SM31
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SM31-029 (Fablok 10393/1984) from Pol-Miedź Trans, photographed in Polkowice
on
SM31-027 (Fablok
10391/1984), also from Pol-Miedź Trans, sporting the company’s new livery; photo
taken at the Lubin Górniczy
station on
Yet another SM31 from the Pol-Miedź Trans fleet: SM31-028 (Fablok 10392/1984), Lubin Górniczy,
SM31-112 with a draft of empty gondolas passes by
the plinthed Ol49-1; Jarocin
station,
Another example from PKP: SM31-087, photographed in Krotoszyn
on
SM31-158 at the Leszno
depot;
SM31-119, maneuvering near Sosnowiec Maczki station; photo taken on
Derelict SM31-109 at the Zduńska
Wola Karsznice depot;
photo taken on
SM31-009, operated by the PRKiL track maintenance
company; Bolesławiec,
The same machine at the Węgliniec
station.
SM31-081, photographed at the Kraków Płaszów depot on
SM31-057,
SM31-158 was used for switching during the
2007 steam locomotive parade in Wolsztyn; photo
taken on April 28.
SM31-139, PKP, displayed at the
railway stock exhibition in Gliwice on June 15.2008. Banners are not
standard.
Slightly derelict SM31 (number unknown),
photographed at the Rybnik depot on April 18, 2009.
SM31-117, Bytom, April 30, 2009.
SM31-075, photographed at the Ruda Śląska Chebzie
station on the same day.
SM31-111,
Ostrów Wielkopolski, July 6, 2009.
Two locomotives from the PKP Cargo
fleet, photographed in Tomaszów Mazowiecki on
February 29, 2012: SM31-070…
…and SM31-150.
The same location and operator: SM31-113,
September 27, 2012.
Another locomotive from the PKP Cargo
fleet: SM31-126, photographed in Zduńska Wola Karsznice on December 9,
2012.
Another photo taken at the same location:
SM31-143, PKP Cargo, May 23, 2013.
SM31-093, Rybnik, February 6, 2003. Photo by Rafał Roskosz (from my
collection).
SM31-063, Białogard,
August 8, 1994. Photo by K.Czaplicki (from my
collection).
SM31-128, photographed in Kostrzyn
on May 12, 2001. Photo by Roman Szczeciński (from
my collection).
Two more photos from my collection: SM31-138,
location and date unknown…
…and SM31-040, Rybnik, August 1998.
SM31-087 (Fablok 10157/1979), Poznań Starołęka, September 16,
1993. Photo by Marek Niemiec (from my collection).
This locomotive still remains in use with PKP
Cargo.
SM31-046,
PKP (Fablok 9935/1978), Rybnik, June 1998. This locomotive was
written off in September 2012. Photo by Mariusz Plewka (used by permission).
SM31-052, PKP
Cargo, photographed in Sokołów Podlaski on October 20, 2017. |
Withdrawals of steam locomotives used for switching
resulted in a need for a heavy diesel switcher, for both PKP and
industrial establishments. This led to purchases of as many as four distinct
locomotive types, all in the 1200 hp class:
Czechoslovak T448P and S200, built by ČKD (161 and 143 examples,
respectively, delivered between 1966 and 1990, all for industry), Soviet TEM2
(SM48 in PKP service, 439 examples delivered between 1974 and 1990
from Bryansk and Lugansk) and indigenous SM31, built by Fablok of Chrzanów. SM31 (factory designation type 411D) drew on
experience gained with earlier SM42, but differed considerably from its
predecessor, both externally and internally. First of all, it had the Co’Co’ axle arrangement, was longer by almost three metres and heavier by 60%. Engine and electric equipment
compartment cowlings had the same height as the cab and the entire silhouette
was more angular, which promptly resulted in the nicknames ‘trumna’ (coffin) or ‘szafa’
(wardrobe), widely used in service. With such layout, forward view was rather
restricted. Eight-cylinder a8C22W diesel engine was of the same type as in
SM42, but boosted up to 1200 hp by higher
supercharging. Alternative installation of more modern license-built FIAT diesels was contemplated, but
finally rejected. Three-axle trucks were similar to that used in SP45 and
SU46 diesel locomotives from Cegielski (HCP).
SM31 design facilitated easy re-gauging to the 1524 mm track, but there is no
information of any such operation being actually performed. They could also
be fitted with the SA3 automatic coupler, standardized with Soviet railways. Design of SM31 was completed in 1973. First
prototype was outshopped in late 1975 and second
one followed in early 1976. Both underwent service tests. First three
production examples were delivered to PKP in 1976 and, until 1985,
state railways received 167 locomotives of this type from Fablok,
numbered SM31-003 through SM31-169. Furthermore, thirty machines (including
two prototypes, SM31-001 and SM31-002) went to various industrial operators
between 1977 and 1984. They were designated SM31, 411D or Ls1200P. Compared
to prototypes, production locomotives had minor modifications and were
designated type 411Da, but this designation was not used in practice. Due to
three-axle trucks and comparatively long axle base, they had some problems
with negotiating tight curves, so many industrial operators tended to prefer
less powerful, but more versatile SM42s. One example (Ls1200P-011) was sold
to PKP in December 1988, to become SM31-170. At least five SM31s from
industry were written off and scrapped between 2000 and 2005. Currently
(April 2024) of thirty examples originally delivered to industry only six
remained in use, but all had been sold to private operators; the rest have
been withdrawn and scrapped. In February 2019 PKP Cargo had 82 examples,
probably not all of them operational. Most of them were based in Upper
Silesia and hauled heavy freight trains between collieries or steelworks and
switch yards. Until early 2023 they dwindled in number to 24. The rest were
withdrawn or scrapped, except for three examples (SM31-111, -130 and -158)
sold to various private operators. Of industrial operators, the largest fleet
was that of Pol-Miedź Trans (PMT) company,
which had four examples inherited from the company’s predecessor, KGHM, all built in 1984. Two more were
later leased. These six locomotives were in fact the last SM31s built.
Initially numbered 411D-025, Ls1200P-026 and 411D-027 through 030, they were
later re-classed SM31, retaining their service numbers. Three of them were
withdrawn in 2016 and scrapped. The remaining three were sold to private
operators; two still remain in use, while SM31-028 has been dumped in Nowy Sącz. It has to be noted
that in several cases identical service numbers were assigned to two
different locomotives, one from the PKP
Cargo fleet and the other one owned by an industrial or private operator;
this was the case with all PMT
vehicles. Class SM31 underwent no modernization, except for
some minor improvements. In 1977 Fablok proposed a passenger variant (factory type 109D),
with reduced weight and car heating installation. This design, tentatively
designated SU31, was not proceeded with. Another proposed variant, factory
type 415D with modified suspension, also remained on the drawing board. Main
technical data
1) Including 167 for PKP. List of vehicles
can be found here. References
and acknowledgments
-
AL, LSPP; -
SK (various issues); -
www.ilostan.forumkolejowe.pl; -
Monographic article by Paweł Terczyński (SK
vol. 3/2024). |
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