The XK13 was the smaller of two classes of industrial tank locomotives supplied to China by Poland in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Like the ET7, the XK13 was a standard Polish industrial design known as the T3A or "Ferrum 724". Although the T3A bears a passing resemblence to the USATC 0-6-0T which became class XK2, it was based on the pre-war Polish T2A, itself a development of the 1927 T1A, a design heavily influenced by Austrian practice. Around 480 T3As were built by Fablok (Chrzanów) between 1947 and 1961. China received 82 locos of the export variant, the Ferrum 724, between 1958 and 1960. These dates are confirmed by observations of builder's plates on the Chinese locos. Like the ET7s, the XK13s were fitted with enclosed cabs and knuckle couplers. More information can be found on Tomasz Galka's informative "Standard Gauge Locomotives in Poland" site: http://www.locomotives.com.pl/ which gives a detailed description of the T3A class and yielded much of the information above.

All the XK13s reported by western enthusiasts have been in steelworks service and it is likely that they spent their whole lives working in the steel industry. Although a number were reported in use in the late 1980s, most were withdrawn soon afterwards. The last reports of XK13s in service were in 1990 at Capital Iron and Steel in Beijing and Baotou Steelworks in 1991. One of Baotou's engines was reported under repair in 1993 but was not observed in service afterwards. This engine is one of two XK13 reported to be stored in good condition at Baotou as late as April 2004.

In common with the Polish built ET7 class, the XK13s are thought to have been delivered with numbers derived from their builder's number. XK13 5551 carried a plate identifying it as Chrzanów No 5551 of 1960. Other locos have been reported carrying numbers which don't match their builder's number but these may well be local renumberings, for which the Chinese steel industry was noted. Beijing's Capital Iron & Steel renumbered its XK13 into the 1xx series. A loco numbered 512 was noted at Shanghai No 5 steelworks.

No less than four XK13 are reported as preserved. XK13 3858 is in the Shenyang museum collection while XK13 131 is plinthed at Capital Iron & Steel in Beijing, XK13 5902 is plinthed at Baotou Steelworks and XK13 113 is plinthed at Shougang Steelworks near Tangshan.

Vital Statistics

Class Designation XK13
Descriptive Name  
Number Series See Above
Builders Fablok Chrzanów
Building Dates 1958-1960
Number Built 82 (for China)
Boiler Pressure 13.3 bar / 193 psi
Grate Area 1.7 sq m
Total Heating
Surface		  
Superheater Area  
Wheel Arrangement 0-6-0T
Driving Wheel
Diameter		 1150 mm
Cylinders, Number 2 (outside)
Cylinders, Diameter/Stroke 460 mm x 540 mm
Valve Gear Walschaerts
Tractive Effort 7850 kg
Power Output
(Wheel Rim)		 294 kW
Maximum Speed 40 km/h
Overall Weight 44 t
Overall Length 9.1 m
Coal Capacity 3.5 t
Water Capacity 5000 l