STEAM LOCOMOTIVE SACM 140 - THE FRANCO ETHIOPIAN RAILWAY FROM 1900 TO 1980.



Gallery N°25 : SACM 140 (C.F.E. period)

STEAM LOCOMOTIVE 1-4-0. UG 181 type. Two cylinders.
BELFORT Factory N°6165 to N°6172.

In 1910-1911 the SACM Factory at Belfort delivered eight identical locomotives, named UG 181, to the C.F.E. They were numbered 25 to 33 by the Company and were built following the plans of SLM Winterthur (SACM 6165 to 6172). An additional unit was delivered by SLM in 1914 (SLM 2437).

Names given to the machines :
N°25: Brave, N°26: Invincible

Net weight 30.950 kg
Service weight 34.550 kg
Axles weight 29.500 kg
bissel weight 4.950 kg
Boiler diameter 1,80 m
Boiler weight 13 kg
Quantity of 41/45 tubes 138
heating surface of the tubes 67,60 m2
core heating surface 6,00 m2
Grid surface 1,29 m2
High pressure cylinder diameter 0,42 m
Low pressure cylinder diameter 0,63 m
Stroke 0,55 m
Coupled wheels diameter 1,000 m
Bissel wheel diameter 0,700 m


STEAM LOCOMOTIVE 1-4-0. UG 190 type. Two cylinder and overheating.
BELFORT Factory N°6552 to N°6559.

In 1913 the SACM factory of Belfort manufactured nine locomtives. Named UG 190, they were numbered 121 to 129 by the C.F.E. and were an improvement on the previous examples. They had two simple expansion and overheating cylinders, but looked similar (SACM 6551 to 6559). They could be distinguished from the series Nos 21 to 33 locomotives by a slightly bigger boiler, differently shaped domes and their symetrical and identical cylinders.

Net weight 32.800 kg
Service weight 36.500 kg
Axles weight 30.500 kg
bissel weight 6.000 kg
Boiler diameter 1,32 m
Boiler weight 12 kg
Stroke 0,55 m
Coupled wheels diameter 1,000 m
Bissel wheel diameter 0,700 m


STEAM LOCOMOTIVE 1-4-0. UG 185 type. "Consolidation" type with overheating.
N° Usine GRAFFENSTADEN factory N°7572 to N°7577, N°7723 to N°7725, and N°7729 to N°7740.

In 1931 the SACM Factory at Graffenstaden manufactured six similar units, named UG 185. They were heavier, more powerful and equipped with a Belpaire protuberant firebox. They were numbered 131 to 136 by the C.F.E. (SACM 7572 to 7577). They were followed in 1937 by three additional units, Nos 137 to 139 (SACM 7723 to 7725) and in 1938 by twelve locomotives Nos 140 to 151 (SACM 7729 to 7740). This series of 21 locomotives would be the largest of the C.F.E.'s fleet.

Names given to the locomotives :
N°131: Goré, N°132: Gondar, N°133: Djidjiga, N°134: Ankobar, N°135: Diré Dawa, N°136: Addis Ababa

Net weight 35.000 kg
Service weight 38.700 kg
Axles weight 32.500 kg
bissel weight 6.200 kg
Boiler diameter 1,32 m
Boiler weight 13 kg
Quantity of 41/45 tubes 103
Quantity of 125/133 tubes 16
Heating surface of the tubes 74,00 m2
Boiler heating surface 81,60 m2
overheat heating surface 25,20 m2
Grid surface 1,50 m2
Bore 0,40 m
Stroke 0,55 m
Coupled wheels diameter 1,010 m
Bissel wheels diameter 0,710 m


STEAM LOCOMOTIVE 1-4-0. UG 174 type. Consolidation" type with overheating .
N° Usine GRAFFENSTADEN factory N°7451 to N°7456, N°7541 to N°7544 and N°7726 to N°7728.

In 1927 the SACM factory at Graffenstaden delivered the first six locomotives designated UG 174. This model was even more powerful and heavier. The locomotives Nos 401 to 406 (SACM 7451 to 7456) could be identified at a distance thanks to their perfectly rounded domes and their big boilers. Four machines, Nos 407 to 410 followed later in 1929 (SACM 7541 to 7544), and a further three in 1937, Nos 411 to 413 (SACM 7726 to 7728). The latter, manufactured at the same time as the CFE series Nos 137 to 151, caused some difficulties because of the very uneven loading of the driven axles. Dissatisfied, the C.F.E. turned to the SLM Winthertur factory for the manufacture of six additional units. These identical locomotives, Nos 414 to 419 (SLM 3647 to 3652), were delivered in 1938 without tenders; these being taken from reduntant (taken off list) CFE locomotives.

Names given to the machines:
N°401 Choa, N°402 Godjam , N°403 Aroussis, N°404 Wello, N°405 Djimma N°406 Tchercher, N°407 Tigre, N°408 Kaffa, N°409 Sidamo, N°410 Harrar.

Net weight 40.550 kg
Service weight 46.100 kg
Axles weight 40.000 kg
Bissel weight 6.100 kg
Boiler diameter 1,43 m
Boiler weight 12 kg
Quantity of 41/45 tubes 102
Quantity of 125/133 tubes 18
Heating surface of the tubes 85,60 m2
Boiler heating surface 81,60 m2
Overheat heating surface 31,00 m2
Grid surface 1,91 m2
Bore 0,47 m
Stroke 0,55 m
Coupled wheels diameter 1,050 m
Bissel wheels diameter 0,710 m


After 1946 the locomotives, No 151 and Nos 401 to 413, were converted to use fuel oil in the image of the American "Mac Arthur" locomotives. The last 140 would die out in 1962, marking the end of steam traction.