TU2 (ТУ2) is a Soviet

narrow gauge A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structu ...

diesel locomotive for the

track gauge In rail transport, track gauge (in American English, alternatively track gage) is the distance between the two rails of a railway track. All vehicles on a rail network must have wheelsets that are compatible with the track gauge. Since many ...

History

The decision to replace steam locomotives by diesel ones on the narrow gauge railways was taken after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. The first diesel locomotive built for the narrow gauge railways was the TU1, built in 1954; only two locomotives of this type were built. The TU2 was an improved redesign of the TU1. The first TU2 was built in 1955. The first TU2 was tested on the test site of the Central Scientific Institute (in Shatura), that belonged to the Ministry of the Ways and Communications. The tests were successful, so the TU2 was taken into production. The only factory that produced the TU2 was Kaluga machine factory. The first three locomotives were tested again, in

Panevėžys Panevėžys (; Latin: ''Panevezen''; pl, Poniewież; yi, פּאָנעװעזש, ''Ponevezh''; see also other names) is the fifth largest city in Lithuania. As of 2011, it occupied with 113,653 inhabitants. As defined by Eurostat, the population ...

, ( Lithuania) and

Pärnu Pärnu () is the fourth largest city in Estonia. Situated in southwest Estonia, Pärnu is located south of the Estonian capital, Tallinn, and west of Estonia's second largest city, Tartu. The city sits off the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet ...

, (

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

). During the tests, the locomotive could run as fast as . But due to the poor tracks on most of the country's narrow gauge railways, the highest allowed speed during normal operation was . TU2 diesel locomotives were produced till 1959; 281 locomotives were built. The locomotives were used on many narrow gauge railways to haul cargo as well as passenger trains. Later they were replaced by more modern designs. As of 2007, they are no longer in use on the narrow gauge railways in

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

, but some narrow gauge railways in

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

still use them. Many

children's railway A children's railway or pioneer railway is an extracurricular educational institution, where children interested in rail transport can learn railway professions. This phenomenon originated in the USSR and was greatly developed in Soviet times. T ...

s use TU2 locomotives too. The Aukštaitijos narrow gauge railway in Lithuania also still operates the TU2.

Design

TU2 is a

diesel-electric locomotive A diesel locomotive is a type of railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine. Several types of diesel locomotives have been developed, differing mainly in the means by which mechanical power is conveyed to the driving wheels ...

. The main diesel engine is 1D12 and it produces 300 hp. The main engine drives the electric generator (195 kW) that supplies electricity to four

traction motor A traction motor is an electric motor used for propulsion of a vehicle, such as locomotives, electric or hydrogen vehicles, elevators or electric multiple unit. Traction motors are used in electrically powered rail vehicles ( electric multiple ...

s, 62 kW each.

References

The TU2-pages
*

(Russian only) *The book: Узкоколейный тепловоз ТУ2. Государственное транспортное железнодорожное издательство. Москва 1958. {{Rolling stock of Russia 750 mm gauge locomotives Diesel-electric locomotives of the Soviet Union Diesel-electric locomotives of Russia Diesel-electric locomotives of Ukraine Diesel-electric locomotives of Lithuania

History

Design

See also

References