European Railroad Discussion > Assistance requested identifying a steam locomotive in Amsterdam

I happened to be sorting through a bunch of slides from 2003 when I ran across my shot of a steam train arriving at Amsterdam Central Station. The train was a complete surprise as we were on the platform waiting for our Thalys departure for Brussels.

I'm hoping one of our European TO members can identify the locomotive and provide some additional detail -- certainly looks like an excursion train of some sort. The date is Saturday May 24, 2003.

Thanks

WP17

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This one? steamlocomotive.info
I don't know what it was doing in Amsterdam.

52 8139 is owned by Veluwsche Stoomtrein Maatschappij (VSM), a Dutch heritage railway, that operates between Apeldoorn and Dieren. This locomotive is a former Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR) locomotive of the series 52.80.  Class 52.80 Rekolokomotive https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DR_Class_52.80   (Class 52 2-10-0, buil;t 1943, heavily rebuilt in 1960s to class 52.80 by East German State Railways (Deutsche Reichsbahn) with a more powerful and efficient boiler (has a combustion chamber), feedwater heater (note the trapezoidal Worthington FWH-style mixing chamber on top of the smopkebox), new all-welded cylinders, and eventually Trofimoff piston valves.)

Video of 52 8139 on their Christmas train, December 2016: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdJ8zBm4ivg

- Doug Debs

DR class 52 2-10-0 locomotives were built with a Krauss-Helmholtz front truck ("front bogie" in British parlance).  The pilot truck and leading driving axle are connected by a lever arrangement, so that when the pilot truck swings to the right (on a right-hand curve), the leading driving axle swings to the left, and visa versa.  This allows the locomotive to take the curves more easily,because it tracks like a 4-8-0 instead of a 2-10-0.  So it's easier on the track and the locomotive.  The tradeoff is extra parts to maintain.  More info at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krauss-Helmholtz_bogie

- Doug Debs

Thanks for the info and the links to sites I was unaware of.
Much appreciated

WP17

It was the "Grachten Express" (Canal Express) operated by the VSM from Bad Laer to Amsterdam CS.  Pictures are at the top of this page - http://www.nicospilt.com/index_Ritten2003.htm