Sentetsu Amei-class locomotives

Chosen Government Railway Amei class (アメイ)
Korean National Railroad Ame1 class (아메1)
An Amei-class locomotive of Sentetsu.
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderALCo
Build date1911
Total produced6
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte4-4-0
Gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in)
Driver dia.1,830 mm (72 in)
Length17,793 mm (700.5 in)
Width3,023 mm (119.0 in)
Height4,228 mm (166.5 in)
Loco weight53.84 t (52.99 long tons; 59.35 short tons)
Tender weight44.58 t (43.88 long tons; 49.14 short tons)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity7.2 t (7.1 long tons; 7.9 short tons)
Water cap.14.5 m3 (510 cu ft)
Firebox:
 • Grate area2.34 m2 (25.2 sq ft)
Boiler:
 • Small tubes214 x 51 mm (2.0 in)
Boiler pressure12.6 kgf/cm2 (179 psi)
Heating surface:
 • Firebox12.0 m2 (129 sq ft)
 • Tubes118.8 m2 (1,279 sq ft)
 • Total surface130.8 m2 (1,408 sq ft)
Cylinders2
Cylinder size450 mm × 660 mm (18 in × 26 in)
Valve gearWalschaerts
Performance figures
Maximum speed95 km/h (59 mph)
Tractive effort79.0 kN (17,800 lbf)
Career
OperatorsChosen Government Railway
Korean National Railroad
ClassSentetsu: アメイ
KNR: 아메1
Number in class6
NumbersSentetsu: アメイ1 – アメイ6 (1938-1945)
KNR: 아메1-1 – 아메1-6

The Amei class (アメイ) was a class of steam tender locomotives of the Chosen Government Railway (Sentetsu) with 4-4-0 wheel arrangement.[1] The "Ame" name came from the American naming system for steam locomotives, under which locomotives with 4-4-0 wheel arrangement were called "American".[2]

Description

[edit]

Sentetsu introduced the Amei class locomotives in 1911, receiving six from ALCo of the United States. They were fitted with 1,830 mm (72 in) diameter driving wheels, which was a considerable size for the time, giving them a high operational speeds of 95 km/h (59 mph).[1] Unlike the Tehoi class locomotives, the Amei class were equipped with a four-axle tender. They were found to offer no advantage over the Teho types or Sorii class, and no further 4-4-0 locomotives were ever ordered by Sentetsu.


Sentetsu put them into service on the "Ryūki" express,[1] Korea's first express train, operating between Sinuiju and Busan via Gyeongseong,[3] along the Gyeongui Line between Sinuiju and Gyeongseong. Their original numbers are unknown, but they were numbered 401 through 406 in 1918, and then became アメイ1 through アメイ6 numbers in Sentetsu's general renumbering of 1938.

Postwar: Korean National Railroad 아메1 (Ame1) class

[edit]

After the Liberation of Korea, all six Amei-class locomotives remained in South Korea, where they were designated 아메1 class by the Korean National Railroad.[4]

Construction

[edit]
Sentetsu running number
1911–1918 1918–1938 1938–1945 KNR Number Builder Year Notes
? アメ401 アメイ1 아메1-1 ALCo 1911
? アメ402 アメイ2 아메1-2 ALCo 1911
? アメ403 アメイ3 아메1-3 ALCo 1911
? アメ404 アメイ4 아메1-4 ALCo 1911
? アメ405 アメイ5 아메1-5 ALCo 1911
? アメ406 アメイ6 아메1-6 ALCo 1911

References

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  1. ^ a b c Byeon, Seong-u (1999). 한국철도차량 100년사 [Korean Railways Rolling Stock Centennial] (in Korean). Seoul: Korea Rolling Stock Technical Corp.
  2. ^ Colvin, Fred H. (1906). The railroad pocket-book: a quick reference cyclopedia of railroad information. New York, Derry-Collard; London, Locomotive Publishing Company (US-UK co-edition). p. L‑9.
  3. ^ Japanese Government Railways (1937), 鉄道停車場一覧. 昭和12年10月1日現在(The List of the Stations as of 1 October 1937), Kawaguchi Printing Company, Tokyo, pp. 483-485
  4. ^ "North and South Korea Steam Locomotives". 20 April 2004. Archived from the original on 20 April 2004.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)