SM40
and SM41
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SM40-01
(MÁVAG 94/1958), preserved at
Chabówka railway stock heritage park; photo taken on April 13, 2004.
SM40-06
somewhere in Poland, 1961. Photo from my collection.
Side
drawing of SM40 by M.Æwik³a (SK
vol.3/1996).
SM41-01
(Ganz-MÁVAG 504/1961),
photographed at
Chabówka railway stock heritage park on April 13, 2004.
SM41-190 (Ganz- MÁVAG 986/1966), Railway Museum, Warsaw; photo taken
on May 25, 2005.
This SM41-227 (Ganz- MÁVAG 1138/1967), with fictitious designation SM41-43,
is preserved at the Koœcierzyna depot; photo taken on February 5, 2003.
Slightly derelict SM41-164 (Ganz- MÁVAG 959/1966), photographed at the Jaworzyna Œl¹ska
depot on August 4, 2004.
Unidentified SM41, photographed in Jaworzyna Œl¹ska
on October 25, 2005...
... and
close-up of its Ganz-Jendrassik diesel engine, albeit incomplete (May 1,
2006).
Side drawing of the BDŽ class 51 from LBDZ; Polish
SM41s were almost identical, apart from upper headlights.
SM41-42, location unknown, 1960. Photo from my collection. |
It can be argued that decision to withdraw steam locomotives from service with PKP in a relatively short time (however, in effect much longer than previously envisaged...) and replace them with diesels had been based on emotional rather than economic reasons. In mid-50s there was almost no experience in Poland with this type of locomotives: only a handful of small switchers were in operation. Moreover, cheap coal was readily available, while almost all petroleum had to be imported. It was decided, however, that development should follow the pattern established in other countries: rapid electrification and introduction of diesel power. Polish industry was not yet ready to produce an indigenous diesel locomotive: prototypes of rather primitive 300 hp SM30 light switcher (powered with a license-built tank engine) appeared only in 1956. This meant that heavier machines had to be imported and basically only manufacturers from the Eastern Block could be taken into account. The choice fell on a Hungarian diesel locomotive with factory designation DVM2. Hungary had much more experience with diesel power; successful railcars were produced from 1928 onwards. After WWII, Ganz works of Budapest continued to develop the well-known Ganz-Jendrassik engine of pre-war design. The V-16 variant of this diesel, rated at 600 hp, was chosen as the prime mover for the DVM2, prototypes of which were built by MÁVAG in 1954 (Ganz and MÁVAG were forced to merge in 1959). It was a universal machine with electric transmission for switching and light drafts, although its suitability for passenger trains was limited due to lack of car heating equipment. DVM2
was the starting point of the entire family of diesel locomotives that
remained in production until 1971. Hungarian state railways (MÁV) designated them M44; according to
rosters available at www.railfaneurope.net,
200 were bought and in January 2005, 51 still remained in the inventory, plus
seventeen from 30 locomotives rebuilt and re-designated M44.5. The same
source gives 14 machines used with GySEV
(Györ-Sopron-Ebenfurth railway) and six similar locomotives built for BHEV (local traffic around Budapest) –
class DL XVI. With Hungarian industrial operators, they were designated A25;
according to a very comprehensive survey by Ferenc Joo (www.zpok.hu/fjoo, also private communication – thanks,
Ferenc), this class numbered 114 units, at least 11 ex-MÁV machines and 6 passing then to MÁV or GySEV (I am not
sure whether the above total for MÁV includes
these examples). In Hungary these machines were nicknamed ‘Bobo’ (due to
their axle arrangement with twin two-axle trucks). Forty MÁV machines were modernized and fitted with new Caterpillar engines and state-of-the
art control systems (hence ‘Digital Bobo’); they were re-designated M44.4. GySEV decided to fit new Deutz TBD604BL6 engines (re-classed
M44.3). Former Ganz-MÁVAG (now Ganz Transelektro Traction Electrics Ltd.)
still offers modernization packages. Many
DVM2s and their derivatives were sold abroad. Yugoslavia received probably
105 machines, designated class 641. After disintegration of this country
those surviving remained in service only with JŽ (now Železnice Srbije
– ZS) company in Serbia and
Montenegro. Bulgaria purchased 136 machines: 71 went to the Bulgarian State
Railways (BDŽ) as class 51 and 65
to industry (four were later transferred to BDŽ). Most probably all have already been written off (only three
remained with BDŽ in 2003). In
1956, one DVM2 underwent service tests in the USSR; results were satisfactory
and between 1958 and 1965 Soviets purchased 310 examples, classed VME1
(factory type DVM4). They differed from the basic variant in having lower
reduction ratio (73:21) and maximum speed was set at 65 km/h; later variants
had slightly more powerful diesels, rated at 640 hp. One machine (VME1-024)
was used for experiments with indigenous ac electric transmission. Three
examples with up-rated VFE 17/24 diesels (800 hp) and 71:17 reduction ratio,
supplied to the USSR in 1963, were classed VME2. Further purchases were
abandoned, as six-axle heavier switchers were considered more suitable for
Soviet conditions. Most VME1s and VME2s were withdrawn before 1985, but some
probably are still in use. First
DVM2 was tested by PKP in 1957.
Results were considered satisfactory and ten locomotives were purchased in
1958 (type DVM2-2, MÁVAG 94/1958 through 103/1958) and initially classed
LWe58. In 1960, after new designation system had been introduced, they were
re-classed SM40. They were based in
Kraków (six) and Szczecin (four) and used mainly for switching, replacing
old, obsolete steam locomotives used for this purpose. However, Kraków-based
engines initially often ran with local trains. Their electro-pneumatic
control system proved troublesome and unreliable in service, so next variant
for PKP (type DVM2-10) featured
several modifications and control system was generally simplified. This
version was designated SM41 and 263 examples were purchased for PKP between 1961 and 1968. Industrial
operators received further 109 (between 1961 and 1971), one of which was
later transferred to PKP and given
service number SM41-264. SM40s were later modified during overhauls, but
their designations remained unchanged. Externally both versions were almost
identical, but could be easily distinguished by side guard railings along
footplates, which were missing in SM40s. In
early 1960s, SM41 was the most important diesel locomotive in PKP service, used for switching, but
often hauling local passenger trains (during winter heating cars were
necessary). Prototype of its potential replacement, indigenous SM42 from Fablok, appeared only in 1964.
Manufacturing quality of Hungarian locomotives was, however, considered
somehow unsatisfactory and initially defects were commonplace. Withdrawal of
this class started in mid-1980s, but was accelerated in early 1990s due to
overall surplus of switchers. Last SM40 was withdrawn from PKP service in September 1991. Between
1989 and 1993, as many as 174 SM41s were written off. Last example (SM41-226,
s/n 1137/1967) was withdrawn in June 2000. This machine has been preserved at
Grudzi¹dz depot, albeit with fictitious service number SM41-111. Two SM40s
(SM40-01 and SM40-10) and at least seven more SM41s have survived until today
in museums and locomotive depots, but none is serviceable. Main technical data
1) 273 purchased for PKP (10 SM40, 263 SM41
plus one SM41 from industry) and 109 for industrial operators. 2) Some sources give 11 278 mm. 3) Estimated value. 4) SM40: 62 000 kg and 15.5 tonnes,
respectively. References and acknowledgments
Information
on these locomotives has been taken mainly from SK, LOZD vol.2 and LBDZ. Monographic article on SM40 by
Pawe³ Terczyñski can be found in SK
3/1996. Statistics can be found at www.railfaneurope.net
and www.zpok.hu/fjoo. |
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