Sędziszów 2024-09-23

Steam Locomotive Ty51-15.

The Ty51 steam locomotive is a Polish heavy steam locomotive designed mainly for heavy freight trains. The Ty51 was developed in the HCP factory in Poznań. The Ty51 steam locomotive was produced in the period 1953 – 1958, in the HCP factory in Poznań. The Ty51 steam locomotive was the heaviest and most powerful Polish steam locomotive. Axle arrangement 1’E (1-5-0 or oOOOOO), Polish designation lowercase letter “y”.

The Ty51 steam locomotive was created as a result of the growing demand for heavy freight steam locomotives. These locomotives were based on the design of the American Ty246 series locomotive, which was purchased in 1946, in the USA, as part of the program of supplying steam locomotives for European railways.

The locomotive received a timing gear with Trofimov sliders instead of Nicolay sliders. The design of the superheater in the boiler was changed. The grate area was increased. A stoker was used to feed coal. In operation, the boiler did not exhibit the phenomenon of “boiler exhaustion”.

A total of 232 Ty51 steam locomotives were built. The last one was the Ty51-226 steam locomotive. A total of 208 Ty51 locomotives were transferred to PKP, and the rest went to the company railways. Production ended in 1958. Due to the high axle load, all locomotives worked on main routes. The main route was Silesia – Ports, where Ty51 steam locomotives worked together with American Ty246. The delivery of ST43 (Romania) and ST44 (CCCP) diesel locomotives and the electrification of railway routes meant that Ty51 locomotives were directed to other work. Ty51 locomotives even pulled heavy passenger trains. At the beginning of the 1980s, most Ty51 steam locomotives remained out of work. They were directed to the slopes. In 1988, there were numerous scrapping of Ty51 steam locomotives.

The Ty55 steam locomotive was to be a development of the Ty51 steam locomotive. The project was brought to work on technical and executive documentation. The prototype of the locomotive was not built.

To date (2024), about 12 Ty51 steam locomotives have survived, which are in various technical conditions.

History of Ty51-15 tender 27D51.

Track gauge 1,435 mm. Axle arrangement 1’E h2. Manufacturer Metal Industry Plants named after J. Stalin. Separate State Enterprise, Poznań, or Poznańskie Zakłady Hipolita Cegielskiego. The steam locomotive was manufactured in 1954 and received the factory number 4029 (No. 1994 according to another source). Number in PKP 15. Tender No. 72, series 27 D 51.

Service record: On July 29, 1954, MD Karsznice. On May 27, 1955, MD Dęblin. On September 4, 1955, MD Sędziszów. On July 15, 1958, MD Kielce. On November 29, 1959, MD Bydgoszcz Wschód. On April 11, 1960, MD Sędziszów. On August 4, 1969, MD Skarżysko Kamienna. On April 25, 1978, MD Sędziszów. On March 19, 1982, withdrawn from use. On January 14, 1987, transported to MD Skarżysko Kamienna. On September 8, 1989, cultivated as a technical monument in Sędziszów. Total mileage 1,438,708 km. The steam locomotive is cared for by the Osiedla Sady Association and railway workers from the LHS company. The area where the steam locomotive stands is fenced and planted with ornamental plants.

Written by Karol Placha Hetman