Soviet long-distance passenger locomotive IS: history, technical characteristics

1937 for Paris became a landmark because of the World Exhibition taking place there. "Iska" (affectionate name of the passenger locomotive "Joseph Stalin") was awarded the Grand Prix. At that time it was the most powerful locomotive of Europe. So it remained in the history of the Soviet locomotive industry.

Overtaken time

Steam locomotive IS was a passenger modification of the already existing freight steamer Felix Dzerzhinsky, produced from 1931 to 1941 at the Lugansk locomotive plant. It was created in connection with the increased volume of trade turnover - the country was industrialized. Steam locomotive IS belongs to type 1-4-2. What does it mean? He had in one rigid frame 4 moving axes, one runner and 2 supporting. At the World Exhibition the model IS20-241 was presented. The opinion was unanimous - this locomotive overtook its time.

Absolutely new locomotive

By the beginning of the production of this miracle of technology in the United States, powerful locomotives for passenger transportation have already been created - Mountains, Hudson and Lokovanna. The North American freight carrier Berkchir had the same axial formula as the IC. But it was radically different in some respects from the Soviet locomotive intended for heavy postal and passenger transportation over long distances, moving at low speed on heavy rails of the type "2a".

Obligatory conditions

Steam locomotive IP did not come from scratch. Soviet steam locomotive building began to develop actively since the 1920s. Taking into account all the accumulated experience, a project of the Mikado locomotive was created at the Kolomenskoye plant in 1929. But the project was not implemented, and in 1931 began to create a more powerful locomotive. One of the main requirements was the maximum interchangeability of parts with the steamers of the Felix Dzerzhinsky series. In addition, the steam locomotive of the IC was to have a traction force that was 50% higher than that of a steam engine of the SU type, or Sormovskiy strengthened (Drying), produced since 1924.

Plans are overfulfilled

In February, the sketch was given to the Central Locomotive Bureau for detailed design, and in April the calculations were completed. The set tasks were exceeded - the designers succeeded in making interchangeable with the FD not only the cylinder, boiler, axle boxes and other parts, they made it possible to use its spring suspension scheme (system for adjusting body oscillations). In April, the designs come from the design bureau at the Locomotive Locomotive Plant in Kolomna, which, with the participation of the Izhora plant, produces the first steam locomotive in early October 1932.

More than impressive performance

By the end of December of the same year, the second locomotive was assembled. All 1933 this model was run-in on three railroads - South, Catherine and October. The average power the locomotive showed was 2500 hp, and once on the rise of 8% on the Moscow-Bologoye it reached 3,400 hp. The average indicator more than doubled (it was planned only by 50%) exceeded the capacity of "Drying". The largest in Europe was the forced boiler (80 kgf / m² • h), which exceeded even the "FD" index (65 kgf / m² · h).

Put on stream

At the next congress of the party held in 1934, an important decision was taken - the locomotives of the IS series ("Joseph Stalin") in the next, second five-year period should become the main ones in the railway passenger park of the country. But the Kolomna plant did not have the capacity to launch such locomotives into the mass flow. By the end of 1935 there were only six of them. However, the new shops of the Voroshilov Machine Building Plant, built in 1927-1931, could supply the output of locomotives with block cylinders and bar frames.

Even better, even more beautiful

In 1936 alone, 3 locomotives were produced. Some details have been improved compared to Kolomna steamers, for example, these machines had a 6-axle tender instead of the 4-axle one, which existed in the previous six. The tender with water became safer and had a more elongated shape, which improved the appearance of the locomotive itself and the entire train. And already in 1937 the plant, having switched to large-scale production, produces 105 locomotives. Most of all, 174 pieces, was released in 1940, before the war in 1941, 81 more locomotives. The last steamer of this series was completed by construction in Ulan-Ude in 1942. In total, the locomotives "Joseph Stalin" produced 649 units.

The experimental model

In 1937, in the order of experiment, an IC steam engine was created. The model was streamlined. You look at this locomotive and agree with people asking why, when making such perfect cars in the distant 1937, now the country buys their similarities abroad? Especially since back in 1930, in a wind tunnel, the steam engine was tested in a streamlined casing. As a result, it turned out that thanks to the shape in the power you can win 200-250 hp, and the speed also increased. A locomotive of this shape with disc wheels could develop it up to 160 km / h, which at that time was an unconditional record. Outwardly, he was very, very aesthetic.

Soviet craftsmen

The locomotive cab was at the end. The tender itself is four-axled, on two trolleys. The locomotive of the IC was equipped with a Westinghouse brake. It can be added that the boiler was with a wide furnace, which was above the frame and had a radial ceiling and a combustion chamber according to the American pattern. A miracle of Soviet technical thought was the steam locomotive IS 20 16, the technical characteristics of which were so perfect that they did not match the roads. Trains led by such locomotives, were called in the Soviet era courier. Detailed technical specifications, understandable to specialists, are widely available.

Some data

It can only be noted that the locomotive "Joseph Stalin" had seven axles. Of these, four were leading. From the locomotive of the FD, as noted above, he was distinguished by his wheel formula. Its weight was equal to 133 tons, the coupling weight is 88 tons, the average speed is 100-115 kilometers per hour. These locomotives worked with steam overheating and a two-cylinder simple-action machine.

The pride of engineering thought - the locomotive of the IS - is depicted on three Soviet stamps. In the popular Soviet film released after the war ("The Train Goes Eastward"), this locomotive is in the spotlight.