CSR released today its newest White Paper in its series on the Development of Modern Steam: "Argentina - Porta's First Locomotive."
Porta had corresponded extensively with Andre Chapelon, the focus of CSR's last white paper, following his education as a Civil Engineer. At age 25, Porta was able to convince financiers to back the concept of modifying an antiquated 4-6-2 into a modern 4-8-0. Over the next three years (from 1947-1950), Porta completely rebuilt and modernized the locomotive, the results of which laid the foundation for developments he championed in the half-century to follow.
The story of Argentina shows the incredible drive of a young, very industrious engineer in successfully conceiving, coordinating, financing, designing, building and testing a very modern steam locomotive. Virtually every known thermodynamic improvement available at the time was applied in its construction. The locomotive set world records for thermal efficiency and power-to-weight ratio for steam locomotives.