| SFAI 1181-1200 RM Class 3000 FS Class 650 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 FS locomotive 6502, later 650.002 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS; Italian State Railways) Class 650 (Italian: Gruppo 650), formerly SFAI 1181-1200 and Rete Mediterranea 300 Class, also known as "Vittorio Emanuele II", was the first steam locomotive in continental Europe to have the 4-6-0 'Ten-Wheeler' arrangement. [1] [2] [3]
Designed by Cesare Frescot, the Class 650 was designed in light of the forthcoming opening (in 1889) of the new relief Giovi railway, which supplemented the old line opened in the 1850s and was less steep (1.6% maximum instead of 3.5%). [1] [2]
Previous fast locomotives were of the 4-4-0 arrangement; Frescot decided to add one more driving axle to ensure that the locomotive would be able to pull the increased loads without exceeding the axle load limits. He also discarded the Belpaire firebox, common in SFAI locomotive practice, for a round-top firebox, which would be a mainstay of Italian locomotive practice. The first locomotives had a working boiler pressure of 10 kilograms per square centimetre (981 kPa; 142 psi), while subsequent locomotives enjoyed a greater pressure of 11 kilograms per square centimetre (1,080 kPa; 156 psi); three locomotives were also fitted a longer boiler with a combustion chamber. The bogie had a small wheelbase, to keep the locomotive as short as possible. [1] [4]
The first locomotive was built in the SFAI's Turin works in 1884; the other fifty-four locomotives were built from 1887 to 1896: 36 by Ansaldo, thirteen by Maffei and five by Officine Miani & Silvestri. [5]
The first locomotive was the only one given a running number by the Società per le strade ferrate dell'Alta Italia, and was also the only one given a name ("Vittorio Emanuele II", in honour of King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy), as just as it was completed the transition between the SFAI and the Rete Mediterranea was being executed.
The Class 650 proved very successful, being able to pull 130 tons over the new Giovi railway at a speed of 45 kilometres per hour (28 mph). However, the steady increasing of the train's weight meant that these locomotives were gradually replaced by more powerful ones. The last locomotives of the Class 650 were withdrawn in the 1920s, with none surviving into preservation. [6] [5] [7]
Some units of the class were rebuilt under the FS period with the boiler of the FS Class 656. [8] [5]
The Ferrovie dello Stato Class 685 is a class of 2-6-2 'Prairie' express train steam locomotives. These are colloquially known as Regine, mirroring their fame as one of the most successful and appreciated Italian steam locomotives.
The Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Class 691 is a class of 4-6-2 'Pacific' locomotives; they were the fastest and most powerful locomotives ever built for the Italian railways.
The Rete Adriatica Class 500, classified after 1905 in the Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane as Class 670 was an unorthodox and iconic cab forward 4-6-0 (2'C) steam locomotive.
The Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Class 690 was a 4-6-2 'Pacific' steam locomotive for express trains.
The Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Class 470 is a 0-10-0 steam locomotive.
The Ferrovie dello Stato Class 480 is a 2-10-0 steam locomotive.
The Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Class 552, formerly Rete Adriatica Class 180 bis, is a 4-4-0 steam locomotive; it was the final development in Italy of the 'American' express locomotive type.
The Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Class 600, formerly Rete Adriatica Class 380 and Società per le Strade Ferrate Meridionali Class 380, is a 2-6-0 'Mogul' steam locomotive; it is considered by some as the first Italian modern steam locomotive.
The Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Class 835 is a 0-6-0T steam locomotive; it was the standard steam shunter of the FS.
The Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Class 290, formerly the Rete Adriatica Class 350 bis, is a 0-6-0 steam locomotive.
The Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Class 420, formerly SFAI Class 1200, Rete Adriatica Class 420 and Rete Mediterranea Class 480, was a 0-8-0 steam locomotive.
The Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Class 310, formerly Rete Mediterranea Class 380, was a 0-6-0 steam locomotive; they were the first Italian as-built compound locomotives.
The Ferrovie dello Stato Class 741 is a class of 2-8-0 'Consolidation' steam locomotives, rebuilds from the FS Class 740 with a Franco-Crosti boiler; it was the last class of steam locomotives introduced in Italy.
The Mastodonte dei Giovi was a special double steam locomotive built specifically for use on the difficult Apennine stretch of the new Turin - Genoa railway line, inaugurated in 1853.
FS Class 170 was a class of 2-4-0 steam locomotives acquired by Italian State Railways (FS) from Rete Mediterranea (RM) on nationalization in 1905.
Locomotives SFAI 250-258 were 0-4-2 steam locomotives of the Società per le strade ferrate dell'Alta Italia (SFAI).
FS Class 396 was a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotives originally built for the Victor Emmanuel Railway (VE). They were designed for hauling passenger trains and were nicknamed "Mammoth".
FS Class 400 were steam locomotives of French construction, built for service in Italy. They were 0-8-0 tender locomotives with two outside cylinders.
The Ferrovie dello Stato Class 745 was a class of 2-8-0 'Consolidation' steam locomotives.
The Ferrovie dello Stato Class 744 is a class of 2-8-0 steam locomotives; they were the last orthodox steam locomotives built for the FS.