The Locomotives of Bela Šahlmeti 

Bela Šahlmeti (1878-1944) had the shortest term of office of all RSR chief engineers so far. When he took over the reins from Karel Belčamin, who had died suddenly in 1919 and whose successor-designate he was, Šahlmeti brought a refreshingly new style of both leadership and locomotive design. Gone was the old hierarchical style of management and gone was the by now old-fashioned belle-époque style of design. The new chief's engines were of simple construction and bold outline. The crews took to them at once. Unfortunately for Šahlmeti, his bosses on the RSR board were not all on his side and spared no effort in ridding themselves of this iconoclast at the first opportunity. They had to wait till 1928, when by means of internal politics, approval for Šahlmeti's new high-pressure 4-8-2 was denied after the event (the order had already been placed with Henschel and the engine was about to be delivered) and he was summarily fired.
323A 1920 423BB 1921 423BC 1922
423BD 1924


323B 1925
323C 1926
423Q 1926 
423QQ 1926
323BB 1927 523W 1927 523X 1927
433A 1928 523Y 1928
433AA 1928 434A 1928 534A  1928

Click the class code to see more details.

The locomotive classification system that Bela Šahlmeti introduced in 1922 is still in use today.

The principle of this is as follows:

1st digit
number of driving axles
1 = 1 or 10
2nd digit number of cylinders
7 = 12
3rd digit
steam generation and distribution
1 = saturated simple
2 = saturated compound
3 = superheated simple
4 = superheated compound
5 = triple-expansion compound
4th
digit
sequence letter
 
5th
digit
sequence letter doubled, then augmented for developments and rebuilds  


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