Russian locomotive class Ye

Russian class Е [Ye]

Еа-629 (Ел-629) as a monument in Ussuriysk (Primorsky Krai)

Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works; American Locomotive Company; Canadian Locomotive Company Build date 1915–1918; 1943–1947 Total produced 3,193+

Specifications Configuration 2-10-0 UIC class 1′E h2 Gauge 5 ft (1,524 mm) Those remaining in US or going to China Railways, converted to 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Driver dia. 52 in (1,321 mm) Length 72 ft 9 in (22.17 m) Adhesive weight 180,200 lb (81,700 kg) Loco weight 207,700 lb (94,200 kg) Total weight 342,500 lb (155,400 kg) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 40,000 lb (18,100 kg) Water cap 7,000 US gal (26,000 l; 5,800 imp gal) Firebox:  • Firegrate area 64.7 sq ft (6.01 m2) Boiler pressure 180 psi (1.24 MPa) Heating surface 2,594 sq ft (241.0 m2) Superheater: ​  • Heating area 569 sq ft (52.9 m2) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 25 in × 28 in (635 mm × 711 mm) Valve gear Walschaert

Performance figures Tractive effort 51,500 lbf (229.08 kN)

Career Operators Imperial Russian Government; Various American railways.

The Russian locomotive class Ye, and subclasses Ye^a, Ye^k, Ye^l, Ye^f, Ye^m, Ye^mv and Ye^s (Russian: ; Е^а, Е^к, Е^л, Е^ф, Е^м, Е^мв and Е^с) were a series of 2-10-0 locomotives built by American builders for the Russian railways in World War I and again in World War II. They were lightweight engines with relatively low axle loadings.

Due to the Bolshevik revolution in 1917, 200 locomotives were stranded in the United States; these were fitted with wider tires (locomotive driving wheels had iron tires which were heated to expand them, then driven over the wheels so that they shrank into place. By fitting wider tires with a deeper tread width, the effective wheel gauge could be decreased from the Russian standard of 5 ft (1,524 mm) to 4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in (1,435 mm), (the US standard) to fit the American gauge and were sent to various railroads. The locomotives were nicknamed "Russian Decapods."

A number of locomotives were acquired by the Finnish railways (class Tr2) and by the China Railway (class DK2)

When Russia entered the war in 1914, it was dependent mainly on 0-8-0 and 2-8-0 locomotives. What was needed were locomotives with high adhesive weight (and thus tractive effort), which could only be provided by a locomotive with 10 drive wheels, but the only one being built, the class E (Russian: ) 0-10-0, was in short supply, with only 100 produced thus far. Another problem was that the 0-10-0's were being produced only at one factory. At this time, Professor N. L. Shchukin, head of the commission of rolling stock, the Ministry of Railways, proposed ordering 400 2-10-0 locomotives from the United States.

Although the production was to be American, the locomotive was designed by Russian engineers. This called for 10 drive wheels, a low axle loading, a large firebox to burn low-grade coal, and an overall similar design to the class Э class 0-10-0. Because the weight of the boiler, particularly the firebox, caused the axle load on some axles to exceed 16 tonnes, it was decided to add a lead pony truck, thus turning it into a 2-10-0. This also allowed a slightly bigger boiler whilst keeping the axle loadings within acceptable limits.