Ty4
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Ty4-13 in
Side drawing of the BR44 in its original
variant, by M.Kratochvil (source: TB
vol.1)
Side drawing of the BR44ÜK with the 2’2’T32 tender
in PKP service by M.Ćwikła (SK 4/2001).
TCDD 56712 (Batignolles 747/1945) at the Çamlik locomotive museum,
44 004, DRG, BMAG
8529/1926. This is an engine from the initial batch. Photo from my
collection.
Two-cylinder competitor: 43 020 (Henchel
21000/1928). Photo from my collection.
44 0093-3, DB, formerly 44 1093 (WLF
9449/1942), photographed with a special train near Gernrode, Germany, on
January 3, 1999. Photo by Volker Jacobi (postcard from my collection).
This 44 1568 from the DR fleet
(formerly 44 0568, Borsig 15407/1942) was photographed somewhere in
Eastern Germany, probably on May 15, 1966. Photo from my collection. |
In
early1920s the most powerful freight locomotives in the DRG (Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft)
service were ex-Prussian three-cylinder G12s, re-classed 5010-12.
In fact, class G12 had set a pattern for a Decapod which was to dominate freight traffic in Germany (and
large part of Europe) until the end of steam era. These excellent engines, of
which about 1,500 had been built, had a tractive effort of 18.2 tonnes and
their maximum speed was 65 km/h. Both these figures soon were found
insufficient and plans were laid down for faster and even more powerful
freighters. While
both railway authorities and locomotive manufacturers agreed that the 1-5-0
axle arrangement should be retained, first tentative design studies included
two-, three- and four-cylinder machines. Four-cylinder compound was finally
rejected due to complexity and it was decided to purchase single-expansion
machines, ten two-cylinder BR43s and ten three-cylinder BR44s being ordered
for service evaluation. BR44s were supplied in 1926 by Henschel (44 001 through 003), Schwartzkopff (44 004 through 009) and Esslingen (44 010); two-cylinder machines followed in 1927
from Henschel (43 001 through
005) and Schwartzkopff (43 006
through 010). First results were inconclusive. With almost the same rated
power, economy of the three-cylinder engine was found poorer than expected
and in fact BR44 was slightly better only at the highest indicated power,
above 1500 hp. Ease of manufacture and maintenance favored BR43 and 25 more examples
were supplied by Henschel (18) and Schwartzkopff
(7) in 1927 and 1928. Service experience was, however, not entirely
satisfactory (failure rate turned out to be quite high) and no more orders
followed: three-cylinder freighter finally emerged as a winner. In
1933, Henschel built 44 011
and 44 012 which differed considerably from their predecessors: these
were in fact experimental machines with boiler pressure increased to 25 bar
and four-cylinder compound engines. Despite high power (about 25% higher than
in first examples) and very good economy these locomotives suffered from
maintenance problems and further experiments were abandoned. Production
engines, built from 1937 onwards, initially by Henschel, Schwartzkopff
and Krupp, differed substantially
from the first ten examples. Copper firebox was replaced by a steel one,
boiler pressure was increased from 14 to 16 bar, cylinder diameter was
reduced from 600 to 550 mm, Riggenbach counter-pressure brake was deleted and
large, Wagner-type smoke lifters were fitted. First 53 examples were
considered an interim variant (Zwischenausführung).
From 44 066 onwards, several modification were introduced; in
particular, grate area was slightly reduced and third cylinder valve
actuation mechanism was modified. This variant remained in production until
late 1942. In
1940, Polish Fablok company of
Chrzanów (renamed Oberschlesische
Lokomotivwerke AG) undertook production of this locomotive, eventually
supplying 145 examples until 1943. However, until 1941 production rate
remained quite low. After the attack on the Soviet Union and resulting
rationalization of locomotive procurements it increased considerably, but it
was decided to transfer BR44 production entirely to French factories. Last
German-built examples were delivered in 1943. Five French companies (Creusot, Fives-Lille, Batignolles,
Cail and SACM aka Grafenstaden) delivered 693 BR44s
until 1946; of these 226, completed after termination of hostilities, went
directly to SNCF as class 150X. During the production course, from
44 786 (Fives-Lille 4954/1942)
onwards, basic design was gradually simplified. In particular, smoke lifters
were deleted and driver’s cab was modified. Later variants were referred to
as BR44ÜK (Übergangs-Kriegslok, or
interim wartime locomotive). Last ten examples were assembled for DR
at the former Borsig plant in
Hennigsdorf (44 1231 through 1240), bringing the grand total to 1989
machines. After
the war, Deutsche Bundesbahn were
left with 1242 examples. Contrary to many other Kriegsloks, notably BR52, they were kept in service for quite a
long time, surviving until the end of steam era in Western Germany in 1977.
Five machines (all representing the standard pre-war version) were fitted
with new, welded boilers, coal feeders (removed between 1964 and 1968) and
rocking grates. Five more received new boilers and feedwater heaters. In
1955, 44 475 (Henschel
26084/1941) became the first DB steam locomotive to be converted to
oil firing. 31 more followed and these engines, re-designated class 043, were
in fact the strongest German steam locos in service and one of the last to be
withdrawn. In Eastern Germany, DR had 335 examples, but experienced
some problems with fuel. Despite comparatively large grate, BR44 was
demanding as far as coal quality was concerned, and DDR had very limited
resources of high-grade coals. Solution was sought in coal dust firing
systems and in November 1951, 44 506 (Krauss-Maffei 16111/1941) was suitably modified. This conversion
was basically successful and 21 engines followed (they were coupled with
modified 2’2’T31.5Kst tenders), but service experience, due to dust
accumulation and frequent flashbacks from the firebox, was somehow
unsatisfactory and these locomotives survived in service only until 1975. As
with DB, 44 195 (Krupp
2017/1940) became in 1959 the first DR steam loco converted to oil
firing. Until 1967, a total of 94 examples were similarly converted, some
receiving entirely new boilers, but in early 1980s, due to substantial
increase of oil prices, 58 of them were re-converted to coal. Last 44s in the
DR service survived until 1987, some remaining in use for a few more
years as stationary boilers. BR44s
were also used in several other countries. In France, SNCF found this
type particularly useful for heavy freight trains and, apart from a number of
engines taken as war booty, acquired the above-mentioned 226 examples from
French factories. On the other hand, the Soviets found BR44 too complex and
demanding in maintenance, so only eight served briefly with MPS. Of
eight machines taken over by ČSD in Czechoslovakia, four were handed
over to Poland; the rest probably saw no service and were scrapped in late
1950s, without any service designation assigned. In 1955, 48 French machines,
made redundant by electrification of many principal lines, were sold to
Turkey, when they were given TCDD service numbers 56701 through 56748.
They remained in service until late 1970s and hauled even heavy passenger
trains. Apart
from France, Poland was the largest foreign user of this type. This is hardly
surprising, as heavy freight traffic was typical for PKP even before
the war. According to data quoted in a monographic article by Roman Witkowski
and Paweł Terczyński (SK
vol.4/2001), Polish authorities took over about 140 BR44s (PNPP gives
139). In 1946, 126 were classed Ty4. One of them (Ty4-39, ex 44 688, WLF
9275/1941) was badly damaged and finally scrapped in 1954. Later six more
machines were included, but of these only two were actually restored in
service. Seven more were scrapped in 1946 without being given PKP
service numbers. Of 132 BR44s which were given PKP service numbers as
many as 42 had been built by Fablok. Until the arrival of first
‘Trumans’ (class Ty246) from the USA in March 1948, Ty4 was the most powerful
locomotive in the PKP service and these machines operated mainly on
the Coal Trunk Line between Upper Silesia and Gdynia on the Baltic coast.
Superseded byTy246s and later also Ty51s, they disappeared from this line,
but soldiered on elsewhere. Later many were used as heavy switchers, often
with smaller tenders. Repairs of these engines were complex and
time-consuming, as their three-cylinder layout made them untypical and
suitable maintenance facilities were scarce. Availability rate was thus, at
least initially, quite low. Modifications
were rather few and included normalized fittings and various items of
equipment. Some examples were fitted with circulation tubes and rocking
grates. Large, Wagner-type smoke lifters, typical for early examples (and for
many other German Einheitslokomotiven)
were usually removed; on the other hand, many Ty4s were fitted with small,
narrow Witte-type smoke lifters. As with DB and DR, there were
also conversions to oil firing. First experiments were successful and over
sixty engines were converted between 1964 and 1965. In service, they outlived
their coal-fired kinsmen, but not for long. Withdrawals started in 1970 and
went on quite fast: on January 1, 1977, only sixteen Ty4s remained in the PKP
rosters and the last of these, Ty4-17 (Borsig
15047/1941, ex DRG 44 366) was written off in December. Many were
sold to industrial establishment, to serve as stationary boilers, and
continued in this inglorious role for a number of years, but none was preserved.
Last examples were scrapped in 1993, despite many protests from Polish
railway fans. Fortunately, if they want to see a BR44, they don’t have to go
too far: as many as 51 examples have been preserved in Germany, plus two in
Austria (ÖGEG, Ampflwang) and one in The Netherlands (Veluwsche Stoomtrein Maatschappij,
Beekbergen). Keener travelers may also add Turkey: TCDD 56712 (Batignolles 747/1945, ordered as 44
1832, then SNCF 150X82) has been preserved at the Çamlık Buharlı Lokomotif Müzesi. Main technical data
1) Data
in brackets refer to the variant with higher steam pressure (from 44 013
onward, built from1937) 2) With
30D43 tender 3) From
44 066 onward grate area reduced from 4.70 to 4.55 m2 (width 1.51
m) 4) Including
five not restored in service. 5) 44 005
attained 1620 hp during tests. References and acknowledgments
Detailed
information has been taken mainly from the monographic article by Roman
Witkowski and Paweł Terczyński (SK
vol.4/2001). Concise description can be found in TB vol.1. As usually, data on individual examples can be found at
the impressive Ingo Hütter’s locomotive database (available at www.lokomotive.de). Interesting account
of this class history can be found at Kurt H.Miska’s website http://www-personals.umich.edu/~khmiska.
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