L.D. Porta designed LVM800, a 3 cylinder Porta type compound, for shunting/branchline loco in Cuba but it is applicable to many other places! It should be emphasised this loco is designed and basically ready to be built, by the right people.
The LVM
Series Locomotives
'Locomotora
Vapor Moderna'
The LVM Types: LVM800 - LVM801 - LVM802 - LVM803
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L.D. Porta designed LVM800, a 3 cylinder Porta type compound, for shunting/branchline loco in Cuba but it is applicable to many other places! It should be emphasised this loco is designed and basically ready to be built, by the right people. |
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A metre gauge 2-8-2 2200hp 3 cylinder Porta type compound originally conceived for use in north west Argentina. For a separate page on the details of LVM801 click here. |
This machine was formal christened in a fax sent by Porta on 18 April 2000. The type was proposed for use in Spain as emergency rescue motive power at the ends of the 28.4km Guadarrama tunnel. The tunnel is on the high speed RENFE AVE line on the route from Madrid to Galicia below the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains. The locomotives were to be stationed at the ends of the tunnel to rescue a totally failed AVE train or one stranded by an overhead line failure.
In due course it is hoped to provide a full article on the work undertaken. The machines were to be capable of relatively high speed so as to get a failed train out the tunnel as quickly as possible. They would have had a cab at either end. It was proposed the locomotives would be kept in steam by connection to an external electrical heater system, not unlike that provided by DLM. They would have been oil fired, either using diesel or bio-diesel as fuel. However the boiler capacity was to be such that it was proposed no use of the liquid firing would be required within the tunnel so as to keep the air as clean as possible. As might be expected the locomotives would be single manned.
Encouragingly GIF (the Ministry of Transport agency, in charge of the works) took the project very seriously which resulted in a visit to Spain by Porta. However, ultimately, it was not to be. On 15th November 2007 the tunnel was opened to the traffic with diesels being the only rescue machines available.
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An
artists impression of the LVM803 type proposed by L.D. Porta & Shaun
McMahon for FCAF. Courtesy of Shaun McMahon |
As originally specified LVM803 was to be either an 0-6-0t or 0-6-2t, employing compound expansion and all refinements possible to make it as efficient and reliable as possible. The loco was proposed with a view to operation on FCAF so as to enable the railway to handle the increase in traffic associated with the Ushuaia city extension. In the event a new Garratt locomotive was built for the line, but maybe this type will be revived in the future for elsewhere.