Perushaan Negara Kereta Api 2-8-2 Locomotives in Indonesia

Class D52 (Locobase 2491)

Data from Indra Krishnamurti, "Steam Locomotive Roster, Page 1" at [] and "Steam Locomotive Technical Data" on the Locomotives of the Indonesian Railway website at [], last accessed 13 July 2023; and "Lokomotif D52" in Wikieedia at [] (as translated by Google), last accessed 13 July 2023. Works numbers were 3224-3323 in 1951-1952.

Wikipedia's account begins by noting that these were the only mainline steam locomotives ordered by the Djawatan Kereta Api (DKA) (Indonesia Railway Authority) after the archipelago achieved independence. General-purpose or mixed-traffic locomotives with a tonnage rating of 600 tons at 90 kph (56 mph) on the level or 40 kph (25 mph) up a 1% grade.

It adds that Javanese riders knew the class as passenger locomotives and, as Google translates, "Some people even idolize this locomotive because of its faithfulness to deliver passengers". On Sumatra, the D52s hauled coal trains.

The design's ability to hit such speeds were highly prized in the lowlands, "but very bad for mountain tracks (especially in West Java), because of its tendency to run fast." Such a high-pressure boiler could explode even more violently than most,

Designed for either coal or oil firing, the oil burners weighing a bit more. The first 50 came fitted for coal, the others for oil. Between 1956 and 1965, at least 21 coal burners were converted for oil.

Some authorities trace the design's origins to the Deutsches Reichsbahn's BR 41 (Locobase 4316), comments Wikipedia, which notes "the typical features of German-made locomotives, such as Witte typesmoke deflector, "einheitslkok" standard boiler, and several other features."

Also see dspace.dial.pipex.com/javatour/ambarawa/locos/D52009.htm, a site for the Ambarawa Railway Museum maintained by Rob Dickinson.

Only 52099 was preserved and is displayed at Purwosari Station in Solo, Central Java.