By the early years of the 20th century, the RSR was again looking for a more powerful locomotive to handle the ever-increasing traffic. In many ways the D6s were a significant break from earlier practice.These slim 4-8-0s were another attempt to make a success of compounding. The boiler, identical to that used on the C5B 4-6-0s, was not really up to the higher steam consumption of the larger cylinders and smaller driving wheels. On top of that, the running gear tried hard to shake itself to pieces at any speed over 30 km/h. The engines were tried on the incline between Kannohpio and Arnogčo but were really overtaxed unless thrashed, leading to horrendous fuel costs, and so they spent their few remaining years on short transfer freight workings in the Bevice area and shunting at Pofedra. Only six of these rather unfortunate machines were delivered, a pity in view of their elegant lines. All had gone by 1910, finally displaced with typical Belčamin ruthlessness by the inherently simpler D8 0-8-0s. 

Text and graphics © Norman Clubb 2012