| No. 11801's 16 drivers deliver a one hour horsepower rating of 11,100. The locomotive uses a Bucholi drive which employs a gear ouside the driver on one end of each driving axle. The locomotive was built in 1931 to reduce doubleheading on the Gotthard Tunnel route - from Erstfeld to the entrance of the Gotthard Tunnel is a climb of 2,080 feet in 18 miles. The tunnel is under more than 6,000 feet of solid rock. At 9 miles it is not the longest Swiss tunnel but it is the oldest major tunnel - opened 1/1/1882. The locomotive was operated on a regular revenue freight schedule at this date for the enjoyment of enthusiasts. |