Sentetsu Pureshi-class locomotives

4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)Driver dia.1,370 mm (54 in)Length10,222 mm (33 ft 6.4 in)Width2,946 mm (9 ft 8.0 in)Height4,470 mm (14 ft 8 in)Adhesive weight38.50 t (37.89 long tons)Loco weight54.00 t (53.15 long tons)Fuel capacity2.70 t (2.66 long tons)Water cap.6,800 L (1,800 US gal)Firebox:​ • Grate area2.74 m² (29.5 sq ft)Boiler:
​ • Small tubes173 x 51 mm (2.0 in)Boiler pressure11.5 kgf/cm² (164 psi)Heating surface:​ • Firebox9.84 m² (105.9 sq ft) • Tubes91.76 m² (987.7 sq ft) • Total surface101.60 m² (1,093.6 sq ft)Cylinders1Cylinder size410 mm × 610 mm (16 in × 24 in)Valve gearWalschaerts

Performance figures
Maximum speed	75 km/h (47 mph)
Tractive effort	72.1 kN (16,200 lbf)

Career
Operators	Chosen Government Railway Korean National Railroad Korean State Railway
Class	Sentetsu: プレシ KNR: 푸러4 KSR: 부러너
Number in class	Sentetsu: 46
Numbers	Sentetsu: プレシ1–プレシ46
Delivered	1925–

The Pureshi-class (プレシ) locomotives were a group of steam tank locomotives with 2-6-2 wheel arrangement of used by the Chosen Government Railway (Sentetsu) in Korea. The "Pure" name came from the American naming system for steam locomotives, under which locomotives with 2-6-2 wheel arrangement were called "Prairie".^[1]

In all, Sentetsu owned 227 locomotives of all Pure classes, whilst privately owned railways owned another 52; of these 279 locomotives, 169 went to the Korean National Railroad in South Korea and 110 to the Korean State Railway in North Korea.^[2]

Description

The Pureshi class consisted of 46 Purei-class locomotives rebuilt by Sentetsu's Gyeongseong Works from 1925. Major modifications included increasing the size of the firebox to allow the use of lignite, which has a lower caloric value than anthracite coal. Boiler volume was increased, the heat transfer area was increased, the stoker was enlarged, and special attention was given to the prevention of sparks. The performance was found to be good, and eventually 46 Purei class locomotives were rebuilt to Pureshi standard. The redesign work also gave Sentetsu engineers important experience, which was later applied to the design of the Pashishi and Mikasa-class locomotives.^[3] After Sentetsu's general renumbering of 1938 they were numbered プレシ1 through プレシ46.

The original identities of the locomotives rebuilt is unknown.

Postwar

After the Liberation and partition of Korea, the Pureshi-class locomotives were divided between North and South, but the specifics of which engine went where are unclear; those going to the Korean National Railroad in the South would be designated 푸러4 (Pureo4) class, those with the Korean State Railway in the North would be designated 부러너 (Purŏnŏ) class.

References