 | |
| NS 3400 | |
|---|---|
| by Supersnel11 | |
| Price | ƒ135.000 |
| Level | 16 |
| Statistics | |
| Type | Freight |
| Top Speed | 75 km/h |
| Weight | 96 tons |
| Capacity | 490 tons |
| Length | 16,8 meters |
The NS 3400 was a class of Dutch C (0-6-0) goods locomotives that were a common sight on oil trains.
Liveries
The NS 3400 is only available in Nederlandsche Spoorwegen green.
Historical details
The Hollansche IJzeren Spoorweg-Maatschappij (HSM) had some good experiences with the HSM 500 (later NS 2100) series and wanted a version built for goods trains. 20 were ordered from Berliner Maschinenbau (previously Schwartzkopff) in Germany. However, the HSM merged with the Staatsspoorwegen (SS) in 1921, prior to the delivery of these locomotives. They were delivered as NS 4101-4120, in accordance with a prototype numbering scheme from 1920. At some point in 1921, after their delivery, they were renumbered to the NS 3400 series. They were nicknamed "Zwartkoppen" (Black heads) after the factory they were produced at.
The NS 3400 started in the depots of Nijmegen, Amsterdam and Winterswijk, though some were moved to Boxtel soon after the start of their servicing years. A few years later they were spread across various depots, the most noteworthy include Eindhoven (until the arrival of the NS 4600s in 1928) and Winterswijk, from which they were used on a few passenger trains. In the second half of the 1930s, all of them were stationed at Amsterdam again.
15 of the class were lost during the Second World War. Of the five that were present for the liberation (3413/14/16/17 & 3418) only NS 3413 and 3417 were repairable. The 3411 and 3420 ended up in the Soviet occupation zone and did not return. 3420 was used for shunting in 1949 and 1950 but the duo were scrapped in 1951. The thirteen machines did return from Germany, but only six (3404/08/09/10/12 and 3415) were repairable. The last seven were withdrawn for scrapping in 1947, together with the three unrepairable 3400s that never left the Netherlands.
The eight still operational machines were used from Amsterdam depot at first, but some of the series was moved to Zwolle in 1948. From Zwolle they would be used for oil trains from the oil fields in Nieuw-Schoonebeek to the refineries of Pernis. The heavy oil trains were usually pulled to Zwolle with a doubleheader, from where a different traction type (steam, diesel, electric) would pull the train to Pernis. After the electrification in the province Twente, the 3400s pulled the trains to Almelo, about 20% of the full distance.
The NS 3413, stationed at Zwolle, was withdrawn in 1949 and got replaced by the 3410 from Amsterdam. The 3409, which had not been used since 1949, was withdrawn in 1950 along with NS 3417. The remaining five (3403/08/10/12 & 3415) were moved to Hengelo, where they pulled the oil trains to Almelo until 1953. All of them were withdrawn that year.
Technical details
The NS 3400s were equipped with Westinghouse-brakes (automatic and independent), connections for steam heating on the front and back of the tender, a Knorr pre-heater with a heating surface of 9,2 m² and a pump with a capacity of 120 litres a minute, coal gas lighting and a Deuta-speedometer.
The dimensions of the boiler were mostly identical to those of the HSM 500s, though with a slightly smaller grate. Additionally, the distance between the tube plates had been shortened by 890 mm. Another design change was the location of the steam dome, on the last boiler ring. The sand dome was positioned between the steam dome and the smokestack. The NS 3411-3420 received an air powered bell on the boiler at an unknown date.
The inside cylinders were angled above the front axle and powered the centre one. The wheels on this axle had blind flanges so the 3400s could drive through the tightest corners allowed at the time (110 metres). The sanders of the locomotive only affected this middle axle, and only when going forwards.
NS 3401 was fitted with Trofimoff valves in 1934, but these were removed once the license expired.
The coal gas lighting the series was originally equipped with was removed some time around 1935.
Trivia
- The NS 3400 is a good mid level freight locomotive, with a good speed for a freight locomotive, and a favourable capacity.
- The in-game model features the air powered bell, which denotes that the model is based on 3411-3420.
- The model received only a new tender model in version 0.2.9, but received a locomotive rebuild in version 0.2.15.
- The NS 3400 was the first new locomotive to be added after release in version 0.1.7.