Οι 2-8-0 "Consolidation" ΣΕΚ κλάση Θγ USATC S160 - Greek CH class THg

Μεγάλος είναι ο αριθμός των S-160 που εξακολουθούν να υφίστανται μέχρι σήμερα στον κόσμο. Αυτό κατά ένα μεγάλο μέρος οφείλεται και στο πλήθος που κατασκευάστηκε, πράγμα που την κάνει την πιο πολυάριθμη ατμάμαξα που έχει διατηρηθεί.
Στην καλύτερη ίσως κατάσταση μέχρι πρόσφατα ήταν στο Portland της Αγγλίας η πρώην Θγ.575, Baldwin 3278, την οποία αγόρασε η South Coast Steam από τον ΟΣΕ το 1984 και η οποία είχε αποκατασταθεί πλήρως λειτουργικά με την ονομασία «Franklin D.Roosevelt».
Στην Ελλάδα, εκτός από την ALCo Θγ.576 (αριθ. USATC 3299) που έχει εγκαταλειφθεί στην Τιθορέα, σώζονται σήμερα ακόμη 5 στην Θεσσαλονίκη, σε παρεμφερή κατάσταση :
Lima Θγ.525 USATC 2206
Baldwin Θγ.532 - “ - 3524
Baldwin Θγ.535 - “ - 2226
Lima Θγ.589;/584; - “ - 3666;/3420; - δεν διακρίνονται
Lima Θγ.593 - ” - 3698

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The USATC S160 is a class 2-8-0 steam locomotive, designed for use in Europe during World War II for heavy freight work. They were of a rather simple design, had four-axle tender, power of 1200 HP and top speed of 80 km/h.
The first 2-8-0 was built by Matthias Baldwin in 1866. The locomotive was named "Consolidation" in honor of the recent consolidation of the Beaver Meadow, Penn Haven & White Haven and Lehigh & Mahanoy railroads into the Lehigh Valley. The name was later almost globally adopted for the type.

In view of the invasion in Europe, construction was ordered in 1942/43 by USATC in batches split to the three then most prominent factories in America: Baldwin Locomotive Works, Lima Locomotive Works and American Locomotive Co. A total of 2,120 were built and they were first transferred to England then to Europe and then worked on railroads across the world, including Africa, Asia, all of Europe and South America.
They remained after the war as a relief to the damages in the countries involved in the hostilities or even elsewhere this served the after-war geo-political projects.

As part of the after war relief and reconstruction effort in Greece, 25 USATC S160s were given to SEK (Greek State Railways) in 1946 and formed the «Θγ» (THg) class. The first 17 of them, numbered Θγ.521-537 were coal-burners, while the rest 10, numbered Θγ.551-560, were oil burners. Later, in 1959 SEK bought 25 more S160s third hand from the Italian FS. These were oil burners too and they were numbered Θγ.571-595.
The Θγ class served successfully in pulling freight, passenger and express trains, even served for shunting, for more than 30 years, until the end of the steam era in Greece.
Mainly due to their numbers, rather than the design or build quality, many examples of the S160 have survived into preservation, making them one of the most numerous survivors of all Mainline Steam Locomotives. There are 6 Θγs still existing in Greece, theoretically declared as museum pieces but all the same abandoned in non operating condition:
ALCo Θγ.576 USATC 3299 in Tithorea yard
Lima Θγ.525 - ” - 2206 in Thessaloniki yard
Baldwin Θγ.532 - “ - 3524 - “ - - “ -
Baldwin Θγ.535 - “ - 2226 - “ - - “ -
Lima Θγ.589;/584; - “ - 3666;/3420; (ot clear) - “ - - “ -
Lima Θγ.593 - ” - 3698 - “ - - “ –
We must refer to the probably best preserved (at least until recently) Baldwin Θγ.575 (ex FS 736.073, ex USATC 3278), sold by OSE in 1984 to the South Coast Steam company of Portland, England where it was overhauled and given the name «Franklin D.Roosevelt».