M62 locomotive

M62
M62 locomotive in Baranovichi, Belarus
Power type	Diesel-electric
Builder	Voroshilovgrad Locomotive Factory today: Lugansk (Ukraine)
Model	M62
Build date	1965-1980
Total produced	3,273
AAR wheel arr.	Co-Co
UIC classification	Co´ Co´
Gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)/1.524 m (5 ft 0.0 in)
Driver diameter	1.05 m (3 ft 5 in)
Wheelbase	4.2 m (14 ft)
Length	17.55 m (57.6 ft)
Width	2.95 m (9 ft 8 in)
Height	4.493 m (14.74 ft)
Axle load	19.3 t (19.0 long tons; 21.3 short tons)
Locomotive weight	116.5 t (114.7 long tons; 128.4 short tons)
Fuel type	diesel
Fuel capacity	3,900 l (860 imp gal; 1,000 US gal)
Water capacity	950 l (210 imp gal; 250 US gal)
Fuel consumption	340 kg/hour
Engine type	14D40
Cylinders	12
Transmission	Electric
Top speed	100 km/h (62 mph)
Power output	1,472 kW (1,974 hp)
Tractive effort	314 kN (71,000 lbf)
Locomotive brakes	Oerlikon
Career	BCh, ČD, ČSD, DR, DBAG, MÁV, GySEV, PKP, RZhD, UZ, MTZ
Class	M62 (RZhD, MÁV), 781 (ČD), T 679.1, V200 (DR),, 120 (DR, DBAG),, 220, M62, ST44 (PKP),
Nicknames	POL Gagarin, Iwan,  HUN Szergej  RUS Машка  GER Taigatrommel  CZE Sergej

M62 is a Soviet built diesel locomotive for heavy freight trains, exported to many Eastern Bloc countries as well as to Cuba, North Korea and Mongolia. Beside the single locomotive M62 also twin versions 2M62 and triple versions 3M62 have been built. A total number of 7164 single sections have been produced, which have been used to build 5231 locomotives.^[1]

History

According to the Comecon directives production of heavy diesel locomotives among Eastern Bloc countries was left exclusively for Romania and the Soviet Union. ^[2] The first few prototypes of this heavy freight locomotive were ready in 1964 and their first destination outside the Soviet Union was Hungary.^[3] In the Soviet Union a total number of 723 units were produced.

Operators

Soviet Union M62

From 1970 till 1976 the former Soviet Union Railway (SZhD) received 723 engines M62, further 13 M62U have been delivered from 1989 till 1990. These engines were single 3M62U sections.

For the Soviet military 154 locomotives named DM62 were built. These engines have been modified for pulling SS-24 Scalpel ballistic rocket launcher trains.

For industrial railroad 39 engines of the version M62UP have been built . These engines had improved trucks, larger fuel tanks and modified exhaust silencers.

Poland ST44

ST44 locomotives in Szczecinek, Poland. Note larger than original front lights.

In the early 1960s an urgent need appeared in Poland for a heavy freight diesel locomotive. The Polish industry at the time was not able to produce such a locomotive, so a decision was made to import a large number of M62 locomotives from the Soviet Union, which were already imported by Hungarian MÁV. In Poland those machines received ST44 designation^[4] During first revision repairs all locomotives had front lights changes from small ones into standard, Polish large types.^[5] The decision is said to be made after Poland had started to import ST43 locomotives from Romania and was probably influenced directly from the Soviet Union. For political reasons USSR simply forced Poland to buy Soviet instead of Romanian locomotives, as it preferred satellite countries not to export their products. ^[2] The first 4 locomotives, produced by the Voroshilovgrad Locomotive Factory (in today's Lugansk, Ukraine), were delivered to Poland in September 1965. Deliveries continued until the 1988, with 1,191 locomotives delivered in total (1,114 for PKP, 68 for LHS and 9 for industry). One of the locomotives (ST44-1500 – producer’s designation M63) had bogies and traction engines exchanged with newer types what allowed it to achieve higher top speed. The series, with numbers between 2001 and 2068 was imported to run on the LHS broad gauge line. In addition to different gauge this series was equipped with automatic coupling system.^[4]

ST44-R010 locomotive in CTL Logistics painting

There were several reasons for importing M62 locomotives to Poland and today’s views on this decision are ambiguous. The locomotive was far stronger than even the strongest Polish steam locomotives servicing freight transport in those days, yet it could not pull passenger trains (due to lack of carriage heating devices) and caused huge damage to railway tracks. Another important weakness of the M62 locomotive was a huge fuel consumption. What makes advantage of this machine is a quite simple construction and a fairly reliable diesel-electric transmission. Intensive electrification of Polish railways caused the relatively new ST44 locomotives to be moved into reserve stock. Many machines withdrawn from PKP found their place among industrial and private railways, where they bore producer’s M62 designation ^[2]

ST44-1030 locomotive in PKP Cargo painting

Present use

Huge fuel and oil consumption as well as heavy wear it causes to the tracks has resulted in Polish Railways reducing the use of the class. In 2007 many still remain in service with PKP for freight use, though many are also stored. Some lines (e.g. Gdynia - Hel line) forbid access of ST44 due to the heavy track wear the class causes.^[3]

The locomotives are still used in large numbers by private railroad companies, as well as on the LHS broad gauge line. ^[4] Today around 50 units are present in Zamość Engine Shed and it is decided to keep them for some more time.^[5] In 2005 two ST44 locomotives were completely rebuilt by Bumar-Fablok S.A. and delivered to the LHS line. Changes included new Caterpillar 3516B HD engines and main alternators. Those locomotives were given numbers 3001 and 3002.^[6]

North Korea

Because of its low maintenance requirements M62 locomotive is quite popular among the Railways of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk), where they serve not only on non-electrified lines but on electrified ones as well. The designation they are given is 내연6xx(Naeyŏn 6xx). 56 locomotives of this type were imported from the Soviet Union between 1967 and 1995.

Between the years 1996 and 1998 31 locomotives were delivered from Deutsche Bahn. In 2000 six units were delivered from Slovakian State Railways and 13 units from PKP. None of delivered locomotives were painted in traditional North Korean painting (which is blue and dark green) but still carry the same painting as in previous service, except the ex-German ones, which were given a different, green livery.

Naeyeon 602 locomotive has a special red tablet mounted which states that this machine was personally inspected by Kim Il Sung^[7]

Two copies were built in North Korea, numbers 8001 and 8002, and given the designation "Geumseong" ("Venus"). 8002 has been on display at the Museum of the Three Revolutions since its construction, while 8001 is in regular service.

At least 15 North Korean M62 locomotives were rebuilt to become electric locomotives. This is presumed to be quite easy, as the overhead voltage in North Korea is 3000 V.^[7]

Germany BR 120

In East Germany M62 locomotive was at first named V200, later changed to BR 120. A total number of 396 locomotives were sent to DDR between 1966 and 1978. After the unification of Germany the class designation was changed to 220. However their usage was quickly phased out and by the end of 1994 the class had all but disappeared.

Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic class 781

Between 1966 and 1979 a total number of 599 locomotives were imported to Czechoslovakia where at first they were given T679.1 designation for standard gauge locomotives and T679.5 for broad gauge machines. Later those numbers were changed to 781 and 781.8 respectively. Those machines had been working in the Czech Republic and Slovakia until 2002.

Hungary M62

From 1965 till 1978 the Hungarian State Railways MÁV received 294 locomotives named M62. The M62 001 was actually the first M62 ever built.

A program to replace the original Kolomna prime mover by a modern more efficient engine was started in 1997. The locomotives with the road numbers 301, 303 and 304 received MTU prime movers, the rest Caterpillar prime movers. The 34 remotorized engines have been renamed to M62.3 and received the nicknames "Remot-Szergej" for remotorized Szergej, "Csendes" meaning quiet, as well as "Csörgős" because of the rattling sound made by the engine.

Between 1970 to 1978, MÁV purchased 15 locomotives M62.5 with bogies for the Russian 1524 mm broad gauge. Three more M62.5 have been rebuilt from standard gauge M62. The broad gauge engines are used for operation near Zahony in the border region of the former Soviet Union (now Ukraine). In 2005 still seven M62.5 have been in use.

1972 also the Raab-Sopron-Ebenfurter Railway (Győr-Sopron-Ebenfurti Vasút, GySEV) , an Austro-Hungarian joint venture, received six standard gauge locomotives named M62.9. The locomotives were stationed in Sopron and have been scraped 1996.

Cuba class 61

21 locomotives, named 61 class were shipped to Cuba between 1974 and 1975.

Mongolia M62

From 1980 till 1990 MTZ received 13 single units M62UM and 66 twin units 2M62M.

Technical data

Overview

M62 locomotive is of Co-Co designation, running on two bogies with three axles on each bogie. Chassis and bogie frames are constructed out of box elements. The two-stroke diesel engine and the main alternator are mounted on a steel frame. The frame is fixed to the chassis with elastic supports. Electric traction motors are mounted on bogie frames with a tram system.^[4] M62 is equipped with electro-pneumatic multiple-unit controls, therefore it is possible to drive two locomotives from one cabin. The locomotive had enough power to pull a 1,000 t. freight train with a top speed of 80 km/h (on level track), wile two coupled locomotives are able to pull trains up to 3,600 t. Top speed in such case is 60 km/h.^[5]

Comparison with M61

In Hungarian service, the M62 proved inferior to the Swedish-American NOHAB M61, which, while 10 tons lighter and slightly less powerful, could haul 25% more weight with 50-60% of the Soviet engine's fuel consumption. The M62 was unable to run from Budapest to Nyíregyháza and back without refuelling, which led to congestion and timetable problems when the NOHAB was replaced by the M62 on that route.

Engines

The M62's V diesel engine had substandard reliability because it was developed from scratch, in a short timeframe, without previous design experience. In the 1950s domestic use Soviet diesel locomotives, having wider 1524mm track base and taller tunnel clearances, used vertical opposed-piston engines. These Jumo-derived engines, based on a World War II German design for coastal defense submarines, were simply too tall to fit in locomotives designed for the 1435mm standard track width railways and tighter tunnel allowances of eastern bloc satellite countries. After the fall of the Soviet Bloc, 31 units of MÁV's M62 fleet were rebuilt with Caterpillar engines in the 1990s, but lack of funds stopped further upgrades.

No train heating

The M62 was a dedicated freight mover and lacked any central heating apparatus for coaches, even though most Soviet satellite state customers needed to use them in dual cargo/passenger role regularly (Soviet trains of the era were heated with individual per-coach drum fireplaces). In cold times a dedicated heating wagon had to be added to MÁV's M62-drawn trains, producing steam via oil-fired boilers (1960-70s era), later on generating electricity for resistor-based heating (1980s era). This proved a high fuel cost solution, in contrast to the M61 NOHAB, which could produce 750 kg of steam per hour using an internal water tank and engine waste heat, with minimal effects on fuel consumption.

Nicknames

This locomotive has a certain cult following among railfans, and is referred to by several nicknames, usually derived from its Soviet provenance:

• Gagarin in Poland - from the space flight pioneer
• Iwan or Siergiej in Poland or Czechoslovakia - from two popular Russian names
• Szergej in Hungary – from a popular Russian name
• Taigatrommel (Taiga Drum) in Germany – from the amount of noise and vibration the locomotive produced.^[2]
• Stalin's last revenge in Germany - for the same reason.
• In the Soviet Union the locomotive had one widespread nickname — Mashka (Russian: Машка) (diminutive of Maria, a reference to the "M" designation).

Resources

1. ^ Tomasz Galka. "Standard-Gauge Locomotives in Poland". http://www.locomotives.com.pl/Diesels/ST44.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-16. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Jakub Halor (1999-2004). "Strony modeli kolejowych w skali H0". http://www.cn.com.pl/~di2/modele/pol-baz-ST44.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-02. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Michał Rudnicki & Jacek Eychler (2003). "www.transport.rar.pl". http://www.transport.friko.pl/kolej/lokomotywy/st44.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-02. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d} Wojciech Cupiał. "Lokomotywa spalinowa serii ST44". Archived from the original on 2007-03-31. http://web.archive.org/web/20070331231627/http://cupik.podkarpackakolej.net/tabor/opisy/st44/st44.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-02. 
5. ^ ^{a b c} Janusz Mróz. "LHS Sławków". http://www.lhs.slawkow.pl/tresc/c_2.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-02. 
6. ^ "Zmodernizowana lokomtywa serii ST44". Bumar-Fablok. http://www.fablok.com.pl/index.php?dzial=3&poddzial=107&art_poddzial=115. Retrieved 2007-08-02. 
7. ^ ^{a b} "Taiga Drums in North Korea". http://www.farrail.net/pages/trip-reports-engl/report_nk-taigadrums-2005.html. Retrieved 2007-08-02.