Freight trains, various & sundry literary projects, and random posts

[Szdfan]

I was just reading last week that there's a region in China that still uses steam for mining operations.

That’s the Sandaoling mine right?

The Burma Mines Railway also rund a couple of steam locomotives and Polish Railways runs steam on the branch line from Poznań to Wolzstyn for the tourists, but last I heard it was still on a regular schedule.

Here:

http://railfan.com/sandaoling-steam-finale/

Thanks! Ten years ago the Chinese were still running a significant amount of steam, but they’ve quickly modernized. I understand progress happens but

The last Chinese steam was built in 1999, so the newest locomotives are only 22 years old.

[steve-in-kville]

More recent posts:

milepost81.com/2021/05/09/nothing-holds-water-the-can-of-worms/

[steve-in-kville]

More recent posts:

milepost81.com/2021/05/09/nothing-holds-water-the-can-of-worms/

Sorry! Bad link.

https://milepost81.com/2021/05/09/nothi ... -of-worms/

[steve-in-kville]

As seen on social media:

There is no shortage of ammo and gas.

There is a shortage of common sense and work ethics.

[steve-in-kville]

[JimFoxvog]

A freight train going east on the Iowa Interstate Railway comes by our house (a block away) almost every evening during supper. I often like to count the cars- it ranges from 80 to 140 with one to three locomotives.

[Szdfan]

My Dad took this picture this past weekend:


It’s a Soviet-built Er class 0-10-0. The locomotive was at the Kaliningrad-Passazhirsky train station and may be the first steam fan trip in the oblast in twenty years. The locomotive pulled a single coach, which was sold out.

The 0-10-0 is an unusual wheel arrangement. The Germans had a few classes, that were eventually replaced by the 2-10-0. The Russians and Soviets built 11,000 of these prior to WWII.

[ohio jones]

Is that standard gauge or Russian gauge?

The 0-10-0 is an unusual wheel arrangement. The Germans had a few classes, that were eventually replaced by the 2-10-0. The Russians and Soviets built 11,000 of these prior to WWII.

I hadn't counted before, but sure enough this looks like a 2-10-0.

[Szdfan]

Is that standard gauge or Russian gauge?

It’s Russian broad gauge (5 feet).

The 0-10-0 is an unusual wheel arrangement. The Germans had a few classes, that were eventually replaced by the 2-10-0. The Russians and Soviets built 11,000 of these prior to WWII.

I hadn't counted before, but sure enough this looks like a 2-10-0.

Yes, that’s a BR52 “Kriegslokomotiv” 2-10-0. During WWII, the Germans built about 8,000 of these to help with the war effort. They stripped down the design of the BR50 to its essentials and relied on standardized parts. After WWII, these locomotives ended up all over Europe (from France and to Russia) as reparations payment and operated way longer than intended. They were a common sight in Eastern Europe and the USSR. Along with the locomotives received after the war (Class Ty2), Poland built copies (Ty42) after the war. The Soviets also built copies and some of those ended up in Vietnam.

The Soviets had a few thousands of these (Class TE). Most were regauged to broad gauge, but a few of them ran on standard gauge lines in Belarus and other border areas.

That’s an interesting art project, OJ. For a while, there was a BR52 in West Berlin turned upside down as a commentary on...something.

The art installation was called “die Schildkröte“ or “the Turtle.”



It was located outside the remaining facade of Anhalter Bahnhof, one of the main train stations in Berlin, dynamited by the Americans after the war.

While the BR52 has dubious origins, I have a soft spot for them. I rode in the cab in one in Poland during the mid-90s.

[steve-in-kville]

It’s Russian broad gauge (5 feet).

I read somewhere that Europe had several track gauges. Here in the US, we have just two. In fact not far from where I live there once was a thriving narrow gauge railroad, long since gone.