6LTD19) producing 270hp at 1,100rpm, cylinder size was 190mm by 240mm (7.5in by 9.5in), maximum output was 290hp. The underbed was of welded steel plates and supported both engine & generator. Rubber blocks attached the underbed to the underfame, much attention had been applied to minimising the transmission of noise and vibration through to the passenger area. A combination of cast & welded components within the engine were used to reduce weight without compromising strength. The upper part of the cylinder block was cast steel, the crankcase and cylinder block walls were of welded steel plate, and the transverse stays of the crankcase - which supported the bearings - were steel castings welded to the steel walls. The cylinder heads and casings were single units cast in iron and silumin respectively, the exhaust manifold was in two sections covering two heads each. The pistons were of stamped aluminium alloy, the crankshafts and pins were hollow bored. The main bearings had a white metal lining on a steel shell and the big end bearings white metal on bronze.
Along the air intake side of the engine was a gear driven camshaft operating the air & exhaust valves, on the opposite side was another camshaft driving the Bosch fuel pump and governor. Pressure lubrication applied to all working parts, an engine driven pump located in the sump provided the necessary pressure. An electrically driven cooling water pump was mounted on the main generator casing and circulated water through roof mounted radiators. The radiator was in five sections of which three could be cut out of the circuit as desired. A reserve water tank situated in the engine room held 240 litres, when working at full load water temperature should not exceed 80C. Two fuel tanks totalling 540 litres were situated in the engine room. All piping circuits were colour coded: fuel = red, air = blue, lubricating oil = brown & electric cables = yellow.
A Brown Boveri self ventilated DC generator of 144kW continuous capacity at 950/1,100 rpm was directly coupled to the engine. The maximum rating was 218 kW 475volts 460amp. The maximum current supplied by the generator was 770amp, maximum voltage of 500. The auxiliary generator was driven off the main shaft but was recessed into the main generator to save space. The two nose-suspended traction motors, powering the bogie at the opposite end to the diesel engine, had a continuous rating at 2,280rpm of 75kW 450volts 188amp & a one hour rating of 75kW at 1,690 rpm 365volts 236amp. The maximum tractive effort was 4,960lb. Because the roof mounted radiators required no cooling fans the auxiliaries only drew 17.5hp off the engine.
Control of the engine speed and current supplied by the generator to the traction motors was through a large hand operated wheel situated in each driving cab. An automatic excitation regulator, mounted on the engine and worked by air pressure operated in conjuction with the engine governor allowed the output as set by the controller to be maintained constantly by the engine. This allowed for economic operation of the engine at any of the four pre-selected speeds (600, 800, 950 & 1,100rpm) and prevented the possibility of overloading the engine. A dead-man control of the foot pedal type was also fitted.
The vehicle's structure was divided into a number of compartments, a driving cab, engine room, small luggage/guard's space, second class cabin with 42 seats, first class cabin with 20 seats and the second driving cab. Access was primarily through one set of doors per side that opened onto both the first and second class cabins. Access could also be obtained through the luggage area though this was somewhat restricted and assumed it wasn't full of cargo. Tare weight was 36tons, fully loaded was 43tons, giving a ratio of 6.3hp per ton gross weight. Because the maximum speed was only 80kph (50mph) little need was given to the streamlining of the railcar. Welding was principally used in construction of the frame and body except for the side panels which were riveted. The headstocks carried cowcatchers and Henricot automatic couplers. Should the passenger loadings warrant it a second coach could be coupled to the railcar.
The bogies were built up on welded frames with box type side members. The SKF roller bearing axle boxes were supported by overhung laminated springs with helical auxiliaries on each hanger. Additionally a laminated equalising spring each side of the bogie supported the superimposed weight of the underframe. The bogies were not fitted with bolsters. Braking was by means of the Westinghouse air system, with two blocks applied to each wheel. A 6.8hp Brown Boveri 1,500rpm motor drove a compressor which supplied the air reservoirs, all this equipment was mounted below the underframe. Also installed below the underframe were the Nife alkaline starting & lighting batteries, the dead-man handle operating gear, a 2hp motor generator set, a 15kW lighting generator (25volts 60amps) and a ladder for inspecting the roof mounted radiators.
Testing in Switzerland
Tests took place on the eighteen mile Interlaken - Meiringen line which has a maximum grade of 1 in 60. On the level acceleration to 35kmph was in the order of 1kmph/ps. On a 1 in 77 grade the car accelerated from 30 to 40kmph in 25sec and from 40 to 50kmph in 50sec. On the 1 in 333 grade 50kmph was reached in 70sec and the top speed attained was 78kmph (49mph). Lubricating oil temperature did not exceed 47C and water temperature remained almost constant at 49/50C. Fuel consumption varied from 250 to 350gr per km depending on the grade.
Service in Argentina
When delivered the railcars each carried a different paint scheme. All had an aluminium coloured roof with cream window surrounds. However for the lower body the colours green, red, blue & yellow were used, one colour per railcar.
By the summer of 1938 the four railcars shipped to Argentina had covered an aggregate mileage exceeding 1,000,000 km (625,000 miles). Despite their top speed being a fraction under 50mph they were principally used on the long distance 805 mile daily service between La Plata & Avellaneda. The railcars were also used on the daily La Plata - Soma Verde service - 160 miles, and weekdays on the Avellaneda - Monte Chingolo service - 26 miles. They were also used on occasional weekend excursions between La Plata, Azul & Olavarria, adding 380 - 410 miles to their totals. By the middle of 1941 the aggregate mileage for the four cars had reached 2,250,000km (1,406,000 miles). The timetabling for the single car working for the most part only required two-thirds of the available horsepower, only short periods of acceleration demanded anything like full power from the engine.
The Buenos Aires Provincial Railway was eventually absorbed into the Belgrano Railway, all the railcars were then painted in a red livery. These vehicles continued in service into the 1960's.
Service details March 1936 - December 1937
Railcar # |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 | |
| Mileage (km) | 193,974 | 206,393 | 198,390 | 213,972 |
Total fuel consumption (tons) | 59.3 | 68.1 | 65.8 | 73.0 |
Fuel consumption per km, grams | 342 | 348 | 368 | 372 |
Total lubricating oil consumption, kg | 804.5 | 734.5 | 406.5 | 681 |
Number of oil changes | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
Average km per oil change | 35,000 | 49,000 | 45,000 | 33,000 |
Intervals between overhauls (km):
to first one
to second one
to third one
|
7,050
47,280
97,742 |
25,396
77,226
92,950 |
32,842
24,586
72,262 |
32,193
56,771
22,503 |
Longest continuous time in service (days) | 265 | 197 | 178 | 180 |
1937 - Central Argentine Railway - single & double railcars
Central Argentine Railway single & double railcars, powered by Armstrong-Sulzer 6LF19 engines of 275hp at 1,150rpm. These integrally welded all steel vehicles were built by BRCW Smethwick being equipped with mechanical transmission, two with a Vulcan-Sinclair fluid coupling and Wilson five speed gearbox & two equipped with a five speed SLM oil operated gearbox. The engine, transmission and radiator were mounted on a subframe carried by one of the 12ft wheelbase bogies, the single cars weighed 38 tons and were 76.5ft long and seated 75 passengers. The articulated sets weighed 66 tons with a top speed of 68mph.
Stylised views of the single and articulated railcars built by BRCW, Smethwick.
1937 - Buenos Aires Great Southern - Two 880hp locomotives
The above view featured in the annual overseas supplement to a November 30th 1938 edition of the Railway Gazette and describes them as two 880hp Armstrong Whitworth diesel electric locomotives, numbered CM204 & CM205 (CM204 nearest the camera). The text further identifies them as recent deliveries (1937) from England for use in working the heavy trains to/from the southern ports in Argentina. These locomotives were initially shipped to Ceylon for brief testing there prior to onward shipment to Argentina - these must have been produced close to the end of locomotive construction by Armstrong Whitworth.
Argentina State Railways 880hp twin unit powered by two 8LD28 engines, broad gauge with a wheel arrangement of 1-C-1. Maximum speed was 65mph with a tractive effort 28,500lb and weight of 76tons. The main engines delivered 800hp, a separate Saurer 80hp engine provided power for the auxiliaries. These two units were delivered new to Ceylon for testing, following which they were sent on to Argentina. Despite their parentage and similarity to the earlier powerhouses they were not as succesful.
It is strange that Armstrong Whitworth should revert to such a rigid wheelbase after their success with the bogied diesel electric locomotives already supplied. CM204 was taken out of service during 1939 after suffering mechanical failure, wartime making the obtaining of spares impossible. CM205 was destroyed by fire during September 1943.
1951 - Argentine State Railways - Two 2,940hp locomotives
During World War Two Argentina like many other nations had operated with its existing locomotive fleet, early in 1945 management of the State Railway adopted a policy of only acquiring diesel-electric locomotives for its lines. A Diesel-Electric Division was established in February 1945 to promote locomotive construction - this was to be located in the National Port Authority shipyards on Demarchi Island, Buenos Aires.
Although under the management of naval and shipyard personnel the retired engineer Pedro Saccaggio remained honorary consultant and advisor to the project. The manufacture of thirty narrow-gauge locomotives was envisioned whilst new passenger coaches were to be built at other railway workshops. In March 1945 a total of Pesos 22.4 million (GBP1.4 million) was allocated for the acquisition of tools and equipment and for the purchase of eight Sulzer diesel-electric engine/generator sets. Construction commenced on two locomotives, although this was soon halted with just the frames and parts of the bodysides completed - foreign currency required to buy further materials was in short supply. With the project halted, the two incomplete shells were moved to the former Buenos Ayres Western Railways workshops at Liniers and the Sulzer engines placed in storage.
During 1949 new diesel locomotive deliveries started to take place, and until 1954 these were all from American builders. As detailed above no post-war locomotive construction had taken place within Argentina, however the above photograph shows one result of the first attempts in 1951 utilising the eight Sulzer engines unused from the earlier project, axle loading was only twelve tons made possible by a Do-Do+Do-Do wheel arrangement (though it may be a Bo-Bo - Bo-Bo + Bo-Bo - Bo-Bo arrangement if each set of paired axles in the four axle truck frame are independent of each other). Maximum speed was 150kmph (93.7mph) - a high speed for a locomotive with such a low axle loading! P.C. Saccaggio was the designer of this unusual machine, hearkening back to the early diesel days in Argentina; each locomotive carried four 735hp 6LDA25 Sulzer engines. Electrical equipment was provided by Oerlikon (main generator) and English Electric (traction motors - 16 in total!).
Gauge: 5ft 6in (1,676mm)
Weight in service: 229 metric tons
Axle Load: 14.3 metric tons
Length over buffers: 39.116 metres (128ft 4in)
These locomotives were numbered CM1 & CM2, these numbers were originally carried by two diesels acquired in 1929 and long since withdrawn.
Despite the characteristics of this double-diesel it was mostly put to use on the Mar del Plata express, hauling new light weight cars built by Budd, the destination being a fashionable seaside resort. During the summer the train ran daily making one round trip, each leg taking 4hrs 45min to cover the 250 miles. This did not tax the diesel greatly, but it was a considerable improvement on the six hours taken by the steam powered expresses. During the off-season the trip was only made at weekends, enough to allow the locomotives to cover 34,000+ miles per year, some 20% higher than the average mileage worked by Argentinian diesels.
After six years service on the Mar del Plata express service the two diesels were withdrawn in 1958. The reason appears to have been political, the locomotives somehow being a reminder of the days of Peron, although their designer P.S. Saccaggio was entirely apolitical - he died in 1959. The locomotives lingered a little longer, CM1 was broken up in 1962 and CM2 in 1963.
'The Locomotive' January 1958 reported that CM1 & CM2 were quite successfull in operation, particularly in light of their four engines and sixteen traction motors! However their true ability as mixed traffic locomotives was never properly exploited, being expected to work over lines with gradients up to 1 in 80.
Mr Saccaggio also attempted to create an Argentine standard locomotive engine, with the initial batch being constructed by a European builder. The basis for the planning was the Sulzer engine design modified to his own requirements. Fiat eventually took up construction, building eighty engines of the eight cylinder vertical type rated at 1,050hp at 700rpm, with a maximum output of 1,200hp at 750rpm, a second order was completed for two hundred engines, which were all shipped to Argentina and stored, it was not until 1958 that an Italian consortium completed the other portions of the locomotives!
During World War Two and the following post-war years found Argentina under the sphere of influence of USA financial happenings, leading to the majority of locomotive purchases during the 1950's to come from a variety of American builders, orders received by Europe were very few.
Written Sources:
Sulzer Technical Review #2 & #4 of 1930
Sulzer Locomotives et Automotrices Diesel, 1931
Armstrong Whitworth Record, Autumn 1932
Diesel Railway Traction October & December 1933
Diesel Railway Traction October 4th 1935
Diesel Railway Traction September 30th 1938
Diesel Railway Traction July 1959
S Damus, DIA Agency Inc, Ottawa Canada - distributor of materials for the History of Argentine Railways.
Alan Morley.
British Steam on the Pampas, Douglas Stewart Purdom
Picture Sources
AAT: Asociacion Amigos del Tranvia
AW: Armstrong Whitworth
DDT: Development of Diesel Traction
DLR: Diesel Locomotives & Railcars
FMF: Fundacion Museo Feroviario
MFN: Museo Ferroviario Nacional
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Last updated January 4th 2009
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