VR Class Tk3
Encyclopedia
The Finnish Tk3 class was a light freight locomotive. It was the most numerous steam locomotive class in Finland with 161 built. 100 locomotives were constructed between 1927 and 1935, with a further 61 ordered and constructed 1943 - 1953.
They were designed for a low axle load of just 10.7 tonnes. This allowed them to operate on lightly laid secondary lines, but during their many years of service, up to the end of the steam era, they were also widely used on main lines hauling also slow passenger trains that had frequent stops.
They were affectionately called "Pikku-Jumbo" (The Little Jumbo) because of their good performance despite their low weight. They had a low fuel consumption (usually Tk3s used birch wood) and good riding characteristics. They also had good steaming characteristics and were very popular among locomotive crews.
The livery of Tk3 was the same as other VR steam locomotives: dark locomotive green with black smokebox. Some locos were lined with thin gold decoration when new. The gold decorations were not repainted during maintenance, so they were seldom seen.
They were designed for a low axle load of just 10.7 tonnes. This allowed them to operate on lightly laid secondary lines, but during their many years of service, up to the end of the steam era, they were also widely used on main lines hauling also slow passenger trains that had frequent stops.
They were affectionately called "Pikku-Jumbo" (The Little Jumbo) because of their good performance despite their low weight. They had a low fuel consumption (usually Tk3s used birch wood) and good riding characteristics. They also had good steaming characteristics and were very popular among locomotive crews.
The livery of Tk3 was the same as other VR steam locomotives: dark locomotive green with black smokebox. Some locos were lined with thin gold decoration when new. The gold decorations were not repainted during maintenance, so they were seldom seen.