Prussian P 10
Encyclopedia
The Prussian state railways
' Class P 10 were 2-8-2
"Mikado" type passenger-hauling steam locomotive
s built for hauling heavy express trains in the hilly and mountainous terrain of the Mittelgebirge. They were the last Prussian passenger train steam locomotives to be developed in Prussia
before the state railways
were merged into the Deutsche Reichsbahn
(German Imperial Railway), who eventually designated them as DRG Class 39.
The design by Borsig, under the supervision of chief engineer August Meister, was ready in 1919 but, due to material shortages, no locomotives were produced until 1922. They were three-cylinder locomotives, all cylinders driving the second coupled axle. Three sets of Walschaerts valve gear were used, the one for the inside cylinder being mainly located inside the frame, but driven from the same eccentric crank as the valve gear on the left-hand side; two eccentric rods of different lengths being attached to the same crank.
The locomotives' heavy axle-load exceeded the 17 tonne
standard specification of much of the German rail network, so they were limited to specific lines which were constructed to higher standards. A total of 260 of these locomotives were ultimately constructed and they worked primarily on the Main-Weser-Bahn between Frankfurt
and Kassel
, as well as the Eifel
region, the Black Forest
network until their replacement by Class 221 diesel locomotives, and the Gäubahn (Stuttgart–Singen)
. They were the most powerful of all the state railway passenger locomotives.
The vehicles were originally equipped with Prussian 2'2' T 31,5 tenders
. The Deutsche Bundesbahn
fitted many of the surviving examples with Witte smoke deflectors
and 2'2' T 34 tenders. The last three engines were stabled in Stuttgart
and taken out of service in 1967.
The DB Museum owns 39 230, which may be viewed currently at the German Steam Locomotive Museum
.
In the East German Deutsche Reichsbahn the Prussian P 10 was indispensable and was therefore included in their reconstruction programme. The 85 Rekoloks were grouped into DR Class 22
.
Prussian state railways
The term Prussian state railways encompasses those railway organisations that were owned or managed by the State of Prussia...
' Class P 10 were 2-8-2
2-8-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
"Mikado" type passenger-hauling steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s built for hauling heavy express trains in the hilly and mountainous terrain of the Mittelgebirge. They were the last Prussian passenger train steam locomotives to be developed in Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
before the state railways
Länderbahnen
The German term Länderbahnen generally refers to the state railways of the German Empire in the period from about 1840 to 1920 when they were merged into the Deutsche Reichsbahn after the First World War....
were merged into the Deutsche Reichsbahn
Deutsche Reichsbahn
Deutsche Reichsbahn was the name of the following two companies:* Deutsche Reichsbahn, the German Imperial Railways during the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich and the immediate aftermath...
(German Imperial Railway), who eventually designated them as DRG Class 39.
The design by Borsig, under the supervision of chief engineer August Meister, was ready in 1919 but, due to material shortages, no locomotives were produced until 1922. They were three-cylinder locomotives, all cylinders driving the second coupled axle. Three sets of Walschaerts valve gear were used, the one for the inside cylinder being mainly located inside the frame, but driven from the same eccentric crank as the valve gear on the left-hand side; two eccentric rods of different lengths being attached to the same crank.
The locomotives' heavy axle-load exceeded the 17 tonne
Tonne
The tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
standard specification of much of the German rail network, so they were limited to specific lines which were constructed to higher standards. A total of 260 of these locomotives were ultimately constructed and they worked primarily on the Main-Weser-Bahn between Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
and Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
, as well as the Eifel
Eifel
The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the south of the German-speaking Community of Belgium....
region, the Black Forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
network until their replacement by Class 221 diesel locomotives, and the Gäubahn (Stuttgart–Singen)
Gäubahn (Stuttgart–Singen)
The Gäu Railway is a 172-kilometer-long railway in the southern part of the state of Baden-Württemberg in Germany, running from Stuttgart to Singen am Hohentwiel...
. They were the most powerful of all the state railway passenger locomotives.
The vehicles were originally equipped with Prussian 2'2' T 31,5 tenders
Tender locomotive
A tender or coal-car is a special rail vehicle hauled by a steam locomotive containing the locomotive's fuel and water. Steam locomotives consume large quantities of water compared to the quantity of fuel, so tenders are necessary to keep the locomotive running over long distances. A locomotive...
. The Deutsche Bundesbahn
Deutsche Bundesbahn
The Deutsche Bundesbahn or DB was formed as the state railway of the newly established Federal Republic of Germany on September 7, 1949 as a successor of the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft '...
fitted many of the surviving examples with Witte smoke deflectors
Smoke deflectors
Smoke deflectors are vertical plates attached to the front of a steam locomotive on each side of the smokebox. They are designed to lift smoke away from the locomotive at speed so that the driver has better visibility unimpaired by drifting smoke....
and 2'2' T 34 tenders. The last three engines were stabled in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
and taken out of service in 1967.
The DB Museum owns 39 230, which may be viewed currently at the German Steam Locomotive Museum
German Steam Locomotive Museum
The German Steam Locomotive Museum or DDM is located at the foot of the famous Schiefe Ebene ramp on the Ludwig South-North Railway in Neuenmarkt, Upper Franconia. This region is in northern Bavaria, Germany...
.
In the East German Deutsche Reichsbahn the Prussian P 10 was indispensable and was therefore included in their reconstruction programme. The 85 Rekoloks were grouped into DR Class 22
DR Class 22
The steam locomotives of DR Class 22 were reconstructed passenger train locomotives in service with the Deutsche Reichsbahn in East Germany after the Second World War....
.
See also
- Prussian state railwaysPrussian state railwaysThe term Prussian state railways encompasses those railway organisations that were owned or managed by the State of Prussia...
- List of Prussian locomotives and railcars
- List of preserved steam engines in Germany
Source
- Hansfürgen Wenzel: Die Baureihe 39. EK Verlag, Freiburg, (2002) ISBN 978-3-88255-138-9
External links
- There is a relevant English-language forum at Railways of Germany