SM02 (model Ls40) is a series of Polishstandard gaugediesel mechanical shunter locomotives used by PKP and mostly the industrial companies. The model was built on a basis of a GermanDeutz OMZ 122 R shunter locomotive, in which the design was modified by making the frame longer and having more fuel capacity. They were built between 1952 and 1961 by Fablok, 581 examples were built, the 12 of the locomotives were introduced into PKP after 1954[1], and 569 of the locomotives were introduced into industrial companies.
Ls40 is the first diesel locomotive of the afterwar Polish production[2], first diesel shunter of the afterwar production, first diesel mechanical locomotive of the afterwar production and the first successful diesel locomotive built on the basis of the foreign locomotive's design. It is the slowest diesel locomotive built in Poland.
History
Pre-war design
In 1938 the Deutz OMZ 122 R locomotive documentations were given to the correction of Fablok construction office, where it was proceeded to make a prototype designated 8DL. During designing and producing the prototype, most of the components were modified using the cheapest materials. It was completed in August 1939, but the tests were interrupted by the outbreak of World War II on September 1st[3].
Actual design
After the war, the need for small shunter diesel locomotives had to be satisfied by a handful of pre-war Kleinlok locomotives, which was very difficult to maintain due to the lack of spare parts. As the reconstructed and newly built afterwar industrial plants had their own sidings, the need for diesel shunters was rapidly growing, as diesels proved to be most suitable for smaller plants which had problems with maintaining steamlocomotives[4]. Fablok came in to develop a lightweight diesel shunter equipped with a S64L diesel engine between the late 1940s and early 1950s.
In 1951 Fablok designed a shunter diesel locomotive on the basis of the Deutz OMZ 122 R locomotive, the detailed design of it was accepted in 1952 and a prototype was built, designated Ls40-1 and 2738/1952, where the tests were proven successful and the serial production started in the same year until 1961. 9 locomotives were built in 1954, as well as the broad gauge examples, first one having a track gauge of 1520 mm and the second one having a track gauge of 1676 mm[4].
Design
Ls40 was designed for simplicity and wasn't entirely satisfactory. Some minor details were added from earlier locomotive types in order to facilitate rapid production. Due to it's low rated power the locomotive barely reached the top speed. The mechanical transmission was primitive, the gearbox was too noisy and was prone to failure, also the driver's cab was tight and uncomfortable. The locomotive with a more powerful engine was typically better, as gearbox heated excessively, was more noisy and less reliable. Shifting gears with two separate levers demanded some skills[4].
Ls40 has a wheelbase of 2500 mm and a wheel diameter of 850 mm. Their length is 5984 mm, the width is 2420 mm and the height is 3010 mm. It's weight is 16 tons and it's axle load is 8 tons. The engine is a four-stroke 4-cylindere S342HL diesel engine capable of reaching 75 horsepower and the locomotive is fitted with a 4 geared mechanical transmission and a hand brake. it's fuel capacity is 75 liters and the fuel consumption is 210 grams per kilometer. Each engine's cylinder bore and stroke size is 110 mm and 160 mm and it's displacement is 6 Liters.
Ls40 is a B locomotive, which means there are two powered axles under the unit. Those axles are rigidly fixed to the locomotive's frame.[5] The locomotive has 5 distinct variants differing mainly from the cab and the engine's cowling. Each locomotive's headstocks were trapez shaped, some of them had sharp edges and smooth edges, they were either painted orange or red along with the coupling rods and the wheels. Most of the examples were fitted with their original headlights, some of them later had standardized PKP headlights.
One example designated Sls150-388 was built with the russian track gauge fitted with 2 times more powerful 150 horsepower engines intended for operating shunting duties on the freight handling stations near the Soviet borders. The next locomotive had a wider track gauge wider than 1520 mm which was the Indian gauge, it was intended to shunt WP class steam locomotives around the locomotive manufacturing plant in Chrzanów[4].
Service
Ls40 locomotives were intended for operating lightweight shunting duties around industrial areas and works transportation. Most of the locomotives went directly to the industrial plants such as mines, paper mills, sugar mills, chemical plants, steelworks, etc. Some of them worked at the machinery plants including their manufacturer's own industrial plant Fablok, where they shunted rolling stock right after they were built. They were often used in the military including the Polish Armed Forces and the Polish Navy, 36 examples were used. 12 of the examples were used by PKP, intended for shunting fleet around rolling stock maintenance areas and locomotive depots. The class was nonetheless widely used in industrial service.[1]
Ls40 locomotive classification
Those locomotives after being built were designated Lo1xx, where xx stands for serial numbers, in 1958 some examples in part of PKP were classified to SM02, the military examples were classified as WP-01, various military establishments had at least 12 locomotives being classified in their civil numbers, the industrial examples were classified in their model numbers Ls40. All of the locomotives were given serial fleet numbers from 1 to 581, but some of them were used in parallel (for example Ls40-5191), military even used these numbers[4].
Early on the S64L engines proved to be insufficient for the locomotives' duties, so later examples were fitted with more powerful S324HL motors. Likewise, several older locomotives had their engines replaced during servicing. Those locomotives were lightly used by PKP as they were too weak and slow, even for pulling short trains, they were quickly replaced by more powerful and reliable 409Da locomotives. Most of the locomotives were replaced by newer and more reliable shunter locomotives, eventually getting withdrawn from service in the 1990s, some of them survived and continued it's service to the 21st century. The other withdrawn were sent to scrap or left abandoned along with their industrial plants.
Ls40 4606 preserved at a railway museum
The locomotives in the 21st century were moved to other industrial plants and workshops including Ls40-5191 which worked at Otmuchów Sugar Mill where it was transferred to Franz Kaminski Waggonbau in Nysa due to its sugar mill closure in 2009[6]. Most of the locomotives were plinthed as monuments and sent for preservation after it's retirement, some of them were even put up for sale after they continued its service until the 2010s and 2020s. The only operational locomotives of the series are owned by the railway museums, remaining as preserved examples in working order today.
Preservation
Several Ls40 locomotives remain in industrial use, but are being withdrawn systematically. Ls40-5438 is an exhibit at the Skansen Parowozownia Kościerzyna museum and Ls40-4572 was bought by Polskie Stowarzyszenie Miłośników Kolei (En.: Polish Society of Railway Enthusiasts) from Grodziskie Zakłady Farmaceutyczne "Polfa" in Grodzisk Mazowiecki on 30 June 31995.
↑Pokropiński, Bogdan (2009). Lokomotywy spalinowe produkcji polskiej (Wyd. 1 (dodr.)ed.). Warszawa: Wydawnictwa Komunikacji i Łączności. ISBN978-83-206-1731-3.
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