Sentetsu Pureko-class locomotives

Chosen Government Railway Pureko class (プレコ) Korean State Railway Purŏo class (부러오)
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Build date 1911 Total produced 2
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-6-2T Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) Driver dia. 1,370 mm (54 in) Length 10,480 mm (34 ft 5 in) Width 3,100 mm (10 ft 2 in) Height 4,328 mm (14 ft 2.4 in) Adhesive weight 41.05 t (40.40 long tons) Loco weight 58.91 t (57.98 long tons) Fuel capacity 2.70 t (2.66 long tons) Water cap. 6,500 L (1,700 US gal) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 2.50 m2 (26.9 sq ft) Boiler: ​  • Small tubes 166 x 51 mm (2.0 in) Boiler pressure 11.5 kgf/cm2 (164 psi) Heating surface: ​  • Firebox 9.50 m2 (102.3 sq ft)  • Tubes 97.90 m2 (1,053.8 sq ft)  • Total surface 97.90 m2 (1,053.8 sq ft) Cylinders 1 Cylinder size 410 mm × 610 mm (16 in × 24 in) Valve gear Walschaerts
Performance figures Maximum speed 75 km/h (47 mph) Tractive effort 66.0 kN (14,800 lbf)
Career Operators Chosen Government Railway Korean State Railway Class Sentetsu: プレコ KSR: 부러오 Number in class 2 Numbers Sentetsu: プレコ1, プレコ2 KSR: 부러오1, 부러오2 Delivered 1911

The Pureko-class (プレコ) 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".

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.

Description

The Baldwin Locomotive Works of the United States built two 2-6-2 tank locomotives in 1911, which were operated by the privately owned Domun Railway after 1920. Both were taken over by Sentetsu after the nationalisation of the Domun Railway in 1929; after the general renumbering of 1938 they were designated プレコ (Pureko) class and numbered プレコ1 and プレコ2.

Postwar: Korean State Railway 부러오 (Purŏo) class

After the Liberation and partition of Korea, both ended up in North Korea after Liberation, and were operated by the Korean State Railway designated 부러오 (Purŏo) class.