Kraków 2022-02-24
Steam locomotive Ty2-559.
The steam locomotive BR52 (Ty2) was a steam locomotive developed by the Germans during the Second World War. The locomotive was produced in the period 1942 - 1945. The locomotive received the axis system 1'E, that is 1-5-0 (oOOOOO), and the Polish designation is a small letter "y".
During the Second World War, the BR52 locomotives were found almost all over Europe, but most of them were in Eastern Europe. Many of them had wide gauge wheels. At the end of the war, the locomotives were in various European countries. It is estimated that the CCCP took over approximately 500 - 1,500 BR52 locomotives, which were marked with the letters TE, while the serial numbers were retained. In the period 1962-1964, Russia sold about 220 TE52s from its stocks to Poland.
After the Second World War, Poland received 1,206 BR52 locomotives, which in Poland were designated Ty2 and new numbers. These locomotives were deployed in all Polish locomotives. Ty2 locomotives turned out to be very universal, easy to use and repair. They drove heavier trains than Ty4, the most powerful locomotives in Poland at that time. Ty2 steam locomotives ran fast and passenger trains. They worked on local and mountain routes, where it turned out that they did not contribute to the destruction of rails. Often times, the Ty2 even replaced the Pt47 steam locomotives. The Ty2 steam locomotive fired with better quality coal could haul freight trains weighing 620 tons at a speed of 80 km / h or 1,700 tons at a speed of 50 km / h. In 1960, 1,182 Ty2 locomotives were in operation in Poland. After the purchase of locomotives in the period 1962 - 1964, there were 1,406 units in total in Poland.
Currently (2022), about 52 Ty2 steam locomotives remain in Poland, which are in various technical conditions. At least three are active and sometimes lit up. There are three Ty2 steam locomotives in the Chabówka open-air museum: Ty2-50 with tender 30D42-12. Ty2-911 with tender 26D5-7. Ty2-1184 with tender 32D47-185. There is Ty2-559 in Krakow.
Steam locomotive AGH Ty2-559.
The Ty-2-559 steam locomotive was built in 1943 as a military locomotive for the needs of the fratricidal war between Russia and Germany. The locomotive was built at the F. Schichau GmbH machinery and locomotive factory in Elblag, in what was then East Prussia. In 1945, the locomotive was handed over to the Polish State Railways. The machine worked in Olsztyn, Korsze, again in Olsztyn, Oświęcim, Gdynia - Grabówek, Kościerzyna, again in Gdynia - Grabówek and finally in Chojnice, where it was delivered on December 21, 1966. The locomotive worked until 1971, when the boiler should be overhauled. The locomotive was put aside. In 1979, the locomotive was removed from the state of the Polish State Railways and was scrapped. The locomotive fortunately avoided the journey to the steelworks.
On the initiative of students of AGH and the Krakow University of Technology, a project was created to acquire any steam locomotive as a monument to history and technology. A suitable exhibit was searched for. After a few months, the Ty2-559 locomotive was acquired from the locomotive depot in Chojnice in Pomerania. Its owner, PKP Cargo, handed over the locomotive free of charge, adding a covered freight wagon from the 1950s. Also free of charge, PKP Cargo transported the locomotive and wagon to the Kraków Płaszów station. The locomotive was refurbished to the condition of an exhibit in Pyskowice in Silesia. In May 2009, the locomotive was transported to the Kraków Łobzów station. From the station, the locomotive was transported by car to the AGH square.
Data T-T of Ty2 steam locomotives:
Production in the period 1942 - 1945. Axis system 1'E. The own weight of the locomotive is 77 250 kg. Curb weight with tender 98,050 kg. Service weight 143 630 kg. The length of the locomotive is 13.60 kg. Total length 22.97 m. Height 4.44 m. Diameter of driving wheels 1.40 m. Diameter of rolling wheels 0.85 m. Pressure in the boiler 16 at. The heating area of the boiler is 177.73 m2. Superheater area 71.31 m2. Grate area of 3.90 m2. Design speed 80 km / h.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman