Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-10-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, ten powered and coupled driving wheels on five axles, and no trailing wheels. These locomotives were popular in Europe, particularly in Germany and in Russia. In the former Soviet Union they came from several sources: US imports, German war trophy and locally built. Among the locally built, the L (Lebedyanski) series was one of the more advanced steam locomotives built in the country.
To make up for the severe damage caused by the fighting in the WWII, the USSR needed more effective freight power, so between 1945 and 1955 a total of 4200 units of class L were delivered. The L was no more powerful than the SO17, but its maximum speed raised from 75 to 90km/h. These were popular freight locomotives and survived into the strategic reserve era, joining hundreds of the E series in that important if static rôle. Another 522 were built from 1954 in a 2-10-2 version, class LV.
One of these L series locomotives, L-112, was installed in 2008 in the center of the city Prokopyevsk, as a monument in sign of respect and gratitude to the participants of the construction of the railway line Kolchugino (Leninsk-Kuznetsky) - Prokopyevsk (1921), which helped essentially to develop this coal mining area. It was one of the projects realised by Komsomol shock brigades, of which the Soviet propaganda named them shock construction projects.
About the stamps
The stamps are part of a series dedicated to Russian Kremlins, about which I wrote here.
References
2-10-0 - Wikipedia
Red Star Steam - The International Steam Pages
Sender: Oksana / solnishko36 (postcrossing) RU-4337055
Sent from Prokopyevsk (Kemerovo Oblast / Russia), on 08.02.201
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