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. |
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 nickname ‘trumna’ (coffin), widely used in service. Eight-cylinder a8C22W diesel engine was of the same type as in SM42, but boosted up to 1200 hp by higher supercharging. 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 actually performed. They could also be fitted with the SA3 automatic coupler, standardized with Soviet railways. Design of SM31 was completed in 1973 and first production examples were delivered to PKP in 1976. 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, Ls1200 or Ls1200P. 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 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,
according to AL, PKP have 113 examples, but probably not all of
them are operational. Most of them are based in Upper Silesia and haul heavy
freight trains between collieries or steelworks and switch yards. Of
industrial operators, the largest ‘fleet’ is that of Pol-Miedź Trans (PMT)
company, which have five examples (designated SM31-025 and -027 through
-030, all built in 1984). Main technical data
1)
Including 167 for PKP. References and acknowledgments
Concise description can be found in AP. |
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