DRB Class 52

DRB Class 52

52 4867 operated by HEF in Frankfurt am Main
Company type	Steam locomotive
Industry	Railway transport
Founded	1942
Founder	Richard Wagner (Chief Engineer, DRG Central Design Office for Locomotive Standards)
Headquarters	Germany
Area served	Germany, Soviet Union, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Norway, Turkey, and other European countries
Products	Kriegslokomotiven steam locomotives
Parent	Gemeinschaft Grossdeutscher Lokomotivhersteller (GGL)

{{Infobox locomotive | name = DRB Class 52 | bgcolor = A00 | color = FFF | image = 52 4867 HEF Hafenbahn Frankfurt 21092008.JPG | alt = | caption = 52 4867 operated by HEF in Frankfurt am Main | powertype = Steam | designer = | builder = Refer to text | ordernumber = | serialnumber = | buildmodel = | builddate = 1942–c. 1950 | totalproduction = 7,794 | rebuilder = | rebuilddate = | numberrebuilt = | whytetype = 2-10-0 | uicclass = 1′E h2 | DRGtype = G 56.15 | driver = | gauge = Template:Track gauge | leadingdiameter = 0,850 mm (33+1⁄2 in) | driverdiameter = 1,400 mm (55+1⁄8 in)

| tenderdiameter =

• 2′2′ T 30: 930 mm (3 ft 5⁄8 in)
• 4 T 30: 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)

| carrydiameter = | minimumcurve = | wheelbase =

| wheelspacing =

• 2,600 mm (8 ft 6+3⁄8 in) +
• 1,650 mm (5 ft 5 in) +
• 1,650 mm (5 ft 5 in) +
• 1,650 mm (5 ft 5 in) +
• 1,650 mm (5 ft 5 in) =

| engine total = 9,200 mm (30 ft 2+1⁄4 in) | leading = | drivers = | coupled = | trailing =

| tender total =

• "2′2′ T 30:"
• 1,800 mm (5 ft 10+7⁄8 in) +
• 2,300 mm (7 ft 6+1⁄2 in) +
• 1,800 mm (5 ft 10+7⁄8 in) =
• 5,900 mm (19 ft 4+1⁄4 in)
• "4 T 30:"
• 1,500 mm (4 ft 11 in) +
• 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) +
• 1,500 mm (4 ft 11 in) =
• 4,600 mm (15 ft 1+1⁄8 in)

|} ... The DRB Class 52 steam locomotive represents a German design produced extensively during the Second World War. It stands as the most manufactured model among the wartime engines known as Kriegslokomotiven or simply Kriegsloks. This model evolved from the earlier pre-war DRG Class 50, incorporating simplified components and utilizing more economical materials to accelerate manufacturing. The locomotive's design was led by Richard Wagner, who served as Chief Engineer at the DRG’s Central Design Office for Locomotive Standards. Although roughly twelve locomotive classes were categorized under Kriegslokomotiven, the principal three were the Classes 52, DRB Class 50 and DRG Class 42. The numbering spanned from 52 1 through to 52 7794. Presently, approximately twenty units remain preserved within Germany.

Following World War II, many of these locomotives were transferred to Soviet control, where they were designated as TE (TЭ). Additional countries operating this class included Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Norway, and Turkey among others.

Design

The Class 52 locomotive was a streamlined adaptation of the prewar Reichsbahn Class 50 engine, originally manufactured between 1938 and 1942. This simplified model aimed to minimize the labor intensity and technical expertise required for production, while also addressing wartime shortages of critical materials. Design modifications enhanced both the locomotive and crew’s resistance to cold environments. From 1942 until the conclusion of World War II in May 1945, production exceeded 6,300 units. Postwar manufacturing increased this total to approximately 6,719 locomotives, constructed by seventeen different manufacturers. The Class 42 represented a larger counterpart to the Class 52 but was produced in fewer quantities.

Wagner prioritized durability and ease of maintenance over achieving a high power-to-weight ratio, a stance differing from British engineering principles. The resulting Kriegslokomotive featured a modest axleload of 15 tonnes (14.8 long tons; 16.5 short tons) and could transport 40% more freight compared to the older Prussian locomotives it replaced. The Class 52 was capable of hauling loads up to 1,200 tonnes (1,180 long tons; 1,320 short tons) at speeds of 65 km/h (40 mph) without undue stress. On inclines with a 3% gradient, it could move 800 tons at a speed of 5 km/h.

Manufacture

A total of more than 7,794 DRB Class 52 locomotives were produced throughout Europe for deployment on the Eastern Front during World War II, making it among the most widely manufactured steam engines globally. To facilitate such production volumes, German locomotive manufacturers were consolidated into the 'Community of Greater German Locomotive Manufacturers' (Gemeinschaft Grossdeutscher Lokomotivhersteller, GGL), which operated under the 'Rail Vehicles Main Committee' (Hauptausschuss Schienenfahrzeuge, HAS) established in 1942. Prominent figures within HAS included Reichsminister for Munitions and Armament, Albert Speer, and Reich Transport Minister, Julius Dorpmüller.

After the invasion of Poland in September 1939, Nazi Germany dismantled the Polish State Railways (PKP). Polish railway officials faced mass executions or imprisonment under operations such as Intelligenzaktion and German AB-Aktion in Poland, while approximately 8,000 managerial roles were filled by German personnel. Former Polish factories commenced production of German locomotive models BR44, BR50, and BR86 as early as 1940, frequently employing forced labor. By 1944, facilities located in Poznań and Chrzanów were manufacturing the redesigned Kriegslok BR52 locomotives specifically for use on the Eastern Front. These units were primarily constructed from steel; since their operational lifespan in combat zones was expected to be brief, higher-value non-ferrous metals such as bronze, chrome, copper, brass, and nickel were deliberately omitted.

The GGL encompassed several locomotive manufacturers along with approximate production numbers for Class 52 units:

1. LOFAG, Vienna: approximately 1,053 locomotives
2. Henschel, Kassel (Henschel Flugzeugwerke AG): about 1,050 units (utilizing forced labor)
3. Schwartzkopff, Berlin: around 647 units
4. Krauss-Maffei, Munich: roughly 613 locomotives
5. Borsig, Berlin; including branches Borsig-Rheinmetall AG Düsseldorf (located in Siemianowice, Poland), Borsig Lokomotivwerke Hennigsdorf, and Borsig Werke Breslau-Hundsfeld (now Wrocław-Psie Pole, Poland): approximately 542 units (produced using forced labor, including prisoners from KL Auschwitz)
6. Schichau-Werke Elbing (present-day Elbląg, Poland): about 505 units (employing forced labor including detainees from KZ Stutthof and its subcamps)
7. Maschinenbau und Bahnbedarfs AG (MBA), formerly known as Orenstein & Koppel, located in Babelsberg: approximately 400 locomotives
8. DWM Posen in Poznań (occupied Poland), following German acquisition of Polish manufacturer H. Cegielski – Poznań: around 314 units (utilizing forced labor)
9. Oberschlesische Lokfabrik Krenau in Chrzanów (occupied Poland), after German takeover of Polish company Fablok: about 264 locomotives (produced with forced labor)
10. Maschinenfabrik Esslingen: roughly 250 units
11. Jung, Jungenthal near Kirchen: approximately 231 locomotives
12. Škoda Works, located in Plzeň: around 153 units
13. Grafenstaden, based in Strasbourg: about 139 locomotives

Post-war utilization

Following World War II, Class 52 locomotives found service across numerous European nations. Western European countries swiftly replaced these engines with newer models, except Austria, where they remained operational until 1976. Due to their straightforward design, reliability, and the vast number produced, many Eastern European countries retained their Kriegslokomotiven for an extended period. Poland continued their use into the 1990s, and as of 2023, some remain active in Bosnia.

• Belgium, SNCB Type 26 – A total of 100 units were initially ordered by the DRG from Belgian manufacturers during occupation but were completed only after liberation.
• Bosnia – Several locomotives are still employed in industrial roles, primarily hauling brown coal from the Kreka mine as of 2023.
• Bulgaria, BDŽ class 15 – More than 150 engines were numbered between 15.01 and 1650.
• Czechoslovakia, ČSD class 555.0 – Some units were converted into Class 555.3 to operate on mazut fuel oil, abundant due to synthetic fuel production from brown coal during occupation. The Class 555.3 featured a distinctive smokestack lid designed to reduce cooling rates and prevent flue lining cracks.
• East Germany – Approximately 800 locomotives were in service, with around 200 rebuilt as DR Class 52.80.
• Hungary, MÁV class 520 – Acquired 100 locomotives from the Soviet Union in 1963 and utilized them through the 1980s.
• Luxembourg, CFL 5600 series – Consisted of 20 locomotives; half were former SNCB Type 26 units, while the other half were manufactured by SACM in 1946.
• Norway, NSB class 63 – A fleet of 74 locomotives delivered during German occupation and subsequently confiscated after the war. Known colloquially as Stortysker ("big German"). One example has been restored by the Norwegian Railway Club and is preserved at the Norwegian Railway Museum in Hamar.
• Poland, PKP class Ty2 – Post-war inventory included about 1,200 locomotives, with an additional 200 obtained from the Soviet Union between 1962 and 1964. Phasing out commenced in the 1980s; the last regular service ended in 1999.
• Romania, CFR class 150.1000 – Around 100 locomotives operated under this classification.
• Soviet Union, Class TE (Russian: ТЭ, derived from Trophy, analogous to E-class) – Over 2,100 captured or confiscated locomotives were incorporated into service.
• Turkey, TCDD class 56501 – Acquired ten locomotives directly from Germany in 1943 and received an additional forty-three on loan during 1943-44; these were permanently retained following Turkey’s declaration of war against Germany.
• Yugoslavia, Yugoslav Railways JŽ 33 – Nearly 350 units were operated, including fifteen delivered directly to Serbia and twenty-four to Croatia during occupation periods.

Gallery

A number of Class 52 locomotives remain preserved and operational. One example can be found at the Nene Valley Railway located in Peterborough, England. Another is actively running with the Franconian Museum Railway in Bavaria, Germany.

• 
  DB 52 4867 displayed at the Eisenbahnmuseum Kranichstein (2005)
• 
  DB 52 4867 belonging to Historische Eisenbahn Frankfurt (2004)
• 
  Soviet TЭ-5200 stationed in Tashkent, Uzbekistan (2003)
• 
  Austrian (ÖBB) 52 6084 (1971)
• 
  Austrian ÖBB 52 class modified with tender cab and Giesl ejector, Graz (1971)
• 
  Soviet ТЭ-6769 (formerly Class 52) preserved in St. Petersburg (2007)
• 
  Class 52 locomotive operating postwar on PKP as Ty2 class (August 1976)
• 
  Rebuilt DR 52 8177-9 in Dresden (2003)
• 
  Reconstructed DR 52 8109-2 located in Weimar (2003)
• 
  Fully modernized Class 52, unit 52 8055, on the Hauenstein
• 
  Steam engine 52.855 exhibited at the Railway Museum Sigmundsherberg, Lower Austria
• 
  Czechoslovakian (ČSD) 555.0 class at Hanušovice (2021)

See also

• The Museum of the Moscow Railway, situated at Paveletsky Rail Terminal, Moscow
• Rizhsky Rail Terminal, Moscow, location of the Moscow Railway Museum
• History of rail transport in Russia
• List of railway museums worldwide
• Russian Railway Museum, located in Saint Petersburg

Literature

• Template:Hütter-50bis53
• Peter Slaughter; Alexander Vassiliev; Roland Beier (1996). The German Class 52 Kriegslok (in English and Deutsch). Frank Stenvalls Förlag. ISBN 91-7266-140-2.
• Template:Weisbrod-EFA1.2

External links

• Overview of The German Class 52 Locomotive
• Video of DRB 52 8134 in operation, winter 2012