| SM 24 | |
|---|---|
| by Supersnel11 | |
| Price | ƒ480.000 |
| Level | 72 |
| Statistics | |
| Type | Shunter |
| Top Speed | 35 km/h |
| Weight | 24 tons |
| Capacity | 280 tons |
| Length | 7,3 meters |
The SM 24 is a Dutch Bt (0-4-0T) fireless locomotive that worked at the Staatsmijnen (State mines).
Liveries
The SM 24 is available in SM blue and SM black.
Historical details
In 1921, the railway department of the Staatsmijnen, in the province of Limburg, required a locomotive for shunting the lines of the (at the time) only three year old 'Emma' coke factory. Due to the danger of sparks from a conventional steam engine igniting the coke, a fireless locomotive of the 'Hohenzollern' type was choosen instead, built by the works of the same name. The Staatsmijnen constructed a special refill station for the fireless engine that used steam from the local boiler house. The locomotive could be driven from six to eight hours per refill.
SM 24 entered service on February 5, 1921 and was quickly nicknamed 'De OS' (The Ox) by the personnel at the mine. It was mostly used on the lines of the 'Emma' coke factory, but also did the occasional shunting on the yards of the briquette factory 'Carisborg', which utilised brown coal (Lignite) in its manufacturing. After 'Emma' ceased production near the end of 1956, SM 24 was moved to the 'Maurits' coke factory, in order to replace the fireless locomotive SM 39.
'Maurits' converted to diesel traction entirely at the end of 1959, so SM 24 was moved to the state mine 'Hendrik'. At Hendrik, it was put to work as 'workshop locomotive' and had to move the locomotives that were present in and around the workshop. It did this work until December 31st, 1961, when it was decommissioned and scrapped, still on Hendrik's terrain.
Technical details
SM 24 was fitted with: slide valves on the internal cylinders; two Coale-safety valves; Joy-valve gear; a steam brake for the locomotive; a manual brake that pushed brake blocks onto the front of the wheels; the regulator was of a pulling lever design; condensating lubricant box; a manual sander that worked on both sides of the front axle; battery-powered electrical lighting and a German-style high-pitch whistle. The livery was a light green cab, a dark green boiler and a red frame, red wheels and red bufferbeams. The sand box and steam dome were placed under the same cover and the smokestack was placed at the back of the cab.
Regulations required that SM 24 had to have a bell, so it was fitted with a manual bell shortly after delivery. In 1927, the bell was replaced with a steam-powered one, placed on top of the boiler in front of the cab. The battery for the electric lights was placed in the cab this year too. A new livery was applied: the boiler and cab were painted dark blue, decorated with red-golden yellow-red lining. The frame, wheels and bufferbeam remained red.
In 1936 the sand box was moved from the top of the boiler to underneath the footplate, behind the front axle. With help of rods in the cab, the driver could open the valves to drop sand on either side of the wheels. The steam bell was moved to between the cab and safety valves.
After WWII, the electrical lighting powered by a central battery was replaced by a system where each light had its own battery. The Coale-safety valves were replaced with two Ross-safety valves and the whistle got replaced with an American-style three-chime whistle. SM 24 was painted black with a red frame, wheels and buffer beam.
Trivia
- The price and level are both multiples of its number (2×24=48, 3×24=72).
- This makes it the most expensive and high level shunter, despite having the lowest capacity.
- Only the NS 1 is more expensive, at a higher level, with a lower capacity.
- This makes it the most expensive and high level shunter, despite having the lowest capacity.
- It is the only fireless locomotive currently in Streamlined.
- The Black livery features a 5 chime whistle, whilst the Blue livery has a normal European style single chime.
- SM 24 was the first locomotive to feature the simple internal valve gear, inside the frame.
- Its funnel is at the rear of the locomotive.
- During the 2023 April Fools' update Screamlined, a Steam Multiple Unit train called "Plan Steam" featured SM 24 at the front.
- Before the 0.6.2 update, the SM 24 was only available in NS Green, this livery was removed due to it not being historically accurate and replaced with the Blue and Black liveries.
- The SM 24 was added in version 0.5.27.
- The SM 24 had its Black and Blue liveries added in version 0.6.2.
Gallery
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SM 24 being featured on the Plan Steam.
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SM 24 on the turntable prior to being added.
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SM 24 in NS Green livery.
