VR Class Hr1

The VR series Hr1 (originally P1) was an express locomotive with a Finnish Rail Valtionrautatiet ( VR) with the wheel arrangement 2'C1 '. The locomotives were from 1937 locomotive in Tampere developed and built.

History

The Hr1 series was the largest Finnish express train steam locomotive and the only Pacific locomotive of VR. It was built in 1937 by two locomotives supplied by advance copies from 1939 in several small series. In October 1942, the Board introduced a new designation system, until then, the series was referred to as P1. With the exception of eight locomotives, which is also based in Tampere Lokomotivfabrik Tampella delivered in 1955, all locomotives were built by locomotives. The last two locomotives were delivered in 1957, along with four locomotives of VR series Tr1 they were the last steam locomotives delivered to the VR. In contrast to the first 20 locomotives, the large Wagner smoke deflectors were, got the last two copies of the small Witte smoke deflectors. After the former Finnish President Pehr Evind Svinhufvud, nicknamed " Ukko Pekka " (on a German "Uncle Peter" ), the Hr1 series was also honored with this nickname.

Originally designed for coal firing, the Hr1 was fired after the war with wood. In the years 1947-1952 the VR had a total of 10 of their steam locomotives to oil firing remodel, belonged to the number 1005, a locomotive of the Hr1 series. This engine was also involved in the heaviest train wreck of VR in peacetime, when they collided on March 15, 1957 at Kuurila in front of a moving night train to Helsinki with a traveling northbound Triebwagenzug the VR series DM4. The accident caused 26 dead and over 50 injured, the Hr 1005, however, was only slightly damaged and repaired. Until the introduction of diesel locomotives of the series DR12 in the years from 1959 Hr1 was the main locomotive for express trains from VR. Until 1971, all copies were officially retired in 1974, however, two locomotives were used for a short time again. Since the VR 1975 a total of 250 locomotives of various series kept as a strategic reserve after the end of the official steam locomotive use until the 1980 's, were of the Hr1 relatively large number of locomotives obtained which, for example, are in museums, the railway museum in Hyvinkää, or heritage railways. With the last built Hr1 1021 also sets the VR a locomotive as a museum locomotive.

1939 was also planning the Latvian state railway Latvijas valsts Dzelzsceļi the procurement of five locomotives of the series P1/Hr1, the two new couples express Daugavpils - Riga - Liepaja should stringing. The Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940 prevented the realization of the project.