Serie 241-A, SNCF | Gauge H0 - Article No. 39241

SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!

The Golden Era of Travel
The massive class 241 A steam locomotives appeared on French rails at the start of the Thirties. In the "golden" era of travel before World War II, they pulled heavy express trains between Paris and the Atlantic ports of Cherbourg and Le Havre as well as between Paris and Basle. There the famous Arlberg Orient Express was part of their tasks. After the end of the war, they ran until 1965 mainly between Paris and Strasbourg as well as Paris and Basle. Road number 241 A 1 in the Mulhouse Railroad Museum as well as road number 241 A 65 in Switzerland remain preserved, the latter as the largest operational steam locomotive in Europe.

Prototype: Class 241-A heavy express train steam locomotive with a tender. Version as a class 241-A-65 museum locomotive as it looked on the French State Railways (SNCF). The locomotive looks as it currently does in operating condition stationed at the Full-Reuenthal Depot in Switzerland.

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SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!
SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!
SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!
SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!
SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!
SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!
SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!
SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!
SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!
SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!
SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!
SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!
SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!
SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!
SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!
SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!
SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!
SNCF Class 241-A Express Train Steam Locomotive - Europe's Largest!

Most Important Facts

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Article No. 39241
Gauge / Design type H0 / 1:87
Era VI
Kind Steam Locomotives
Article not produced anymore.
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Highlights

  • Currently the most powerful operational steam locomotive in Europe.
  • Locomotive is stationed in the Full-Reuenthal Depot in Switzerland.
  • Completely new tooling, partially open bar frame and many separated applied details included.
  • Cab lighting and running gear lights can be controlled digitally.
  • Equipped with factory-installed smoke unit.
  • World of Operation mfx+ decoder and extensive light and sound functions included.
  • Product description

    Model: The locomotive has an mfx+ digital decoder and extensive light and sound functions. It also has controlled high-efficiency propulsion with a flywheel, mounted in the boiler. 4 axles powered. Traction tires. The locomotive and tender are constructed mostly of metal. The model has a factory-installed 72270 smoke unit. The triple headlights on the locomotive and tender change over with the direction of travel. They and the built-in smoke unit will work in conventional operation and can be controlled digitally. There is also cab lighting and running gear lights that can be controlled digitally. Maintenance-free warm white LEDs used for lighting. There is an adjustable coupling with a mechanism between the locomotive and tender. The rear of the tender has a close coupler in an NEM pocket with a guide mechanism. The minimum radius for operation is 437.5 mm / 17-1/4". Brake hoses, heating lines, and imitation prototype couplers as well as a decal sheet with sponsor logos are included. Length over the buffers 30.4 cm / 12".

    Suitable passenger car sets for Era II can be found in the Märklin H0 assortment under item numbers 42386 and 42387. This model of the express train steam locomotive was done with the support of the 241-A-65 Association. More information can be found on the Internet at www.241a65.ch SNCF® and TGV® are registered brands of SNCF Mobilités. All rights reserved. SNCF® is a registered brand of SNCF Mobilités. All rights reserved.

    This model can be found in a DC version in the Trix H0 assortment under item number 22941.

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    Spare parts for our articles can be found here in our spare parts search.

    One-time series.

  • Publications

    - Special Imprint and Special Products - Product programme 2017/2018
  • Prototype information

    39241 – SNCF Class 241 A Steam Locomotive (former EST and ÉTAT) At the start of the Twenties, the French East Railroad (EST) a power unit to hauls its heavy express trains on the line Paris – Belfort – Basle. The new locomotive was planned to haul a 700-ton train at a constant speed of 115 km/h / 72 mph on level track with a maximum speed of 120 km/h / 75 mph, which required a continuous performance of 2,720 horsepower. Even more ambitious was the requirement to pull 800 tons at 80 km/h / 50 mph on a 0.5% grade. Around 3,540 horsepower was necessary for this – an exorbitant level of performance for steam locomotives! A prototype delivered on January 17, 1926 by Fives-Lille with number 41.001 was the first time the "Mountain" 4-8-2 wheel arrangement was presented in Europe. In line with French practice, it was designed as a four-cylinder compound locomotive using de Glehn/du Bousquet principles with separately adjustable Heusinger valve gear for the high and low pressure running gear. After extensive testing, another 89 units were built between 1930 and 1934. They differed in several details from the prototype. Forty (40) units with road numbers 241 002-041 were delivered to the EST and 49 locomotives went to the ÉTAT. The prototype's road number was changed to 241 001. The class 241 A locomotives had a type of boiler new in Europe that was based on an American design with a large combustion chamber as well as Nicholson design thermal syphons. The boiler was fed water by means of an exhaust steam injector and two live steam injectors. The inner cylinders (low-pressure cylinders) worked on the offset driving wheel set and the external cylinders (high-pressure cylinders) worked on the second driving wheel set. A slide valve allowed high-pressure steam to reach the low-pressure cylinders during a start up or when greater performance was required. While the EST used their "Mountains" pulling heavy express trains on the routing Paris – Belfort – Mulhouse – Basle to bring vacationers bent on the mountains or starved for sun to Switzerland or to Italy, the ÉTAT ensured the connection to the ships landing at Cherbourg or Le Havre from the USA or Great Britain. Yet, the ÉTAT was not happy with their "Mountains", since the latter's' high weight and the large fixed wheelbase apparently caused a high degree of wear to the rails. They therefore sold all 49 units to the EST. After its founding in 1938, the SNCF took over all 90 locomotives, which after different temporary numbering schemes were given the road numbers 241 A 1-41 (EST locomotives in the original sequence) and 241 A 42-90 (former ÉTAT units in an altered sequence). The SNCF used these locomotives until their retirement in the years 1960 to 1965 mainly between Paris and Strasbourg as well as Paris and Basle. Two examples remain preserved: road number 241 A 1 at the Mulhouse Railroad Museum and road number 241 A 65 in operational condition in Switzerland. The 241 A 65 The locomotive currently designated as 241-A-65 first saw the light of day on August 16, 1931 with road number 241 001. It was the first of 49 "Mountains" delivered to the French ÉTAT. Initially they ran from the Batignolles Depot with heavy express trains between Paris and Cherbourg or Le Havre in order to make the connection to the ships sailing from there to Great Britain or the USA. Nationalization with the newly founded SNCF bestowed upon it the new road number 3-241 A 1 on March 1, 1939. After the occupation of France by the German troops in WWII, it was like many French steam locomotives requisitioned by the German State Railroad and ran chiefly on the route Bebra – Leipzig. On January 27, 1946, it returned to the roster of the SNCF, where a one-year guest appearance at the Le Mans Depot (Région Ouest / West Region) followed. It then ran from the Chaumont Depot (Région Est / East Region) with a simultaneous change in road number to 1-241 A 301. One more new road number followed on May 24, 1950 that it finally carried as 241 A 65. Its daily bread up to its removal from service on July 23, 1965 was heavy express trains between Paris and Strasbourg as well as Paris and Basle. Finally, it had a modest existence as a heating locomotive until May of 1968 in the Chaumont Depot. A native of Zürich, Armin Glaser, succeeded in rescuing it from the scrap heap, acquiring it, and having it transported to Switzerland. After a cosmetic restoration, it stood from 1978 on for several years in the Lucerne Transportation Museum. Its operational overhaul took place in 1996/97 at the steam locomotive facility in Meiningen and it is thus still the largest operational steam locomotive in Europe with permission to operate in Switzerland, Germany, and France.

  • Digital Functions

    Control Unit Mobile Station Mobile Station 2 Central Station 1/2 Central Station 3/2*
    Mobile Station 2**
    Headlight(s)
    Smoke generator
    Steam locomotive op. sounds
    Locomotive whistle
    Direct control
    Sound of squealing brakes off
    Engineer’s cab lighting
    Whistle for switching maneuver
    Running gear lights
    Letting off Steam
    Sound of coal being shoveled
    Tipping grate
    Air Pump
    Water Pump
    Injectors
    Conductor – departure
    Rail Joints
    Surrounding sounds
    Generator Sounds
    Special light function
    Replenishing fuel
    Replenishing fuel
    Replenishing fuel
    Sanding
    Safety Valve
    "Switcher Double ""A"" Light"
    Switching maneuver
    Sound of Couplers Engaging
    Station Announcements
    Conductor's Whistle

    * New features of the Central Station 2 (Part No. 60213, 60214 or 60215) with the software update 4.2

    ** New features of the Mobile Station 2 (Part No. 60657/66955) with the Software Update 3.55

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