Editing 2-8-2 (section)

====Tender locomotives====
Of the pre-nationalisation railway companies that existed before the formation of the [[SNCF]], the [[Chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée]] (PLM) had the most Mikados. Their first twelve were initially numbered from 1001 to 1012 and later renumbered to 141.A.1 to 141.A.12. The PLM's second series, numbered from 1013 to 1129 and later renumbered 141.B.1 to 141.B.117, were built by [[Baldwin Locomotive Works]] in the United States. Their third and largest class was numbered from 141.C.1 to 141.C.680. Of these latter locomotives, those fitted with [[feedwater heater]]s bore the class letter D. The PLM also rebuilt forty-four 141.C and 141.D class locomotives to 141.E class. The SNCF modified the PLM numbers by adding the regional prefix digit "5".

The PLM's 141.A class Mikados were copied by the [[Chemins de fer du Nord]], who had fifty, numbered from 4.1101 to 4.1150, which became 2-141.A.1 to 2-141.A.50 on the SNCF.

The [[Chemins de fer de l'État]] also had a class of 250 Mikados, numbered from [[État 141-001 to 141-250|141-001 to 141-250]]. These later became the 141.B class on the SNCF and were renumbered 3-141.B.1 to 3-141.B.250. After modifications, the 141.B class locomotives became the 141.C class, as well as one 141.D class (no. 141.D.136) and one 141.E class (no. 141.E.113). No. {{nowrap|3-141.C.100}} has been preserved and designated a [[Monument historique]].

[[File:SNCF Class 141 P.jpg|thumb|left|SNCF 141P Class]]
The most powerful French Mikado was the SNCF 141.P class. At about {{convert|3300|hp|kW|abbr=off}}, these engines were among the most efficient steam locomotives in the world, thanks to their [[compound locomotive|compound]] design.<ref>Westwood, J.N. (1977). ''Locomotive designers in the age of steam''.</ref> They could burn 30% less fuel and use 40% less water than their 141.R class counterparts, but could not compete when it came to reliability. Every locomotive of this 318-strong class has been scrapped.

[[File:141-R-568-a.jpg|thumb|SNCF 141R Class no. 568]]
The most numerous steam locomotive class France had, was the American and Canadian-built [[SNCF Class 141R|141.R class]]. Of the 1,340 locomotives ordered, however, only 1,323 entered service since sixteen engines were lost at sea during a storm off the coast of Newfoundland while being shipped to France, while one more was lost in [[Marseille]] harbour. They were praised for being easy to maintain and proved to be very reliable, which may account for the fact that they remained in service until the very end of the steam era in 1975. Twelve of these locomotives have been preserved.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Hand|first=Victor|title=Mikados ''for France''|magazine=[[Classic Trains]]|publisher=[[Kalmbach Publishing|Kalmbach]]|pages=55–59|date=Fall 2023|volume=27|number=3}}</ref>