Polish State 2-10-0 Locomotives in Poland

Class Ty-246 / Trumans (Locobase 965)

Data from 1947 Locomotive Cyclopedia and Tomasz Galka's [] (23 July 2004); later resited at [], last accessed 25 June 2023. See also A[nthony] E[dward] Durrant, The steam locomotives of Eastern Europe (Abbot Newton: David & Charles, 1966).

Engines built by Alco, Baldwin, and Lima for the Polish rail system to restore service after World War II. Alco's Montreal Locomotive works numbes were 75485-75524 in 1947 (road number 1-40), Baldwin works numbers were 73424-73463 (road numbers 41-80). Lima works numbers were 9267-9286 in September 1947.

Galka wrote that although the wheel arrangement was familiar to Polish locomotive engineers, "many design features were new and untypical for Polish or even European design practice. These included mechanical coal feeder (commonly known as a 'stoker'), multi-valve camshaft-driven steam throttle, water supply to the boiler (either Nathan injector or Worthington pump) and wide use of pneumatic drives." In addition, creature comforts were greatly improved with a seated position within an enclosed cab. In service, says the site, these were "economical and reliable" machines.

A E Durrant described these as "really big" and adds "There is no doubt that these 100 locos were immensely successful, being capable of greater haulage powers than anything else on Polish metals ..." These engines had the Laird crosshead and an open reversing link in the Walschaerts gear. See Ty-51 (Locobase 1695).

They were initially put at the head of the traffic between the Upper Silesian coal fields and the Baltic port at Gydnia. As that trunk line was electrified, the class began serving other lines. By 1968 the bulk of the class was used to bring coal traffic from the mines to switching yards. As the 1970s wore on, dieselization and deteriorating boilers meant a rapid retirement for the 94 remaining in service in 1978 -- all were gone by December 1979.