Pt31
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Pt31-64 + 32D29-37, Chabówka Rolling Stock Heritage
Park, April 13, 2004
Another picture of the Pt31-64, taken on
Pt31-49 under restoration at the Jaworzyna Śląska
depot; photo taken on
Side drawing of Pt31, taken from PNP.
Pt31-17, somewhere in
Good color photos of Polish trains from 1970s
are extremely rare. Pt31-32 with a passenger train from Rozwadów to Ostrowiec
was photographed by Geoff Plumb on |
After
WWI, Polish railways took over about 350 express locomotives of German
(mainly Prussian) and Austrian origin. Most of them, however, were obsolete
and weak machines with only two driven axles. Those that could be considered
modern included Austrian classes 210 and 310, re-designated Pn11 and Pn12,
respectively (the former running on saturated steam) and Prussian classes
S10, S101 and S102 (in Polish service, Pk1, Pk2 and
Pk3); their total number was slightly over eighty machines. Production of
freight and later also passenger locomotives was given priority. In late 20s,
however, lack of express locomotives became obvious; Os24s, used with some
express trains, were not satisfactory and their service speed had to be reduced,
due to poor running qualities. Ok1s and Ok22s, used for the same purpose,
were too slow and weak. New machine was thus necessary. Locomotive
design in Poland was, to a large extent, influenced by German patterns, which
favored express locomotives with three driven axles. Two-axle lead truck was
considered mandatory for a fast machine and, with a rear idle axle necessary
to support the weight of a large firebox, this led to the 2-3-1 arrangement,
or Pacific – one of the most common ones for express locomotives in
Europe. It was, however, decided to use four driven axles, as new engine was
intended for heavy drafts, 750 tonnes or even more. 2-4-1 axle arrangement
resulted in a long machine, so it was suggested that for speeds up to about
100 km/h a single-axle lead truck might suffice. In order to resolve this
question, Ministry of Transport ordered two prototypes: Pu29 (2-4-1) from HCP (Cegielski) of Poznań and
Pt29 (1-4-1) from First Locomotive Factory in Poland (Fablok)
of Chrzanów. Due to some delay – an order from Bulgarian state railways BDŽ
had been given priority – Pt29 appeared later than planned and was
re-designated Pt31. 1-4-1 axle arrangement was first conceived in the USA;
known there as Mikado, it was very popular, mainly with freighters. In
Europe Mikados were considered universal machines, but only French
railways ordered them in large numbers; classes 141P and 141R were one of the
last and best known steam locomotives operated by SNCF. Fablok had had some experience with 1-4-1s, having
built locomotives with this axle arrangement for Morocco (class 141A, 12
examples) and above-mentioned for Bulgaria (class 01, 10 examples). Pu29,
although entirely successful, immediately proved too long for most
turntables; despite good performance, its output was limited to three
examples. Pt31 won by being shorter by just 76 centimeters. It was also
lighter by seven tonnes, but maximum axle loads were comparable. Both these
locomotives had much in common; in particular, their steam engines were the
same, as was the diameter of drivers. Contrary to its larger competitor, Pt31
had beam-type frame and shorter boiler (by 300 mm); number of smoke tubes
was, however, increased from 103 to 112 and number of flues from 26 to 38, so
both total evaporating surface and superheater surface were slightly
increased. Two-axle lead truck was supplanted by Krauss-Helmholtz single-axle
truck; rear Bissel semi-truck was retained. Three
Pt31 prototypes were ordered and the first of them (s/n 518/1932) was rolled
out in October 1932. Tests began immediately and results were satisfactory,
overall efficiency being comparable to that of the state-of-the-art European
machines. Crews praised ease of maintenance and good running qualities. After
several minor modifications, Pt31 was accepted as a standard express
locomotive for PKP and deliveries
began in 1934. On January 1, 1939, PKP
had 81 examples and further seventeen were delivered during next eight
months. 54 Pt31s were captured by Germans in September 1939 and impressed
into DRG service as 19 101 to 19
154 (these numbers were assigned in 1941). Further twelve examples, ordered
by PKP but not completed before the
war, were built by Fablok under German supervision and supplied to DRG as class 3910 (service
numbers from 39 1001p through 1012p, later re-classed 19 155 through 166),
bringing the total output to 110 examples. No Pt31 was destroyed during
hostilities and all remaining 44 machines were captured by Soviets. Some of
them (probably 21) were converted to 1524 mm track and based in Lwów,
retaining their Polish designations written in Russian script (ПТ-31).
They were never returned and last were withdrawn in 1961. The remaining 23
engines were captured by Germans in 1941; according to PNPP, fourteen
were impressed into DRG service as 19 167 through 180 and the rest
were taken over by Ostbahn and withdrawn in 1944. Germans – with their
unquestionable achievements in railway engineering, albeit aimed at
simplicity rather than technical excellence and superior economy – held Pt31s
in surprisingly high esteem; they were considered especially suitable for heavy
drafts in mountainous regions. No wonder, thus, that most captured machines
were soon transferred to southern Germany and Austria. In fact, DRG had no comparable locomotive of
indigenous design, apart from Saxonian class XX HV (later DRG class
19), of which just 23 examples had been built by Hartmann between 1918
and 1923: a beautiful and good machine, it was not developed further by DRG.
Even ‘Reko’ class 22 with the same axle arrangement, which appeared in the DR
rosters aftere the war, was weaker and less economical. During
the war, Pt31s were scattered around Eastern and Central Europe and in 1945
only eight were regained by PKP.
The rest served in a number of countries: -
Germany – seven with DB, written off in 1951, and twelve with DR,
all returned to PKP (most in 1955); -
Austria – 42 in all, of which 29 were returned in
1947 and 1948, eight went to MÁV and later to PKP, two were
written off in 1947 and three remained with ÖBB on former Südbahn
lines (numbered 919.158, 919.165 and 919.166, withdrawn in 1961); some
sources add Pt31-94, but this has not been confirmed by Austrian or German
sources; -
Czechoslovakia – eight examples, five of them
classed 488.0 with ČSD service
numbers 488.0500 through 488.0504, all returned to Poland in 1947; -
Hungary – eight from ÖBB, returned in 1952
and 1953, plus one from DRG, not returned, scrapped in 1953; -
Romania – one (ex-Soviet Pt31-38, CFR number
141.901, later taken over by NKPS and withdrawn in 1961; some sources,
including ITFR, erroneously give Pt31-48); -
USSR – 29, none returned; eight served with the
Soviet Army transportation corps and were later transferred to the Far East,
to be impressed into Eastern Chinese Railway in Manchuria; -
one German engine (19 164, Fablok 793/1940)
was written off after an accident in 1941. The above list
is based on available sources which reveal some discrepancies. Some
engines that returned were in a very poor condition and were not restored in
service. Total number with post-war PKP was 65 examples, but numbers
ran up to 66, as the sole Pu29-3 was initially erroneously included in
rosters as Pt31-46. They gave good service and remained in use until late
70s. Last of them, Pt31-49 (pre-war Pt31-73, s/n 715/1938), was withdrawn in
February 1980 and then used for some time as a stationary boiler at a food
industry establishment. This machine can now be seen at the Industry and Railway Museum in
Jaworzyna Śląska (former loco depot); its condition is far from satisfactory,
but restoration is under way. Several other examples ended up as stationary
boilers; Pt31-28 served in that inconspicuous role at least until 1996. The
second preserved example is Pt31-64 (s/n 721/1938) at the Railway Stock Heritage Park in
Chabówka. No more machines have survived until today. Many view Pt31 the best locomotive ever designed and built in Poland and this opinion is certainly justified. Shortly after the war it was decided to commence its production as the basic express engine for Polish railways – once again. After some modifications it emerged as Pt47 and 180 examples were built, both by Fablok and HCP. This machine, of which two examples are still operational, is described under a separate entry.
Main technical data
1) Including
12 examples supplied directly to DRG
in 1939 and 1940. References and acknowledgments
-
Monographic article by Paweł Terczyński (SK
vol. 11/2003); -
Ingo Hütter’s website www.locomotive.de/lokomotivgeschichte/datenbank,
also private communication; -
PNPP, PNP, AP, LP, ITFR;
-
Markus Hoenicka
(private communication).
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
