Ty51

 

Ty51_13

 

Ty51-185, location unknown, August 1961. Photo from my collection.

 

Ty51_1

 

Ty51-133 (HCP 2425/1956) currently on display at Chabówka rolling stock heritage park, photographed on June 18, 2001.

 

Ty51_15

 

Another picture of the Ty51-133, taken on November 12, 2008…

 

Ty51_18

 

…and yet another, this time with a special train in Zabrze, February 5, 1993. Photo by Wojciech Szpigiel (from my collection). In September 2012 this engine was transferred to Sosnowiec (see below).

 

Ty51_16

 

Two more Ty51s can be seen in Chabówka: Ty51-182 (HCP 2474/1956)…

 

Ty51_17

 

…and Ty51-137 (HCP 2429/1956); both pictures were taken on the same occasion.

 

Ty51_2

 

This beautiful Ty51-183 (HCP 2475/1956) has been preserved at Wolsztyn loco depot; photo taken on September 8, 2004.

 

Ty51_9

 

Ty51-223 (HCP 2532/1957), photographed on the same occasion.

 

Ty51_8

 

Less than two years later, on April 29, 2006, Ty51-183 looked worse; the railcar in the rear is SA108-005.

 

Ty51_14

 

Ty51-183 again: things have improved. Photo taken on April 28, 2007.

 

 

In August 2015 Ty51-183 was transferred to Poznań and later plinthed there; photo taken on June 23, 2024.

 

 

Ty51_3

 

This Ty51-15 (HCP 1994/1954) has been plinthed near Sędziszów railway station; photo taken on June 19, 2003.

 

Ty51_24

 

In 2010, Ty51-15 was externally refurbished; photo taken on January 8, 2012.

 

 

Ty51_sc

 

Ty51 side drawing by Wojtek Lis from www.parowozy.com.pl .

 

Ty51_4

 

Slightly derelict Ty51-140 (HCP 2432/1956), photographed at the PCC Rail Polska loco depot in Szczakowa on March 3, 2005. In July 2011 this engine was transferred to the Industry and Railway Museum in Jaworzyna Śląska.

 

Ty51_5

 

This beautiful picture of Ty51-71, operated by PMP PW (sand railways), was taken in October 1989, between Rybnik and Kotlarnia, by Roman Ficek – thanks for permission! (source: www.transport.amsnet.pl).

 

Ty51_6

 

Derelict Ty51-177 + 27D51-153 (HCP 2469/ 1956), abandoned in Korsze; photo taken on September 8, 2005. This machine was scrapped in early 2006.

 

Ty51_7

 

Ty51-1 + 27D51-108 (HCP 1980/1953) at the Zduńska Wola Karsznice depot; photo taken on October 27, 2003.

 

Ty51_22

 

Another picture of the Ty51-1, undergoing restoration at the PSMK premises in Skierniewice; September 19, 2011.

 

Ty51_10

 

Ty51-228 + 27D51-92 (HCP 2627/1958), Railway Museum, Warsaw, September 5, 2006.

 

Ty51_11

 

Ty51-228 – coal feeder details.

 

Ty51_12

 

Ty51-138 (HCP 2430/1956) was used by the Kotlarnia sand mine and has been plinthed at the company’s premises. Photo taken on October 4, 2006.

 

Ty51_19

 

Ty51-17 (HCP 1996/1954) from the TOZKiOS collection, photographed in Pyskowice on May 2, 2009.

 

Ty51_20

 

Ty51-37 (HCP 2131/1955), plinthed in Rzepin; photo taken on May 15, 2009.

 

Ty51_21

 

Ty51-57 (HCP 2349/1955) with a draft of double-deck coaches, typical for commuter trains at that time. Włocławek, May 23, 1980. Photo by Roman Witkowski (postcard from my collection).

 

Ty51_23

 

Ty51-36 (HCP 2130/1954), photographed in Chełm in 1983. Photo by Jerzy Szeliga (postcard from my collection).

 

 

Ty51-137 again; Chabówka, May 6, 2017.

 

 

Ty51-77 (HCP 2369/1955), originally built for PKP, was later transferred to sand railways and retained its service number. Photo taken near Pyskowice on June 11, 1979, by Martin Stertz (from my collection).

 

 

Another picture from my collection by the same author: Ty51-116 (HCP 2408/1956), photographed between Toruń and Turzno on September 29, 1979.

 

 

Ty51-133 (HCP 2425/1956) plinthed in Sosnowiec; September 16, 2020.

 

 

Another (and better!) picture of the Ty51-133, taken in August 2022. Photo by Philippe Bellamit (thanks for permission!).

 

 

Withdrawn from line service Ty51s were sometimes used for switching. This Ty51-208 (HCP 2517/1957) was photographed at the Dęblin station in May 1988. Photo by Krzysztof Wiśniewski (postcard from my collection).

 

 

Ty51-228 again: Stacja Muzeum (former Railway Museum), Warsaw, July 6, 2023.

Coal export has always been important for Polish economy. This explains intensive development of heavy freight locomotives after WWI, almost exclusively with the 1-5-0 axle arrangement (class Tr21 of foreign origin was the sole exception). Ty23 was the most numerous steam locomotive of indigenous design ever built (612 machines), and its direct development, Ty37, went into series production shortly before WWII, to re-appear in a modified form soon afterwards as Ty45. Thus Decapods dominated heavy freight traffic in Poland until the end of steam era.

Poor condition of Polish locomotive factories immediately after the termination of hostilities prevented them from supplying badly needed machines in sufficient numbers. On the other hand, coal export was vital for the entire national economy, so 100 heavy freight locomotives were purchased in the USA in 1947. Designated Ty246, they were considered an interim measure: there was enough experience to design and build an indigenous machine in this class. It was, however, evident that Ty246 was a modern and efficient machine, so instead of further developing the Ty23/ Ty37/Ty45 family, descending from early 1920s, it was decided to base the new design on the  powerful ‘Truman’.

Detailed design was prepared by Central Design Bureau of the Railway Stock Industry (CBK-PTK) during 1951 and 1952. Prototype, designated Ty51 (s/n 1980), was completed by HCP (commonly known as Cegielski) of Poznań in 1953 and underwent extensive tests. Results were considered satisfactory and new machine was viewed superior even to Ty246. This might have been exaggerated by official propaganda (after all, Ty246 had been designed by the ‘imperialists’…), but nonetheless Ty51 was successful. Most shortcomings were in fact due to poor workmanship quality, inferior technology and low-grade materials; fatigue cracks of side sills were perhaps the most serious damages suffered during service. Modifications were progressively introduced during production and later examples, from Ty51-71 onwards, were sometimes designated Ty51/1, but this was probably not used in formal documents. In service they earned a good reputation, being not only powerful and impressive, but also economical and reliable. They were commonly nicknamed ‘Stokers’, as all of them were fitted with mechanical coal feeders. It should be said, however, that they were neither largest nor heaviest steam locomotives built in Poland: both these distinctions go to pre-war Pu29 express engine.

In 1957 it was decided to terminate orders for steam locomotives in Poland, in view of expected rapid electrification (which, however, proved over-optimistic). Production of Ty51 at HCP (sole manufacturer of this type) was stopped in 1958, after 232 machines had been built. It was intended to develop an improved version, designated Ty55, differing mainly in boiler details and equipment, but it did not progress beyond the initial project stage. Many of later examples (including last five, built in 1958 with serials from 2627 through 2631 and service numbers Ty51-228 through 232) went directly to industrial operators, mainly Silesian sand railways, which used 29 of them. In 1971, three Ty51s from sand railways were transferred to PKP in exchange for lighter Ty23s. This class was withdrawn from the PKP service in 1980s and the last examples operated by sand railways survived in active service until 1993.

All Ty51s were included in the strategic reserve (intended to haul heavy military trains) and many were kept operational until 1990. Contrary to the Soviet practice (keeping ‘cold’ locomotives, fired from time to time), in Poland such engines remained in use at depots for auxiliary duties, so that in a case of necessity they could be mobilized almost immediately. Fortunately, this never happened…

Several Ty51s have been preserved, including the prototype. Withdrawn in May 1989, it was kept in reserve for five more years and in 1994 was transferred to the Karsznice loco­motive heritage park. In March 2008 next transfer took place, this time to Skierniewice (PSMK collection at the former depot). Ty51-223 (HCP 2532/1957), withdrawn in 1988, remained operational at the Wolsztyn depot until late 1990s and sometimes hauled special trains. For some time it was the largest and heaviest steam engine in Europe remaining in service – at least until ex-SNCF 241A class No.65 express loco was brought up to the working order in Switzerland in September 1997. Unfortunately, after boiler certificate expiration in 2000 Ty51-223 remains on static display and will not be restored in service. Several Ty51s are plinthed at various locations. Competent sources (e.g. lists available at www.polskieparowozy.pl, compiled by Tomisław Czarnecki) give thirteen preserved machines. Of them, Ty51-9, previously displayed in Bielsko-Biała, was later transferred to the Kraków Płaszów depot. Ty51-140, plinthed at the sand railway premises in Jaworzno Szczakowa, went to the Polkowice Pol-Miedź Trans (PMT) railway depot in May 2010, to be externally refurbished and  finally transferred in July 2011 to the Industry and Railway Museum in Jaworzyna Śląska. Anyway, those railway fans that held this type in high esteem due to its impressive appearance still have several examples to see, as most of the surviving Ty51s are in comparatively good condition.

One more locomotive of this type has survived until today: Ty51-83 (HCP 2375/1955), used by sand railways, was sold to France in 1989 and is now plinthed in Walibi-Schtroumpf, Lorraine.   

 


Main technical data

 

No.

Parameter

Unit

Value

1.

Years of manufacture

-

1953 – 1958

2.

Total built / used in Poland

-

232 / 232

3.

Tender class

-

27D51

4.

Axle arrangement

-

1-5-0

5.

Design maximum speed

km/h

80

6.

Cylinder bore

mm

2 x 630

7.

Piston stroke

mm

700

8.

Engine rating

kW/hp

1590 / 2160

9.

Tractive effort

kG

18 400

10.

Boiler pressure

MPa

1.63

11.

Grate dimensions

m ´ m

3.048 ´ 2.063

12.

Firebox heating surface

m2

23.86

13.

Distance between tube plates

mm

5 000

14.

Number of flue tubes

-

171

15.

Heating surface of flue tubes

m2

123.5

16.

Number of smoke tubes

-

45

17.

Heating surface of smoke tubes

m2

94.6

18.

Evaporating surface, total

m2

241.96

19.

Superheater heating surface

m2

85.61

20.

Diameter of drivers

mm

1450

21.

Diameter of idlers front/rear

mm

850 / -

22.

Total weight, empty

kg

100 320

23.

Total weight, working order

kg

109 920

24.

Weight on drivers, working order

kg

95 120

25.

Weight with tender, empty

kg

131 790

26.

Weight with tender, working order

kg

188 890

27.

Maximum axle load

T

20.6

28.

Axle base (with tender)

mm

17 200

29.

Overall length (with tender)

mm

23 050

30.

Brake type

-

Knorr, Westinghouse

 

 

References and acknowledgments

 

-       www.parowozy.best.net.pl (website maintained by ‘Doctor’),

-       Polish State Railways as a means of transportation for the Warsaw Pact armed forces by Zbigniew Tucholski (IHN PAN, Warsaw, 2009),

-       www.polskieparowozy.pl (website by Tomisław Czarnecki),

-       AP, PPN;

-       Jan Michalski (private communication).