Prussian P 10
| Industry | Railway transport |
|---|---|
| Founded | 19th century |
| Fate | Consolidated into Deutsche Reichsbahn |
| Headquarters | Kingdom of Prussia (historical) |
| Products | Steam locomotives, including Class P 10 |
The Prussian state railways developed the Class P 10, a series of 2-8-2 "Mikado" steam locomotives, specifically designed to haul heavy express passenger trains across the challenging terrain of the Mittelgebirge. These were the final steam locomotives created for passenger service by the Kingdom of Prussia before the consolidation of the regional railways into the Deutsche Reichsbahn, which later classified them as DRG Class 39.
Conceived by Borsig under chief engineer August Meister’s direction, the design was completed in 1919; however, production was delayed until 1922 due to shortages in materials. Featuring a three-cylinder configuration, all cylinders transmitted power to the second driving axle. The locomotives utilized three sets of Walschaerts valve gear, with the inner cylinder’s valve gear predominantly situated inside the frame but actuated by the same eccentric crank as that on the left side, employing two eccentric rods of varying lengths connected to a single crank.
Because these locomotives had an axle load exceeding the typical German rail network limit of 17 tonnes, their operation was confined to routes constructed to higher standards. A total of 260 units were produced, primarily operating on lines such as the Main-Weser-Bahn between Frankfurt and Kassel, as well as in regions including the Eifel, the Black Forest, and on the Gäubahn. They remained in service until replaced by DB Class V 200.1 diesel locomotives and were recognized as the most powerful passenger steam engines among all state railways.
Initially, these locomotives were paired with Prussian-type 2'2' T 31.5 tenders. The surviving units under Deutsche Bundesbahn management were frequently retrofitted with Witte smoke deflectors and upgraded to use larger 2'2' T 34 tenders. The final trio of engines was housed in Stuttgart and withdrawn from active duty in 1967.
Locomotive number 39 184 is preserved at a museum located on the premises of Alstom Transport Deutschland in Salzgitter, Germany; however, this facility is not open to public visitation.
The DB Museum holds locomotive number 39 230, which is currently exhibited at the German Steam Locomotive Museum.
Within the East German Deutsche Reichsbahn, the Prussian P 10 was deemed essential and consequently included in their reconstruction initiative. A total of eighty-five rebuilt locomotives were reclassified as DR Class 22.
See also
- Prussian state railways
- List of Prussian locomotives and railcars
- List of preserved steam engines in Germany
References
- Template:Hütter-01bis45
- Template:Wagner-EFA2.3.1
- Template:Weisbrod-EFA1.1
- Wenzel, Hansjürgen (2002). Die Baureihe 39. Freiburg: EK Verlag. ISBN 978-3-88255-138-9.Template:Page needed
