DKA F10 "Javanic" Locomotive

The F10 locomotive is a steam locomotive imported by Staatsspoorwegen (SS) from the Hanomag, Germany and Werkspoor, Netherlands factories with a total of 28 units, and given the initial serial number SS 800. This locomotive has a wheel arrangement 1F1 (2-12-2T).

With the technical demands put forward by the Staatsspoorwegen, the Hanomag factory, Germany, under the leadership of Dr.h.c. ing. Erich Metzeltin, succeeded in designing a unique locomotive that attracted the attention of the world's railways. By Hanomag, the locomotive they designed was nicknamed *Javanic*.

## History

The increasing volume of freight train transportation has forced Staatsspoorwegen to need a steam locomotive that is tougher, more powerful, and capable of navigating cross-mountain railways in Priangan, West Java with a turning radius of 150 m. In addition, more and more people need trains and this results in an increase in travel volume. In the end, SS then made a locomotive that had many wheels and was longer.

The BB10 (SS 500) mallet locomotive has actually been able to answer some of the challenges. However, BB10 has various weaknesses, such as its flexible steam pipe which often leaks. This is due to the location of the separate cylinders. SS then wanted to buy an articulated locomotive with six axles like a CC locomotive, but without flexible pipes and capable of exploring across Priangan mountains.

The Hanomag factory, Germany, succeeded in answering this challenge by designing a new steam locomotive. This locomotive has a quite unique axle, namely the six driving axles are coupled together and have one idle wheel at the front and rear (1F1/2-12-2T). SS was interested in buying the locomotive and it was given the number SS 800.

The six drive wheels of the SS 800 have a fairly long axle distance (6,250mm). To meet the demands of being able to tolerate curves on a minimum radius of 150m, the 1st and 6th drive wheels have a tolerance for movement in the lateral direction of 30mm, while the conveying wheels are 100mm. The conveying wheels are equipped with reversing gears (terugstelinrichting) with an initial tension of 350 kg and a maximum of 1300 kg. Equipment springs to keep the wheels automatically return to its original position after devouring sharp turns. The SS 800 locomotive has a length of 13,980mm, engine power of 910 hp, weighs 78.7 tons.

Fueled by Ombilin coal, which has a calorific value of 6800 kcal/kg, this locomotive gains 1000 hp in its cylinder. The total power of the SS 800 locomotive is equivalent to 1.8 times the power of other existing mallet locomotive series.

SS 800 locomotives were purchased by SS from the Hanomag factory for 18 units, while the remaining 10 units were imported from the Werkspoor factory, the Netherlands in 1912-1920. These 28 locomotive units are ready to operate on the West Java line, and are allocated at the Bandung Locomotive Depot.

Even though technically it was good enough, SS 800 locomotive was not suitable for this route. During the two months of operation, the SS 800 had technical problems with the front drive wheels wearing out very easily. Because of that, the SS then moved it to routes in Central Java and East Java. This locomotive is allocated at the Purwokerto, Blitar, Malang and Jember Locomotive Depots. Since then, the majority of this series of locomotives have been operating in East Java. Especially for the Prupuk-Kroya railway line, where the train speed is limited to 47mph, SS 800 has been further refined technically so that it can be driven at a speed of 53mph without any problems. This is done when later SS 800 are used to haul express trains.

During the Japanese colonial era, this locomotive received a new serial number, F10, and continued to be used from the DKA era to the PJKA era. Five F10 locomotives were brought to West Sumatra for coal transportation. The F10 locomotive also operates passenger and freight trains such as the Rapih Dhoho train.

F10 is known to be quite unique because the locomotive has six driving wheels connected by one shaft. This kind of thing can only be found in four countries, namely, Indonesia, Germany, Switzerland, and France.

In 1986, the F1015 locomotive was brought to Expo 86 in Vancouver, Canada, in order to represent Indonesia.

## Preservation

      Two out of 28 F10 locomotives are preserved, both staticly displayed. F1002 in Ambarawa Railway Museum and F1015 in Jakarta Transportation Museum TMII.

## See also

        F10 locomotive in Wikipedia Indonesia