4-8-2
France
### France

In France, the  Mountain, known as the 241 type based on its axle arrangement, began to be used on the more undulating routes as increasingly heavy loads, brought about by the introduction of all\-steel passenger cars after 1918, began to overtax the hill\-climbing capabilities of the existing [ Pacific](/wiki/4-6-2 "4-6-2") and the speed capabilities of [ Mikado](/wiki/2-8-2 "2-8-2") locomotives. Altogether 275  locomotives were built for French service.
* The [Chemins de fer de l'Est](/wiki/Chemins_de_fer_de_l%27Est "Chemins de fer de l'Est") (Est) took delivery of a prototype  four\-cylinder compound locomotive from its own [Épernay](/wiki/%C3%89pernay "Épernay") shops in 1925\. This was the first Mountain type to be built for commercial service within France. The Est subsequently ordered forty production locomotives in 1930, based on the prototype design but with improvements. Delivery took place over the following three years. One of these, 241\.004, ended up in [Germany](/wiki/Germany "Germany") during [World War II](/wiki/World_War_II "World War II") and served in the [East German](/wiki/East_Germany "East Germany") [Deutsche Reichsbahn](/wiki/Deutsche_Reichsbahn_%28East_Germany%29 "Deutsche Reichsbahn (East Germany)") until 1955 as , the only  Mountain in German service.
* Between 1930 and 1932, the [Chemins de Fer de l'État](/wiki/Chemins_de_Fer_de_l%27%C3%89tat "Chemins de Fer de l'État") (État) obtained 49 locomotives built to the  design of the Est. Under [SNCF](/wiki/SNCF "SNCF") management after 1938, these locomotives were transferred to the Est region and served there for the rest of their service lives.
* The [Chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée](/wiki/Chemins_de_fer_de_Paris_%C3%A0_Lyon_et_%C3%A0_la_M%C3%A9diterran%C3%A9e "Chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée") (PLM) introduced 145 bullet\-nosed Class 241A compound Mountain types in 1925 to increase train speeds over the Seuil de Bourgogne incline. This four\-cylinder [compound locomotive](/wiki/Compound_locomotive "Compound locomotive") was unusual in having short connecting rods for the outside high\-pressure cylinders that connected to the first driving axle rather than the second, as was typical of most six\- or eight\-coupled locomotives. Possibly as a result of this, the locomotive did not run smoothly at speeds faster than . In addition, to limit the weight the built\-up locomotive frames were lightly constructed, which allowed torsion and flexing that caused the wheel bearings to overheat. This problem was never solved on the PLM engines. However, despite these shortcomings and true to the Mountain type, they were still able to haul heavy passenger trains over gradients at speed and could take an 800 tonne load over a 1 in 200 gradient at .
[thumb\|[SNCF Class 241P](/wiki/SNCF_Class_241P "SNCF Class 241P") No. 241\.P 17](/wiki/File:241P17_%C3%A0_Dole.JPG "241P17 à Dole.JPG")
* Based on the Class 241A, the unique PLM Class 241C1, built in 1930, had connecting rods linking the second and third driving axles. This locomotive served as the prototype for development of the post\-war standard [SNCF Class 241P](/wiki/SNCF_Class_241P "SNCF Class 241P").
* The PLM also experimented with a high\-pressure watertube boiler on the unique [PLM 241B1](/wiki/PLM_241_B_1 "PLM 241 B 1") prototype, constructed with a German Schmidt\-Henschel boiler in 1930\. Soon it was learned, however, that this locomotive was a failure; it was retired and broken up by the mid\-1930s.
* The État also built a prototype three\-cylinder simple expansion  locomotive in 1932, the 241\.101, which was an embarrassing failure for the company but which was later converted by [André Chapelon](/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Chapelon "André Chapelon") into the legendary SNCF Class 242A1 [4\-8\-4](/wiki/4-8-4 "4-8-4") Northern locomotive.
* The SNCF, with design input from [André Chapelon](/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Chapelon "André Chapelon"), developed the earlier PLM 241C1 into the 35\-strong [Class 241P](/wiki/SNCF_Class_241P "SNCF Class 241P") in 1948\. These locomotives, although prone to axle box problems caused by a frame that was not rigid enough for the  output of the cylinders, were nevertheless very effective and some were still running in the early 1970s.


Why did the PLM introduce bullet-nosed locomotives in 1925?