Exhibit description

Experimental Diesel Locomotive TE5-20 032

The First Post-War Locomotives

In the second half of the 1940s, the Kharkiv Locomotive Works (also known as Plant No. 75) in the USSR began mass production of the first domestic post-war diesel locomotives of the class TE1. They were created through so-called “reverse engineering”, where an existing product — the American-made D^A20 diesel locomotive supplied to the USSR under Lend-Lease — was used as a basis to develop a domestic version without independent design work, which was then mass-produced.

The class TE1 was developed through “reverse engineering” by copying and adapting the American D^A20 diesel locomotive to Soviet realities.

The main changes compared to the class D^A involved converting inch-based dimensions to metric and, in some cases, replacing materials and equipment to align with the capabilities of the Soviet industry. TE1 diesel locomotives were equipped with D50 diesel engines producing 1,000 hp, MPT-84/39 DC traction generators, and DK-304B traction motors with a support-axle suspension.

Class TE1-20

Unusual Locomotives

In March 1947, the very first TE1-20 001 diesel locomotive was produced (with “20” indicating the axial load in tonne-forces). Between 1947 and 1950, the Kharkiv Locomotive Works manufactured a total of 300 TE1 diesel locomotives (no. 001–300).

Of the three hundred TE1 diesel locomotives produced, two were significantly different: they were adapted for operation in extreme climate conditions.

Among these 300 locomotives, two significantly differed in design from the standard TE1 models. These were experimental diesel locomotives no. 031 and 032, designed for operation in extreme climate conditions. They were designated as the class TE5.

Differences from TE1

Unlike the production TE1 diesel locomotives, which had a hood-type body, the TE5 featured a so-called “car-style” body, meaning it had a fully enclosed design. Additionally, unlike the TE1, the front of the diesel locomotive was positioned on the side of the battery compartments rather than the diesel engine side. The design also included steam boilers to heat the engine room and control cab when the diesel engine was not running.

All other major components (the diesel generator, traction motors, and locomotive underframe) were similar to those used in the class TE1. Accordingly, the TE1 and TE5 had identical traction and thermal characteristics.

Operation

Both TE5 diesel locomotives (no. 031 and no. 032) were initially tested and operated for a short period he Moscow-Passazhirskaya Depot of the Moscow-Kursk Railway. They were soon transferred to the Nyandoma Depot of the Northern Railway, where they were tested during the winter of 1948–1949 in the extreme climate conditions for which they had been designed. Then both vehicles were transferred to the Turkestan-Siberia Railway.

The TE5 locomotives were never mass-produced, with only two units built, as the class TE1 was discontinued in 1950.

The production of the TE5, the “northern” modification of the TE1, was limited to just two units, as the class TE1 production ceased in 1950. After that, no locomotives specifically designed for extreme climate conditions were produced in the USSR until the 1980s. Then, in connection with the commissioning of the Baikal-Amur Mainline, small batches of the 2TE10S and 4TE10S diesel locomotives were built in a “northern” version. It seems that diesel locomotives with a car-type body (TE2, TE3, etc.) were already considered suitable for operating in extreme climate conditions.

The TE5-20 031 diesel locomotive, originally operating on urkestan-Siberia Railway, was transferred to the Moscow-Ryazan Railway in 1958. Later that same year, it was moved to the Kirov Railway, which, in the summer of 1959, became part of the Oktyabrskaya Railway. In 1963, by special instruction from the Central Committee of the Ministry of Railways, the locomotive’s class was changed to TE1-20 140 to eliminate inconsistencies in the fleet’s class designations. In 1984, this locomotive was removed from the inventory of the Oktyabrskaya Railway.

Museum Exhibit

The TE5-20 032 diesel locomotive from the Turkestan-Siberia Railway, which is displayed in the museum, was transferred to the Orenburgtransstroy Trust in February 1962, in accordance with the Ministry of Railways’ Order No. M-33161, dated 28th November 1961.