In service 1928–1955 Constructed 1928, 1930 Fleet numbers 1, 4 and 5 | Manufacturer VR Pasilan Konepaja Number built 3 | |
Number preserved 1 (in the Finnish Railway Museum) | ||
The VR Class Ds1 was the first Diesel Multiple Unit of the Finnish State Railways. It was ordered in 1927. The Ds1 was built by the Pasila workshop, but the automotive parts including the engine were supplied by the Swedish company DEVA. Ds1 has a diesel engine and an electric drive, with a diesel generator providing power to the wheels. A cab is at either end of the vehicle, so that the vehicle did not have to be turned at terminal stations. The vehicle consisted of a motor room, a luggage compartment, and a 3rd class passenger compartment bare on a wooden bench seating.
The Finnish State Railways started ordering Diesel multiple units and railcars, as road transport began to compete with rail passenger services. To compete with car and bus services the state railway added a number of train services and intermediate halts to its network. The use of steam locomotives on quiet railway lines would have been inappropriate, and the associated costs would have been too high.
The last Ds1 was withdrawn in 1955, the same year as the first VR Class Dm7 was completed.