Tp109

VVZhD No.479 (Kolomna 3973/1909). This locomotive later became Tp109-1, then DRG 55 6131 and JDŽ 139-001. Returned in 1949, it was scrapped. Source: LOZD vol. 1.

Side view of the Kolomna factory type 113; source – Tabor Drogi Żelaznej Warszawsko-Wiedeńskiej(Railway Stock of the Warsaw-Vienna Railway) by Bogdan Pokropiński.

The standard-gauge Warsaw-Vienna Railway (Varshavsko-Vyenskaya Zheleznaya Doroga, VVZhD or BBЖД in Russian script), which began operation in 1845, initially relied on imported locomotives, built in Belgium, Austria and Germany. Russian government, however, gradually began to insist on purchasing motive power from domestic manufacturers. Between 1895 and 1899 VVZhD obtained 41 four-axle (0-4-0) engines from Hanomag, in both single-expansion (33) and compound (8) variants. Compounds were found superior and railway management ordered further 36 from the Kharkov locomotive works, delivered between 1905 and 1909. In 1912, with the unification of locomotive designation system in Russia, German engines were classed Ch^W_G (Ч^B_Г in Russian script); ‘Ch’ stood for ‘chetiyrekhosnyi’, or four-axle, ‘W’ indicated the railway, while ‘G’, depending on source, stood for Germany or for the manufacturer (in Russian pronounced as ‘Ganomag’). Their Russian variant was classed Ch^W_Kh (Ч^B_X). Small numbers of these locomotives were later taken over by PKP and classed Tp6, Tp7 and Tp108, depending on particular variant.

With increasing weight of freight trains, especially those transporting coal to Warsaw, these engines running on saturated steam soon became too weak. Their development variant with steam superheating and single-expansion steam engine was thus ordered. Between 1909 and 1912 VVZhD took delivery of seventeen such locomotives, twelve from Kolomna works (factory type 113, service numbers 478 through 489) and five from Kharkov (service numbers 490 through 494). In 1912 they were classed Ch^WP_K (Ч^BП_K) and Ch^WP_Kh (Ч^BП_X), respectively; lower subscript indicated the manufacturer and ‘P’ stood for ‘paroperegrevatel’, or steam superheater. Although built for the 1435 mm gauge, they could be easily re-gauged to 1524 mm.

All these locomotives remained in use until the war. In 1915, following the German offensive, retreating Russians took with them VVZhD locomotives, which were later re-gauged. Post-war treaties stipulated that all engines from this railway should be returned, but only six were actually taken over by PKP. Two (service numbers 485 and 492) were taken over by the Romanian state railways CFR, the rest ended up with NKPS in the Soviet Union. In the PKP service in 1926 they were classed Tp109. Data from various sources differ slightly. Bogdan Pokropiński (see References) gives four VVZhD service numbers: 479 (Tp109-1), 484 (Tp109-3), 480 (Tp109-2) and 490 (Tp109-4); former numbers of two engines are unknown. According to the monograph by Toms Altbergs (see References), the returned locomotives were ex-VVZhD 479, 484, 486, 488, 490 and 491; assignment of PKP service numbers is not given. This question requires further study and plain typing errors cannot be excluded. Initially all Tp109s were based in Warsaw, five were later transferred to Upper Silesia. In 1939 they were captured by the Germans and re-classed DRG 55 6131 through 6135. According to Russian sources, one engine (unidentified) was captured by Soviets in 1939, but not re-gauged; allegedly it was taken over by Germans in 1941. The fate of the Tp109-6 is not known; according to some sources, it was withdrawn before 1936 and sold to industry, but confirmation is lacking. Tp109-1 (VVZhD 479, Kolomna 3973/1909) was returned in May 1949 after brief service in Yugoslavia as JDŽ 139-001, but not restored in service. Tp109-3 (VVZhD 484, Kolomna 4116/1911) returned in 1945 and served with PKP as Tp109-1 until October 1952, assigned to the Kraków regional management. It was finally scrapped in late 1963. The remaining three locomotives were taken over by DB, but most probably saw no service. They were formally written off on December 13, 1951 and scrapped.

According to LP, a document issued by PKP Poznań regional management in 1926 indicates that designation Tp103 was assigned to Russian ‘class Ch^WP’. Whether it was Ch^WP_K or Ch^WP_Kh is not clear. Details are lacking. According to other sources (Ryszard Stankiewicz – private communication), designation Tp103 was reserved for a single class O^L (O^Л) locomotive; see corresponding entry for more details.

Main technical data

No.	Parameter	Unit	Value
1.	Years of manufacture	-	1909 – 1912
2.	Total built / used in Poland	-	17 / 6
3.	Tender class	-	15C1
4.	Axle arrangement	-	0-4-0
5.	Design maximum speed	km/h	65
6.	Cylinder bore	mm	2 x 540
7.	Piston stroke	mm	650
8.	Engine rating	kW/hp
9.	Tractive effort	kG	12 000
10.	Boiler pressure	MPa	1.22
11.	Grate dimensions	m x m	2.1 m^2
12.	Firebox heating surface	m^2
13.	Distance between tube plates	mm	4200
14.	Number of flue tubes	-	122
15.	Heating surface of flue tubes	m^2
16.	Number of smoke tubes	-	21
17.	Heating surface of smoke tubes	m^2
18.	Evaporating surface, total	m^2	116.3
19.	Superheater heating surface	m^2	36.0
20.	Diameter of drivers	mm	1300
21.	Diameter of idlers front/rear	mm	- / -
22.	Total weight, empty	kg	39.0
23.	Total weight, working order	kg	53 500
24.	Weight on drivers, working order	kg	53 500
25.	Weight with tender, empty	kg
26.	Weight with tender, working order	kg	92 500
27.	Maximum axle load	T	14.4
28.	Axle base (with tender)	mm	11 390
29.	Overall length (with tender)	mm	15 854
30.	Brake type	-	Westinghouse

List of vehicles can be found here.

References and acknowledgments

- LOZD vol.1, LP;

- monographic article by Bogdan Pokropiński (Młody Technik monthly, vol. 2/1986);

- Ryszard Stankiewicz (private communication);

- Tabor drogi żelaznej Warszawsko-Wiedeńskiej (Vehicles of the Warsaw-Vienna Railway) by Bogdan Pokropiński (Kolpress, 2015);

- Standard Gauge Locomotives in Russia and the Soviet Union by Toms Altbergs (Stenvalls, 2022);

- www.ru.wikipedia.org.