État 140-101 to 140-370
| Company type | Steam locomotive class |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1913 |
| Founder | Chemins de fer de l'État |
| Fate | Withdrawn from service by 1975 |
| Headquarters | France , France |
Area served | France |
| Products | 2-8-0 steam locomotives |
| Owner | Chemins de fer de l'État, SNCF, CFTA |
État 140-101 to 140-370 represents a series of 2-8-0 steam locomotives initially operated by Chemins de fer de l'État and subsequently by the SNCF.
Design
These locomotives produced power output of with maximum speeds reaching . Their relatively low axle load allowed them to manage both passenger and freight services throughout much of the État rail system. Their hauling capacity included moving 1000-ton trains on flat terrain at , 550 tons on gradients of 10‰, and 260 tons on slopes of 20‰.
Construction
A total of 340 units were manufactured across three distinct series. The initial group, comprising 70 locomotives (140-101 to 140-170), was constructed in France by Schneider-Creusot, SACM, and Fives-Lille during 1913.
The second batch, consisting of 200 locomotives (140-171 to 140-370), was produced by British firms Nasmyth, Wilson & Company and North British Locomotive Company between 1916 and 1917 due to World War I constraints. Six units were lost at sea in 1918 when their shipment was torpedoed. These engines were mainly deployed for freight duties.
| Year | Manufacturer | Serial nos. | État nos. | SNCF nos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913 | SACM (Belfort) | 6560–6579 | 140-101 – 140-120 | 3-140.C.101 – 120 |
| 1913 | Schneider et Cie | 3262–3286 | 140-121 – 140-145 | 3-140.C.121 – 145 |
| 1913 | Fives-Lille | 3970–3994 | 140-146 – 140-170 | 3-140.C.146 – 170 |
| 1916 | North British Loco. Co. | 21316–21395 | 140-171 – 140-250 | 3-140.C.171 – 250 |
| 1916–1917 | Nasmyth, Wilson & Co. | 1120–1139 | 140.251 – 140.270 | 3-140.C.251 – 270 |
| 1917 | North British Loco. Co. | 21608–21657 | 140.271 – 140.320 | 3-140.C.271 – 320 |
| 1917 | North British Loco. Co. | 21558–21607 | 140.321 – 140.370 | 1-140.C.321 – 370 |
The third series, totaling seventy locomotives, was commissioned for the French rail-mounted heavy artillery unit (Artillerie Lourde sur Voie Ferrée, ALVF). Half of these were built by North British Locomotive in 1916, with the remainder produced by Vulcan Foundry between 1919 and 1920. After the war, these locomotives were sold to other French rail companies: those from NBL went to Chemins de fer de l'Est as Est numbers 40.001 to Est40.035, while Vulcan Foundry units were transferred to PLM as PLM's series 140.K.1 to K.35.
| Year | Manufacturer | Serial nos. | ALVF nos. | Est/PLM nos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1916 | North British Locomotive Co. | 21523–21557 | 1–35 | Est40.001 – Est40.035 |
| 1919–1920 | Vulcan Foundry | 3235–3269 | 36–70 | PLM5-140.K.1 – K.35 |
Following the establishment of SNCF in 1938, the numbering system was unified: Est locomotives adopted series "1," État units became series "3," and PLM engines were designated series "5." After World War II, all locomotives were assigned to the Eastern Region; ex-État machines had their prefix changed from "3" to "1," while ex-PLM engines were integrated into the "1" series as well.
Service
The class designated as 140.C was allocated to principal État depots such as Mézidon, Le Mans, Rennes, Brest, Nantes, and Bordeaux, where they operated important express routes including Paris-Le Havre, Paris-Cherbourg, Paris-Granville, and the Chemin de fer de Grande Ceinture.
Leased to CFTA, these locomotives represented the final steam engines used regularly in commercial service on France’s railway network. Their last operations took place on the CFTA Réseau Franche-Comté centered in Gray, running lines from Gray toward Châtillon-sur-Seine and Troyes. Although SNCF ceased steam traction in 1974, the class remained the last mainline steam locomotives active in France. Notably, locomotive number 140 C 287 pulled the final commercial steam train on September 24, 1975 between Gray and Sainte-Colombe.
Preservation
CFTA designated four locomotives—140.C.230, 140.C.231, 140.C.313, and 140.C.314—as a reserve group because of their excellent condition. These units underwent maintenance at Le Mans in 1970 before being transferred to the Chaumont depot in 1971; however, none were reactivated for service afterward. Among them, only 140.C.230 was dismantled. In 1972, 140.C.231 was moved to Longueville and, together with tender 18.C.482, is currently owned by AJECTA and operated on French railways under charter.
Altogether, eight locomotives have been preserved, largely due to prolonged operation by SNCF and CFTA:
- 140.C.22 (NBL 21544 from 1916)
- 140.C.27 (NBL 21549 from 1916)
- 140.C.38 (VF 3237 from 1919), exhibited at Train à vapeur en Limousin
- 140.C.231 (NBL 21376 from 1916), paired with tender 18.C.482, held by AJECTA and recognized as a Monument historique
- 140.C.287 (NBL 21624 from 1917)
- 140.C.313 (NBL 21650 from 1917), showcased at Reims station
- 140.C.314 (NBL 21651 from 1917), operated by the Chemin de fer touristique du Vermandois (CFVT)
- 140.C.344 (NBL 21581 from 1917), preserved at Cité du train in Mulhouse
Among these survivors, only a single locomotive constructed by Vulcan remains; all engines built by Nasmyth, Wilson & Co. were scrapped, and no French-built prewar models have been conserved.