498.1 "Albatros"

The steam locomotive 498.1, also known as Albatros 1, was a series of steam locomotives manufactured in the 1950s by Škoda Plzeň. Technical improvements to the successful predecessor pushed these locomotives to the pinnacle of steam locomotives in Czechoslovakia. They were deployed on long-distance express routes with a monthly range of up to 20,000 km and remained in service until 1973.

The 498.1 series was a three-cylinder locomotive with a 2'D'1' wheel arrangement and a 5-axle tender 935.2. It was manufactured between 1954 and 1955. Compared to its predecessors from the 498.0 series, it had a larger boiler adopted from the 556.0 series and increased power, which allowed it to pull a 1,000-ton freight train at speeds of almost 100 km/h.

On August 27, 1964, locomotive 498.106 reached a speed of 162 km/h on the test circuit near Velim, which is the speed record for our steam locomotives.

15 units were manufactured, of which 3 have been preserved.

(source: Wikipedia, Atlas of Vehicles Volume 1, photo: Artol)