Curious how this iron horse ended up here? Locomotiva 835.163 stands as a monument in Vanzaghello. This Guterzugtenderlokomotive tells a story. It is a story of Italian railways.
Locomotiva 835.163 began its life in 1910. It was built by OM. That is Officine Meccaniche e Navali di Napoli. The factory number was 299. This locomotive joined the FS. FS stands for Ferrovie dello Stato. That is the Italian State Railway.
For decades Locomotiva 835.163 served faithfully. It worked hard pulling trains. The locomotive operated across Italy. Then, its working days ended.
Sometime in the 20th century, FS retired 835.163. It was then saved from scrap. The locomotive became a Denkmal or monument. It found a home in Vanzaghello. The address is Via Ugo Foscolo 2-10.
But who owns this iron horse today? Unfortunately, that information is missing. We also do not know about its delivery. We lack details of its final inspection. Its work history also remains a mystery.
Today Locomotiva 835.163 sits in poor condition. Despite this, its future preservation seems secure. It is a reminder of a bygone era. It evokes the age of steam.
The Baureihe 835 was designed for shunting duties. That was in larger train stations. The RM or Rete Mediterranea engineers created it in 1904. RM stands for Società per le Strade Ferrate del Mediterraneo. That is the Mediterranean Railway Company. After nationalization, the FS received 370 locomotives between 1906 and 1922.
These locomotives were numbered 835.001 to 835.370. Interestingly, 53 of these locomotives still exist today. That’s about 14 percent of the total built. Some are working. Many are monuments. Others are museum pieces.
The Baureihe 835 had specific technical characteristics. It was a C h2t type. Its length over buffers was 9160 mm. Its height reached 4205 mm. The service weight was 45.3 tons. Its top speed was 55 km/h in both directions. The engine produced 360 horsepower. The driving wheel diameter was 1310 mm. It had two cylinders. Each cylinder measured 420 mm in diameter. The piston stroke was 580 mm. The boiler pressure was 12 bar. It could hold 5 cubic meters of water and 2.4 tons of coal.
While 835.163 rests quietly, other 835 series locomotives have different fates. Locomotive 835.213 is at the Museo dei Transporti di La Spezia. It is in good condition. Locomotive 835.053 is betriebsfähig. That means it is operational in La Spezia.
So, as you stand before Locomotiva 835.163 remember its history. It is a testament to Italy’s industrial past. It connects us to the age of steam. It reminds us of the importance of preserving our heritage.