Prussian P 2
Encyclopedia
The Prussian Class P 2 consisted of various types of early, passenger train, steam locomotive
operated by the Prussian state railways
. There were 294 2-4-0
locomotives, 24 0-4-2
locomotives and two engines with a 4-4-0
wheel arrangement
. Of the 2-4-0 type, 88 came from railway companies that were the predecessors to the Prussian state railways and did not comply with Prussian norms
, 24 were of the Ruhr-Sieg type (see Prussian P 1) and 182 were standard P 2's. The 0-4-2 locomotives were identical with the Prussian G 2
.
(Kanonenbahn) from Berlin
to Wetzlar
and Metz
. Later they were also employed on other routes in express
and passenger train service. When locomotives were reclassified in 1906, 17 units were allocated to Class P 1, 182 to Class P 2 and 7 to Class P 3. The rest had already been retired by that time.
The Royal Prussian Military Railway (Königlich Preussische Militär-Eisenbahn) also had a P 2. Sever were built for the Neustrelitz-Warnemünde Railway (Neustrelitz-Warnemünder Eisenbahn) in Mecklenburg and six for the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg Friedrich-Franz Railway
(see Mecklenburg P 2). The Lübeck-Büchen Railway had 9 P 2's in its fleet; however these were smaller and less powerful than their Prussian cousins.
The vehicles were equipped with a Crampton boiler, inside valve gear
of the template (Musterblatt) 15 type (158 units) or outside valve gear of the template 16 type (84 units). They were coupled with tenders of Class 3 T 10.5.
Although they proved very reliable, all the machines were retired by the First World War. Only four P 2's from Mecklenburg made it into the DRG's provisional renumbering plan
in 1923 as nos. 34 7201 - 7204.
(Rheinische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft) procured seven 4-4-0 locomotives for use in express and passenger train service on the winding Cologne - Euskirchen - Trier route. These were the first 4-4-0 locomotives in Prussia. The movable, leading bogie meant that the wear and tear on the wheel flanges was not as severe as that on locomotives with fixed carrying axles. The first seven locomotives bought from Vulcan
in 1879 were followed by a further 5 from Hanomage in 1886 delivered to Cologne West (Cöln linksrheinisch) railway division. These engines were subsequently transferred to the Saarbrücken division, two being reclassified as P 2 Saarbrücken, nos. 1567 and 1568, but were retired by 1906.
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...
operated by the Prussian state railways
Prussian state railways
The term Prussian state railways encompasses those railway organisations that were owned or managed by the State of Prussia...
. There were 294 2-4-0
2-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels....
locomotives, 24 0-4-2
0-4-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-2 represents the wheel arrangement with no leading wheels, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
locomotives and two engines with a 4-4-0
4-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
wheel arrangement
Whyte notation
The Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement was devised by Frederick Methvan Whyte and came into use in the early twentieth century encouraged by an editorial in American Engineer and Railroad Journal...
. Of the 2-4-0 type, 88 came from railway companies that were the predecessors to the Prussian state railways and did not comply with Prussian norms
German state railway norms
In German railway engineering, norms are standards for the design and production of railway vehicles.In the 1880s and 1890s, Prussian norms were developed for the locomotives, tenders and wagons of the Prussian state railways under the direction of the railway director responsible for railway...
, 24 were of the Ruhr-Sieg type (see Prussian P 1) and 182 were standard P 2's. The 0-4-2 locomotives were identical with the Prussian G 2
Prussian G 2
The Prussian Class G 2 was allocated by the Prussian state railways to a number of older, 0-4-2 and 0-6-0 goods train locomotives which it had taken over from its predecessor railway companies. In addition it included a number of Prussian G 3 engines of the type operated by the Frankfurt/M and...
.
P 2 (older standard type)
Between 1877 and 1885 a total of 242 locomotives of the standard P 2 class were delivered to the Prussian state railways and its forebears. The engines were initially intended for services on the so-called Cannons RailwayCannons Railway
The Cannons Railway is the vernacular name of a former German military strategic railway between Berlin and Metz via Güsten, Wetzlar, Koblenz and Trier...
(Kanonenbahn) from Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
to Wetzlar
Wetzlar
Wetzlar is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany. Located at 8° 30′ E, 50° 34′ N, Wetzlar straddles the river Lahn and is on the German Timber-Framework Road which passes mile upon mile of half-timbered houses. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Lahn-Dill-Kreis on the north edge of...
and Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
. Later they were also employed on other routes in express
Express train
Express trains are a form of rail service. Express trains make only a small number of stops, instead of stopping at every single station...
and passenger train service. When locomotives were reclassified in 1906, 17 units were allocated to Class P 1, 182 to Class P 2 and 7 to Class P 3. The rest had already been retired by that time.
The Royal Prussian Military Railway (Königlich Preussische Militär-Eisenbahn) also had a P 2. Sever were built for the Neustrelitz-Warnemünde Railway (Neustrelitz-Warnemünder Eisenbahn) in Mecklenburg and six for the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg Friedrich-Franz Railway
Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg Friedrich-Franz Railway
The Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg Friedrich-Franz Railway was the state railway company in Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz...
(see Mecklenburg P 2). The Lübeck-Büchen Railway had 9 P 2's in its fleet; however these were smaller and less powerful than their Prussian cousins.
The vehicles were equipped with a Crampton boiler, inside valve gear
Valve gear
The valve gear of a steam engine is the mechanism that operates the inlet and exhaust valves to admit steam into the cylinder and allow exhaust steam to escape, respectively, at the correct points in the cycle...
of the template (Musterblatt) 15 type (158 units) or outside valve gear of the template 16 type (84 units). They were coupled with tenders of Class 3 T 10.5.
Although they proved very reliable, all the machines were retired by the First World War. Only four P 2's from Mecklenburg made it into the DRG's provisional renumbering plan
DRG renumbering plan for steam locomotives
In 1922 the Deutsche Reichsbahn began to develop a renumbering plan to standardize the numbering of steam locomotives that had been taken over from the state railways . Its basis was the corresponding DRG classification system....
in 1923 as nos. 34 7201 - 7204.
P 2 (Rhenish Railway)
The Rhenish Railway CompanyRhenish Railway Company
The Rhenish Railway Company was along with the Cologne-Minden Railway Company and the Bergisch-Märkische Railway Company one of the railway companies that in the mid-19th century built the first railways in the Ruhr and large parts of today's North Rhine-Westphalia.-Foundation :The...
(Rheinische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft) procured seven 4-4-0 locomotives for use in express and passenger train service on the winding Cologne - Euskirchen - Trier route. These were the first 4-4-0 locomotives in Prussia. The movable, leading bogie meant that the wear and tear on the wheel flanges was not as severe as that on locomotives with fixed carrying axles. The first seven locomotives bought from Vulcan
Vulcan Foundry
Vulcan Foundry was a British locomotive builder sited at Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire .-History:It was originally opened in 1832 as Charles Tayleur and Company to produce girders for bridges, switches and crossings, and other ironwork following the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway...
in 1879 were followed by a further 5 from Hanomage in 1886 delivered to Cologne West (Cöln linksrheinisch) railway division. These engines were subsequently transferred to the Saarbrücken division, two being reclassified as P 2 Saarbrücken, nos. 1567 and 1568, but were retired by 1906.
Sources
- Rauter, Herbert; Preußen-Report Band Nr. 4, Hermann-Merker-Verlag Fürstenfeldbruck 1991, ISBN 3-922404-21-9
- Wagner, Bäzold, Zschech, Lüderitz; Lokomotiven preußischer Eisenbahnen - Schnellzug und Personenzuglokomotiven Eisenbahn-Fahrzeug-Archiv Band 2.3.1, transpress Berlin 1990: ISBN 3-87094-133-2