This article relies largely or entirely on a single source .(July 2016) |
FS class E.646 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
FS class E.645 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The FS E.645 and E.646 are two classes of similar electric locomotives used on Italian railways. They were introduced during the 1950s and they were retired in 2009.
The E.646 and E.645 locomotives project was started in 1953, with a new model engine that was to be installed on the modified chassis of the already-existing six-axle locomotive E.636. A similar concept for a 4-axle locomotive led to the development of the E.444 high-speed locomotive in the 1960s.
The first prototypes were delivered in October 1958. The first thirty-seven individual locomotives differed only in their livery: twenty built for passenger traffic were painted in grey-green, while seventeen built for goods were painted in auburn. Later, the freight locomotives were reclassed E.645. The total number of locomotives built amounted to 295 units.
Initially, the class E.646 was assigned to fast and heavy passenger trains while the class E.645 was assigned to heavy cargo trains, though it occasionally pulled also passenger trains. Responding to the need for push-pull locomotives, units E.646 187 to 210 were manufactured with control circuits and connectors to be remotely commanded. With the availability of newer locomotive types the E.646 were replaced for fast passenger trains by E.444 and later by E.656 in long range passenger trains. Eventually most of the class E.646 was converted to FS Trenitalia push-pull services, while the remaining others were converted in E.645 and assigned to goods services until 2009. They were replaced by E.464 engines on regional services.
Class E.646 did not follow the standard Italian class numbering rules where the last digit indicates the number of motors, as it mounted 12 two by two mechanically coupled 82-333FS type electric motors, each providing 360 kilowatts (480 hp), fed from the 3000 V catenary. These motors were more powerful than those mounted on the predecessor E.636 class and able to improve performance up to 50% with only a 20% increase in weight; this also increased the mass available for adhesion, giving it better hauling ability.
Maximum speed was 140 km/h (87 mph) for the E.646. The E.645 had a different gear ratio — 21/68 instead of 25/64 — which reduced the maximum speed to 120 km/h (75 mph), while increasing tractive effort. The locomotives weighed 110 t (108 long tons ; 121 short tons ) (E.645: 112).
To reach higher speeds, the motors could be electrically connected in four ways: [1]
Combination | Motors set-up | Field shunts levels allowed | Maximum current allowed |
---|---|---|---|
Series | All motors are connected in series | Five | 700 A |
Series-Parallel | Two branches of six motors each | Five | 1100 A |
Parallel | Three branches of four motors each | Three | 1650 A |
Super-Parallel | Four branches of three motors each | Three (none on some 645) | 1800 A |
Due to the ability of the DC motors to draw very high currents at low speeds, a rheostat needed to be connected in series to the traction motors when starting the train, to avoid drawing excessive current. The rheostat was gradually shunted as speed builds up and is also reintroduced when a transition to another motor configuration is made; like almost every Italian electric locomotive since the E.626, rheostatic shunting was achieved through a controller (a lever mounted on a curved notched support, commonly called respectively maniglione and roncola in Italian) with several notches, each representing a portion of the rheostat, plus four (one for each combination) special intermediate "end combination" notches.
The driver gradually shunted the rheostat by rotating the lever counterclockwise, paying attention to not exceed the maximum allowed current (in that case, the "maximum current relay", and consequently the "Main Breaker" - IR, Interruttore Rapido - opens), until he reached the end combination notches, meaning that the rheostat is fully shunted for that combination; at this point, he could pass to the following combination or insert the field weakening shunts to further increase the motor current. There were 31, 11, 9 and 8 notches on the roncola, each representing a portion of rheostat in the respective combinations.
In the 1960s the E.646 locomotives were updated with the standard 78-wire cables, fire extinguishing systems and automatic rheostatic shunting systems (Avviatore Automatico) to permit remote commanding by driving coaches on commuter push-pull passenger services.
Air pressure was provided by two 1000 L compressors that filled the main tanks used by the braking system and other components (horn, whistle, contactors etc.).
Main auxiliary services also included the 3000 V motor cooling fans, which were also used as generators to create the voltage used to recharge the 24 V DC batteries which fed the low voltage devices (lights, relays, solenoid valves, etc.).
Some units were also fitted with static converters to feed auxiliary services and recharge batteries.
Like all non-electronic Italian locomotives, E.646 were technically simple; driving personnel could often easily fix problems and get the locomotive moving for enough time to end the service or at least free the tracks.
For testing purposes, units E.645.016 and 017 were built with an even shorter gear ratio (20/69) that allowed a maximum speed of 110 km/h. These units were intended to be used for hauling heavy trains on steep lines. This modification was not applied to other E645s, however units 016 and 017 remained on regular service with their gear ratio for many years. Unit 016 was scrapped prematurely, after being involved in Murazze di Vado (see below) accident in 1978, while unit 017 reverted to the usual 21/68 ratio in the first half of the 1990s; however it retained the shorter roncola with considerably less notches than the usual E.645/6 ones.
On April 15, 1978, an accident involved units E.645.016 and E.636.282 in Murazze di Vado (in the province of Bologna). The train hauled by the two locomotives derailed due to damage to the line caused by a landslide, and ended poised over a slope. When the first rescue had already arrived, both locomotives were hit by an ALe 601 railcar on the express service Freccia della Laguna; the railcar coaches fell into the slope, while the locomotives piled up one on top of the other on their sides. The accident caused 32 deaths and 120 wounded. Verona's football club was travelling on the Freccia della Laguna train. They escaped unhurt because at the time of the accident they were having lunch in the restaurant wagon. After the accident, E.645.016 was scrapped.
In Florence Firenze Castello station, on March 23, 1998, unit E.646.009 was hit by EMU ETR 480-34, that was running between Rome and Bergamo, and that passed a signal at 'danger' without stopping ( SPAD ); the accident caused one dead and 39 wounded. The E.646 was later decommissioned.
A diesel locomotive is a type of railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine. Several types of diesel locomotives have been developed, differing mainly in the means by which mechanical power is conveyed to the driving wheels.
The Córas Iompair Éireann 181 Class locomotives were built in 1966 by General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) and numbered B181 to B192.
Electric locomotives were first used on the London Underground when the first deep-level tube line, the City and South London Railway (C&SLR), was opened in 1890. The first underground railways in London, the Metropolitan Railway (MR) and the District Railway (DR), used specially built steam locomotives to haul their trains through shallow tunnels which had many ventilation openings to allow steam and smoke to clear from the tunnels. It was impractical to use steam locomotives in the small unvented tubular tunnels of the deep-level lines, and the only options were rope haulage or electric locomotives.
The FS E.636 is a class of Italian articulated electric locomotives. They were introduced in the course of the 1940s until the 1960s, and have been decommissioned since 2006. They have been one of the most numerous Italian locomotive group, and have been widely employed during their long career, hauling every type of train, ranging from freight to long range passenger services. Their introduction also saw the employment of some revolutionary design concepts, such as the articulated carbody and the three bogies scheme.
The class E 10 is an electric locomotive of the Deutsche Bundesbahn, introduced in 1952. It belongs to the Einheits-Elektrolokomotiven program and was built for express passenger service. In 1968 the series was redesignated as class 110 (E10) and class 112 (E10.12). In 1988 the last series of class 112 locomotives were designated as class 114, and in 1991 the remaining locomotives of class 112 were designated as class 113. In 2006 38 locomotives were designated as class 115.
The Indian locomotive class WAM-4 is a class of 25 kV AC electric locomotives that was developed in 1970 by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works for Indian Railways. The model name stands for broad gauge (W), alternating current (A), mixed traffic (M) engine, 4th generation (4). They entered service in March 1971. A total of 500 WAM-4 were built at CLW between 1970 and 1983, which made them the most numerous class of mainline electric locomotive till its successor the WAG-5.
The Class E.656 is an Italian articulated rheostatic-type electric locomotive built from 1975 to 1989. An evolution of the E.646, they are mixed traffic locomotives, and have been used on every kind of train, ranging from freight to intercity passenger transport.
The E.464 is a class of Italian railways electric locomotives. They were introduced in the course of the 1990s for hauling light trains, especially for commuter service. They were acquired by FS Trenitalia to replace the old E.424 and E.646, dating from the 1940s and 1950s. The class was originally designed by ABB Trazione, later ADTranz, and produced in the Italian plant of Vado Ligure.
The FS E.632 and E.633 are two classes of Italian railways electric locomotives. They were introduced in the course of the 1980s.
The FS E.625 and E.626 are two classes of Italian electric locomotives produced for the Ferrovie dello Stato. They were introduced in the course of the 1920s and remained in service until the 1990s. The E.626 was the first locomotive fed by 3,000 V DC overhead line in Italy.
The FS E.424 is a class of Italian railways electric locomotives. They were built in 1943-1951 and have been decommissioned in 2008.
The FS Class E.405 is a class of electric locomotive built in 42 units by ADTranz originally for the Polish State Railways (PKP), but later acquired by Trenitalia Italian state railways.
The Murazze di Vado train disaster was a railway accident which occurred on 15 April 1978, near Murazze di Vado, an area in the town of Vado, part of the Monzuno comune, Bologna. A passenger train was derailed close to a ravine, and seconds later a second train crashed into it.
The Indian locomotive class WCAM-1 is a class of Bi-current electric locomotives that was developed in 1973 by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works for Indian Railways. The model name stands for broad gauge (W), DC Current (C), AC Current (A), Mixed traffic (M) locomotive, 1st generation (1). They entered service in March 1973. A total of 53 WCAM-1 were built at CLW between 1973 and 1979, which made them the most numerous class of mainline dual-power AC-DC electric locomotive.
The FS Class E.431 was a class of three-phase AC electric locomotives of the Italian State Railways (FS).
FS Class E.432 was a class of three-phase electric locomotives of the Italian State Railways. Forty of these 1′D1′ locomotives were built in 1928 by Società Ernesto Breda and two have been preserved.
FS Class E.332 was a class of three-phase electric locomotives of the Italian State Railways (FS). They were used for the haulage of passenger trains between 1917 and 1963. Designed and built at the same time as the FS Class E.331, they represented an attempt by FS to extend the use of three-phase AC electric traction from primary to secondary routes. Their performance was disappointing and they were relegated to a marginal role, in which they remained despite several modifications.
FS Class E.333 was a class of electric locomotives of the Ferrovie dello Stato (FS), powered by three-phase alternating current, which were in service from 1923 to 1968. They were designed by Kálmán Kandó for hauling fast passenger trains. Having the same electrical equipment as the FS Class E.552 locomotives, they presented the same defects and had to be modified. After modification, they were able to carry out the services for which they were designed.
The Indian locomotive class WAG-4 is a class of 25 kV AC electric locomotives that was manufactured by CLW in the late 1960s for Indian Railways. The model name stands for broad gauge (W), AC Current (A), Goods traffic (G) engine, 1st (1). A total of 186 WAG-4 locomotives were built by The European Group 50 Hz Group/European Group/50 Cycles Group (consortium) between 1967 and 1969. They entered service in 1967.
The SNCF Class BB 900 was a class of 35 mixed-traffic electric locomotives built between 1936 and 1937 for État. The class was a development of the pre-war Midi Class E4700 and very similar to the later Class BB 300 and Class BB 325. Initial use was on the Paris–Le Mans line. The class was withdrawn in 1987 after 50 years in service.