Class
533C 3-Cylinder General Purpose Tank Locomotive
Designed
by Mikhail Rodnivacek
Built
in 1956 by Henschel & Sohn, Kassel, Germany
As good
as the 423E 4-8-4Ts proved to be, there was always a need for more
power, i.e. more adhesion than four coupled axles could provide.
Furthermore, the uneven torque of the 423E's two-cylinder drive reduced
the truly available tractive effort. The combination of these two
arguments led to the three-cylinder ten-coupled tank engine we see
here. Henschel, who were by this time about to leave the business of
building steam locomotives, delivered a total of ten units, all of
which were allocated to Forihv. The 533Cs did the job they were built
to do but were limited to second-class assignments such as shunting,
pickup goods and relief passenger work. In view of their low-key
duties, the 533Cs were not fitted with poppet valves. The entire class
was
withdrawn during 1997.
Graphics
and text © Norman Clubb 2015