Prussian S 4

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Prussian S 4 DRG Class 13.5, 13.4
Type and origin Builder Borsig (40) Henschel & Sohn (54) Humboldt (10) Build date 1902–1909 Total produced 104
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-4-0  • German S 24.16 Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) Leading dia. 1,000 mm Driver dia. 1,980 mm Length: ​  • Over beams 18,210 mm Axle load 16.0 t Adhesive weight 31.9 t Service weight 50.2 t Water cap. 13.0/15.0/16.0 m3 Boiler: ​ No. of heating tubes 115 No. of smoke tubes 18 Heating tube length 4,300 mm Boiler pressure 12 bar Heating surface: ​  • Firebox 2.32 m2  • Radiative 10.65 m2  • Evaporative 117.70 m2 Cylinders 2 Cylinder size 540 mm Piston stroke 600 mm Valve gear Walschaerts (Heusinger, outside)
Performance figures Maximum speed 100 km/h Indicated power 736 kW
Career Numbers DRG 13 501–504 Retired 1927
Data for production series

The Prussian S 4's were German superheated express steam locomotives with the Prussian state railways, later grouped as DRG Class 13.5 in the Deutsche Reichsbahn. They were an evolutionary development of the Prussian S 3. The first locomotive was built in 1898 by Vulcan, Stettin as a modified S 3. She was the first superheated locomotive in the world.^[1] She was initially designated as Hannover 74 and towards the end as the S 4 Cassel 401. Two further trials locomotives appeared in 1899 and 1900 as Hannover 86 and Berlin 74 also classed as S 3's. They were later reclassified as S 4's Hannover 401 and Posen 401.^[1]

Not until the teething troubles had been resolved was the S 4 put into series production in 1902 in Borsig, from 1906 also in Henschel and Humboldt.^[1] Unlike the prototypes the production engines were developed independently of the S 3, and 104 examples were built in the years to 1909 when procurement was halted in favour of the Prussian S 6. Up to 1906 a smokebox superheater was installed; afterwards smoke tube superheaters were used.^[1]

The S 4's star waned even before the First World War, so that within a few years most of the engines had disappeared from the tracks. The remainder were employed on passenger train or even goods train duties.

In 1923 the Deutsche Reichsbahn recorded 44 S 4's in its provisional renumbering plan as 13 501-544. But by 1925 only four of them were left. These were given running numbers 13 501–504 in 1925^[1] and were retired by 1927.

After the First World War, six locomotives were given to the Polish State Railways (PKP), where they were classified as Pd2 class, numbers 1 to 6.^[1] During the Second World War five S 4s came into the Reichsbahn holdings from Poland as 13 401–405.^[1] Two of them were eventually given back to Poland in 1955 by the DR.

The locomotives were equipped with tenders of Prussian classes pr 2’2’ T 16, pr 3 T 13 and pr 3 T 15.

• Prussian state railways
• List of DRG locomotives and railcars
• List of Prussian locomotives and railcars

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