Power type Electric Model 30E Total produced 148 | Builder Škoda Works Build date 1957–1961 UIC class Bo'Bo' | |
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Class E 499.1 electric locomotives were constructed and built by Škoda Works in Plzeň for use in Czechoslovakia by the ČSD. They were also used outside Czechoslovakia in Poland as class EP05 and in the Soviet Union as ЧС3 (ChS3).
Contents
After the fall of the iron curtain and consequent upheavals in railway operations they remain in use with a number of railways. Still in the 1980s ČSD locomotives were renumbered to the class 141. After dividing Czechoslovakia in 1993 all locos of this class have remained in Czech republic.
History
The locomotive was produced in the years 1957-1960 in three types. 20E1, the prototype, different from serial production, 30E1 and 30E2. 61 engines were built in those series.
The prototype (E499.101) came into service on February 29, 1959. Most of locomotives stationed in Prague, but some of them were sent to Ústí nad Labem and Česká Třebová. Currently the whole series is being systematically withdrawn with last units used in Prague, Olomouc and Ústí nad Labem.
Technical data
Class E499.1 electric locomotives are used to pull both passenger and freight trains. They have driving cabs on either end of the box. This engine was not suited for multiple steering and shunting purposes. On a straight, horizontal track it could pull 600 t. passenger trains with the speed of up to 120 km/h and 1000 t. freight trains with the speed of 80 km/h.
EU05
In need of modern electric locomotives for passenger trains, and unable to get timely delivery of EU06 locomotives from England, Poland bought 30 locomotives type 44E from its southern neighbours. In 1961 it was the most modern locomotive running on Polish rail tracks. EU05 locomotives pulled fast passenger trains and were based in Warszawa Odolany and later in Warszawa Olszynka Grochowska depots. Those locomotives serviced chiefly connections from Warsaw to Poznań and Katowice.
EP05
In 1969 PKP started testing several changes to enable EU05 locomotives achieving speed up to 160 km/h. It appeared to be possible thanks to changing transmission and as a result by 1977 almost all locomotives had been rebuilt to EP05 class, except for locomotives 09, 12 and 19 which had been scrapped earlier. To distinguish new series from its predecessor the color scheme was changed from two tone green into orange.
Present day
There is one unit of EU05 left in service, which is in fact EP05-22 engine repainted in 2003. It serves as an exhibit in Kraków.
ЧС3 (ChS3)
In 1960 and 1961 87 units of similar type 29E were built for the Soviet Union railways. They were suited to run on the broad gauge rails and received ЧС3 (ChS3) designation. Several units of this locomotive are still in use within Russian Railways pulling mostly passenger trains. In Russia ЧС3 are very often used in pairs.