List of Finnish locomotives


This is a list of locomotives and multiple units that have been used in Finland. VR Group had a monopoly on passenger traffic until 1.1.2021, but is currently the only passenger operator on the Finnish rail network. Some trainsets are however owned by other companies such as. The Finnish railways are laid to the gauge of [5 ft and 1520 mm gauge railways|].

Classification system

At the beginning of traffic, locomotives were distinguished by their names, and by 1865 also by their numbers. In 1887, the locomotives were given their original classification system. It was based on the wheel arrangement of the locomotives: each wheel arrangement was assigned a letter of the alphabet, which was followed by a serial number. The assignment of letters to different wheel arrangements was made when the first locomotive using it was brought into service; the letter A signified a 4-4-0 wheelbase in the Whyte notation, B signified a 0-4-2ST locomotive, C a 0-6-0 locomotive, and so on.
On 8 October 1942, the notation system was changed to two letters and a serial number. The first letter in the designation now signified the types of trains the locomotive was generally planned to haul:H for passenger trains,P for local (commuter) trains,T for freight trains,S for mixed freight-passenger trains andV for a switcher locomotive.
The second small letter indicated the weight of the locomotive:
When diesel locomotives were taken into service in the 1950s, they were additionally differentiated by the steam locomotive classes by beginning their numbering from 11 instead of the next free number in running order. As a result, the last steam-powered heavy passenger locomotive class was designated Hr3, and its first diesel-powered counterpart Hr11.
The current VR locomotive classification system was taken into use on 1 January 1976. The first letter was now used to differentiate between locomotive types: S for electric, D for diesel and T for maintenance equipment. The serial numbers of diesel locomotive classes were not changed, the Hr11 class becoming Dr11. In addition to this the borderline between midweight and heavy locomotives was changed to 15.1 tons and the second letter in multiple units is always m.
The multiple unit classification system follows a similar logic as the locomotive classification system: the first letter signifies the power source and wood gas, followed by the letter m signifyng a multiple unit, followed by a serial number.

Petrol-Paraffin locomotives

Petrol-Paraffin locomotive references

Data from:

Steam locomotives

ImageClassIn serviceNumbersTypeManufacturerWheel arrangementNotes
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class A11860–19111–6Passenger Steam LocomotiveCanada Works, Peto, Brassey and Betts4-4-0
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class A21866–7–8Passenger Steam LocomotiveCanada Works4-4-0
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class A31869–11–20, 44–47, 178–182, 222–227Passenger Steam LocomotiveDübs & Company4-4-0
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class A41872–191863–71Passenger Steam LocomotiveBaldwin Locomotive Works4-4-0
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class A51874– 192757–58Passenger Steam LocomotiveHelsingfors / VRHki Valtionrautatiet, Helsingin konepaja4-4-0“Lankkihattu”; No 58 preserved at the Finnish Railway Museum
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class A61874–59–61, 90–99Passenger Steam LocomotiveG. Sigl Locomotiv-Fabrik4-4-0
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class A71898–228–231Passenger Steam LocomotiveSwiss Locomotive & Machine Works4-4-0
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class B11868–19289–10, 53–56, 150–151Shunter Steam LocomotiveBeyer, Peacock & Company0-4-2ST“Ram”, No 9 preserved at the Finnish Railway Museum. The oldest preserved locomotive in Finland.
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class B21880–100Shunter Steam LocomotiveBeyer, Peacock & Company0-4-2ST
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class C11869–192621–30Freight Steam LocomotiveNeilson & Company No 14270-6-0“Bristollari”, No 21 preserved at the Finnish Railway Museum. The second oldest preserved locomotive in Finland.
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class C21869–31–43, 48–52Freight Steam LocomotiveAvonside Engine Company, Bristol0-6-0“Bristollari”
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class C31872–?74–75Freight Steam Locomotive0-6-0
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class C41875–?62, 78–89Freight Steam Locomotive0-6-0
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class C51881–1930101–114Freight Steam locomotiveHanomag, Hannover No 14770-6-0“Bliksti”, No 110 preserved at the Finnish Railway Museum
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class C6100Freight Steam Locomotive0-6-0
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class D172–732-4-0
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class E11875–?76–770-4-0WT
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class R274–752-6-2WT
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class F11885–193563–64, 115–116,132–133Passenger Steam LocomotiveSwiss Locomotive & Machine Works Societe Suisse No 4340-4-4RT“Felix”, No 132 preserved at the Finnish Railway Museum
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class F21899–?65Baldwin Locomotive Works2-4-2RT
Finnish Steam Locomotive Class M11913–?66Tampella2-8-0T
VR Class Hk1
1898–1959232–241,291–300,322–333Mixed Traffic Steam LocomotiveBaldwin Locomotive Works built 232–241, Richmond Locomotive Works built 291–300, 322–3334-6-0“Big-Wheel Kaanari”, No 293 preserved at the Finland Station, St.Petersburg, Russia
VR Class Hk2
437–446,448–451Mixed Traffic Steam Locomotive4-6-0
VR Class Hk3
447,452–453,471–486Mixed Traffic Steam Locomotive4-6-0
VR Class Hk5
1909–1959439–515Mixed Traffic Steam Locomotive4-6-0No. 497 is preserved at Haapamäki
VR Class Hr1
1937–19741000–1021Passenger Steam LocomotiveLokomo Oy and Tampella Oy4-6-2“Ukko-Pekka”; Not in service 1972; Returned to Service due to oil crisis
VR Class Hr2
1942–19531900–1906Passenger Steam LocomotiveNOHAB4-6-0“Hurricane”;
VR Class Hr3
1942–19531907–1919Passenger Steam LocomotiveNOHAB4-6-0“Hurricane”;
VR Class Hv1
1915–1967545–578,648–655Passenger Steam LocomotiveTampella, Tampereen Pellava- ja Rautateollisuus Oy ; Lokomo Oy4-6-0"Heikki", Hv1 555 only was nicknamed "Princess"; No 555 preserved at the Finnish Railway Museum
VR Class Hv2
1919–1968579–593,671–684,777–780Passenger Steam LocomotiveL. Schwartzkopff and Lokomo4-6-0“Heikki”, No 680 is preserved at Haapamäki
VR Class Hv3
1921–1970638–647,781–785,991–999Passenger Steam LocomotiveTampella, Tampereen Pellava- ja Rautateollisuus Oy; L. Schwartzkopff and Lokomo4-6-0“Heikki”, The following are preserved No 781 Kerava, No 995 Suolahti, No 998 Haapamäki
VR Class Hv4
1912–1964516–529,742–751,757–760Passenger Steam LocomotiveLokomo Oy and Tampella Oy4-6-0“Pikku-Heikki”,Nos 742 & 751 are preserved Haapamäki
VR Class Pr1
1924–1972761–776Local Passenger Steam LocomotiveHanomag; Tampella Tampereen Pellava- ja Rautateollisuus Oy, Lokomo Oy2-8-2T“Paikku”, No 776 preserved at the Finnish Railway Museum
VR Class Pr21942–19601800–1803Local Passenger Steam LocomotiveHenschel & Son4-6-4T"Henschel" No 1800 preserved at Haapamäki
VR Class Rro1914–?1–2Tampella Tampereen Pellava- ja Rautateollisuus Oy0-4-0TNo. 2 preserved at the Finnish Railway Museum
VR Class Sk1
1885–117–131,134–149,152–172,183–190Mixed Traffic Steam LocomotiveSwiss Locomotive & Machine Works Societe Suisse No 4052-6-0“Little Brown”; No 124 preserved at the Finnish Railway Museum
VR Class Sk2
1896–1963196–213,314–321,360–372Mixed Traffic Steam LocomotiveTampella2-6-0No 315 is preserved at Tampere, Tampella
VR Class Sk3
1892–1960173–177,191–195,214–221,334–359,373–406,427–436Mixed Traffic LocomotiveTampella Tammerfors Linne-&Jern-Manufakt.A.B. No 492-6-0,“Grandmother”; No 400 preserved at the Finnish Railway Museum
VR Class Sk4
1898-1960242–253,306–313Mixed Traffic Steam LocomotiveBaldwin Locomotive Works2-6-0"Little-Wheel Kaanari"
VR Class Sk5
66–67Mixed Traffic Steam Locomotive2-6-0
VR Class Sk6
1898-1950254–270Mixed Traffic Steam LocomotiveRichmond Locomotive Works2-6-0“Riksmont”
VR Class Tk1
1899-1959271–290Freight Steam LocomotiveBaldwin Locomotive Works2-8-0“Amerikan Satikka”
VR Class Tk2
1903–1960407–426, 457–4702-8-0“Satikka”, The following are preserved 407 Närpes, 418 Junction City, Oregon, USA, 419 Haapamäki
VR Class Tk3
1927–1975800–899,1100–1118,1129–1170Freight Steam LocomotiveTampella, Lokomo and Frichs2-8-0“The Little Jumbo”
VR Class Tr1
1940–19751030–1096Freight Steam LocomotiveTampella, Tampere / Lokomo, Tampere / Arnold Jung Lokomotivfabrik GmbH, Jungenthal2-8-2“Risto”, 1033 and 1096 preserved at the Finnish Railway Museum
VR Class Tr21946–19681300–1319ALCO, Baldwin Locomotive Works 2-10-0Nicknamed “Truman”. Similar to Russian locomotive class Ye. No 1319 preserved at the Finnish Railway Museum
VR Class Tv1
1917–1974594–617,685–741,900–948,1200–1211Tampella,2-8-0“Jumbo”,The following are preserved no. 609 Haapamäki, no. 933 veturimuseo at Toijala, no 940 Lapinlahti, and no 943 Ylivieska
VR Class Tv2
618–637ALCO2-8-0“Wilson”
VR Class Vk1
1900–1952301–305Local Passenger Steam LocomotiveBaldwin Locomotive Works2-6-4T“Amerikan”, “Iita”
VR Class Vk2
454–455Local Passenger Steam Locomotive2-6-4T“Iita”
VR Class Vk3
1906–1964456, 487–492Local Passenger Steam LocomotiveTampella, Tampereen Pellava- ja Rautateollisuus Oy2-6-4T“Iita”, No 489 preserved at the Finnish Railway Museum
VR Class Vk41910–196268Light Replacement Steam LocomotiveBorsig Lokomotiv Werke (AEG)0-4-0T"Leena", Oldest working broad gauge locomotive in Finland. No 68 preserved at the Finnish Railway Museum
VR Class Vk572–752-8-2T
VR Class Vk670–710-4-4RT
VR Class Vr1
1913–1974530–544,656–670,787–799Shunter Steam LocomotiveHanomag, No 102640-6-0T“Hen”, No 669 preserved at the Finnish Railway Museum
VR Class Vr2
1930–1975950–965Steam LocomotiveTampella0-6-2T"Duck", The following are preserved in Finland No 950 Joensuu, 951 Tuuri, 953 Haapamäki, 961 Jyväskylä, 964 Veturimuseo at Toijala
VR Class Vr3
1924–1975752–756Steam LocomotiveTampella, Hanomag0-10-0T"Rooster" / 'Cockerel", No 755 stored at the Finnish Railway Museum
VR Class Vr41400–1423Vulcan Iron Works0-6-0T
VR Class Vr51948–19711400–1423Vulcan Iron Works0-6-2T"Turkey", No 1422 is preserved at Haapamäki.

Steam locomotive references

Data from:
  • Finnish Railway Museum official website
  • Finnish website with locomotive technical data

Literature

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