The steam locomotive class 52 no. 036 was built at “Henschel & Sohn GmbH” works in Kassel, Germany in 1942. Builders number - 26954. In 1947 it was incorporated into the USSR Ministry of Communication stock  and adapted to 1524 mm track. It was in operation in the sections of Rezekne, Riga and Jelgava depots. In 1990 the locomotive was withdrawn from the stock and in 1998 it was moved to the museum area.

52 class locomotives production started in 1942 for military reasons and was going on till 1951 at the factories on the territories of Germany, France, Poland and Check. The first German experimental model of Kriegslokomotive was produced on September 12, 1942. Totally there were built 6719 locomotives. After the Second World War up to 2700 this type locomotives operated on the territory of the USSR. In 1952 it was titled as class ТЭ, but old numeration was saved. The Soviet Union used the locomotives on all the territory, but mainly they were used on the western boundaries: on Baltic, Byelorussian, Ukraine railways. In 1960^th its operation on mainline railways ends. Further the locomotives were used in shunting; on industrial railways and as stationary steam boilers. 52 class locomotives were in operation in Latvia from 1943 till 1985.

Technical data:

Power                                                            1104 kW

Maximum speed                                             80 km/h

Maximum steam pressure in the boiler          16 kgf/cm²

Driving wheel diameter                                  1400 mm

The total length of locomotive and tender     22’975 mm

Equipped locomotive and tender weight        135 t