I have the steam locos out on the layout for a few sessions and a little filming for Youtube about drawbar weights on steam models. That got me to thinking about the Russian decapods that I am using, so I thought I would ask my question over here instead of the model trains forum.
The Russian decapods have that interesting history. And I know I have seen a rail fan picture or two of what is supposed to be one, but other ten wheelers are also called decapods.
Are there any of the actual group of Russian decapods preserved or static display? Does anyone know what was the last railroad to have any on their roster in active service and when were the last of the bunch retired/scrapped. I imagine no one at the time had been tracking what loco was what, and so there probably isn't a definitive answer. Just curious. Thanks.
Frisco 1630 is alive and well at the Illinois RR Museum in Union, IL, about 40 miles from Chicago. I have ridden behind her. The Erie was the largest owner of the "outcasts" with 75 of them. They were powerful machines that were great for branch line service. The NYS&W (controlled by the Erie at the time) also had a handful of them. As mentioned. the Frisco used them, too. I don't know any dates, but the Susquehanna dieselized in the late 40's and I believe used them right to the end. And just to set the record straight, ALL 2-10-0s are Decapods. A "ten wheeler", as you call them, is a 4-6-0. According to Steamlocomotive.com, there are 6 Russians preserved in various museums scattered across the country. Here is a link to a photo of 1630 in action out in Union. http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=80031&nseq=9
Thanks for the info. Yes, right about the decapod nomenclature. I have seen that elsewhere. My (wheel)slip on the ten wheeler quip.
Not forgetting dozens of 'Russian Decapods' plinthed (Stuffed and Mounted) and a few still available for excursions in Russia at present, very few of the original WW 1 series.
The Swedish publication by Heywood and Button; "Soviet Locomotive Types" (Stenvalls 1995) Show plenty of the WW 2 'Lend Lease' models, of 2117 built, and 2051 delivered, there were 1042 still on stock in 1987.
One lone example was photographed in North Korea at work about Y2k, that image was published in CRJ it seemed to have been one of the regauged 'standard's of which 15 were recorded in the far east 1992.