753 and 754
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Classes 753 and 754 were preceded by class
751, from which they differed externally. 751 186-8 was photographed in Frydlant, Czech Republic, on June 12, 2003.
Czech 753 006-3, photographed at the
border station Zawidów on February 5, 2009.
Slovakian 754 071-9, Vrutky,
April 18, 2009.
754 046-1, leased by PKP InterCity, photographed in Suwałki on January 4, 2015. Photo by Krzysztof Dobrzański (http://swr.podkarpackakolej.net).
Side drawing of the class 754 locomotive;
source: AV vol. 2.
754 026-3 arrives in Korsze
with a train from Białystok. This train will
continue to Warsaw, hauled by an EP07 (currently idle). July 2, 2015.
Earlier photo of this locomotive, taken at
the Gdynia Główna station on August 23, 2014, by
someone who wishes to be known as Travelarz
(source: www.commons.wikimedia.org).
Modernized 753 718-6, operated by Unipetrol Doprava; Petrovice, Czech Republic, March 9, 2010. |
Classes T478.1 and
T478.2 (later 751 and 752, respectively) of Czechoslovakian state railways ČSD were intended mainly as a
replacement for steam locomotives, still used in large number on
non-electrified lines with both freight and passenger trains. Prototype was outshopped from ČKD
works in 1964 and production lasted until 1970, totaling 312 examples. As
they proved slightly too weak for many tasks, modified T478.3 followed in
1968. Despite similar designation it differed in many details. 1500 hp K6S310DR diesel engine was replaced by more powerful
K12V230DR (one prototype was tested with older K12V220DR), rated at 1800 hp, and external appearance changed substantially.
T478.3, later re-classed 753, was a universal locomotive for passenger and
light freight trains, fitted with vapor car heating system. Production
totaled 408 examples in seven batches, differing in minor details; last were
delivered in 1977. The number of
vapor-heated passenger cars in the ČSD fleet
declined rapidly and there was a growing need for a diesel locomotive with
electric train heating system. This materialized in 1975 as class T478.4
(later 754), externally similar, but fitted with up-rated 1985 hp K12V230DR engine, necessary due to higher power
demand. Removal of car heating boiler allowed for substantial increase of
fuel tank capacity, from 2 500 to 3 600 litres.
Apart from two prototypes, which different from production machines in
several details and were later re-classed 754.2, 84 examples were built
between 1978 and 1980 in two batches (24 and 60 examples, respectively). It
was intended to order two more, numbering 60 and 36 examples, respectively,
but these plans were seriously disrupted by a fire that badly damaged the ČKD Smichov
diesel engine works in summer 1980. Manufacture of diesel engines had to be
terminated for a few years. When production could be re-commenced, the need
for new passenger diesel locomotives had declined substantially, mainly due
to the progress of electrification. No more 754s were thus ordered. After the
break-up of Czechoslovakia Czech and Slovak operators took over 60 (including
both prototypes) and 26 locomotives, respectively. As many as 163
class 753 locomotives were rebuilt with steam heating boiler replaced by a
diesel generator and re-classed 750. There were also several other
modernization packages (classes 752.6, 753.7, 755, 756 and 757) – most of
them included re-engining with the Caterpillar 3512 diesel. Eight
modernized locomotives were delivered to Italian operator Ferrovia Adriatica-Sangritana (FAS) and classed D752.5. Classes 750,
753 and 754 were very similar externally and due to characteristic cab
windows immediately earned the nicknames of ‘Brejlovec’
(Czech Republic) and ‘Okuliarnik (Slovakia) – both
ordinary expressions for a person wearing spectacles. In
April 2012 Wrocław-Based STK leased 753 741 from CZ Loko for a few months; the same locomotive was leased
again in June 2013. It was returned in November. In mid-2013 PKP InterCity, pending the delivery of
new diesel locomotives from Newag and Pesa, decided to lease four 754s from ČD. They were intended to operate at the Hel peninsula (where
six-axle diesels are not allowed, due to their impact on tracks) and several
non-electrified lines in north-eastern Poland. In summer 2013 754 025
underwent service tests and was fitted with additional equipment, demanded by
Polish traffic safety regulations. All four locomotives (with service numbers
025, 026, 037 and 046) arrived in June 2014. In January 2015 the fifth
example followed, 754 028. It was planned to return them in 2015, but due to
teething troubles with indigenous SU160 the leasing period was extended –
suitable contract was signed in November 2017 and included an option for
further two examples, which finally arrived in May 2018 (service numbers 015
and 041). For the reason mentioned above, Czech 754s, which have retained
their original liveries, were immediately dubbed ‘Nurek’
(diver). Currently (July 2022) four of them still remain in the PKP InterCity service. The fifth one,
754.037-0, burned down in June and is currently awaiting decision on its
further fate. At
least seven class 753.7 locomotives owned by ČD Cargo have been certified for operation in Poland; currently
(July 2022) three of them are operated by ČD
Cargo Poland, Polish subsidiary of Czech national operator. Furthermore, three class 753.7
locomotives are owned by Ostrava-based PKP
Cargo International a.s., third largest freight
trains operator in Czech Republic. This company was formerly known as OKD Doprava a.s. and then, until October 2019, as Advanced World Transport a.s. In 2014 PKP
Cargo purchased 80% of the company’s shares and in 2019 the remaining
20%, becoming its sole owner. Visits of these locomotives in Poland are only
occasional. Main
technical data
1) Class 753 and class 754, respectively. 2) Leased, including one 753; plus three owned by ČD Cargo Poland. As for July 2022. References and acknowledgments
- www.kolejowaklatka.org (website by Marek Dąbrowski); - AV vol. 2, MAL; - Krzysztof
Dobrzański (private communication); - article by
Piotr Kilanowski (SK vol. 9/2016). |
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