Class
323B 2-Cylinder Passenger Tank Locomotive
Designed
by Bela Šahlmeti
Built
in 1925 by Richard Hartmann, Chemnitz, Germany
Suburban
traffic had, until the mid-1920s, been in the capable hands of the
2-6-2Ts
of 1909, 4-4-2Ts of 1913 and a few remaining 4-4-2Ts of 1900. Train
weights had
continued
to increase, however, placing an ever-greater burden on the ageing
engines.
Bela Šahlmeti's answer was this elegant, almost slim-line
2-6-4T, his
first passenger locomotive design for the RSR. The engines showed a
respectable
turn of speed and smart acceleration but, although not shy of steam,
were
dogged by a basically inadequate boiler, which was the same as that
fitted
to the 423BB 2-8-0s. The fault was recognised early on and later
engines,
classed
323BB, received larger boilers with combustion chambers and higher
pressure.
After that there was no holding them back and they remained in charge
of
RSR suburban work well into the 1950s, when they were supplanted by
Rodnivacek's
4-8-4Ts. A total of 120 locomotives were built, all by Hartmann, who
were
by this time known as the Saxon Locomotive Works.
Class 323BB 2-Cylinder Passenger Tank Locomotive
Designed by Bela Šahlmeti
Built in 1927 by Richard Hartmann, Chemnitz, Germany
Text and graphics © Norman Clubb 2012