BR285
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246 002-0, in Metronom
livery, during factory tests. Date and location unknown. Photo from www.bombardier.com.
BR285 127, Lotos Kolej, photographed in Opole Groszowice on September 1, 2011. Photo by Michał Korfel (from my
collection).
Another picture of this locomotive: Koluszki station, July 25, 2012.
BR285 129, photographed in Zduńska Wola Karsznice on December 19, 2011.
The same locomotive and location, slightly
better picture: April 25, 2012.
December 21, 2011, and the first snow: BR285
124, Długołęka.
The same locomotive photographed in Stare Juchy on August 20, 2021.
This time with a draft of cement cars: BR285
125, Turoszów station, April 26, 2012.
BR285 122, photographed in Zduńska Wola Karsznice on December 11, 2012.
The same location: BR285 130, Lotos Kolej,
August 19, 2013.
245 201-9, Nord-Ostsee Bahn, Westerland (Sylt),
Germany, June 9, 2015. Photo by Christian Thiessen (www.commons.wikimedia.org) |
Almost in parallel
with the basic design of TRAXX electric locomotives, ordered by a number of
operators, Bombardier Transportation developed their diesel-electric
version. Two principal variants are P160DE and F140DE; P and F stand for
‘passenger’ and ‘freight’, respectively,
and numerals indicate maximum speed. First order for eleven P160DEs
was placed by Landesnahverkehrsgesellschaft
Niedersachsen in September 2005, for the non-electrified line
Hamburg-Cuxhaven. These locomotives, classed 246, are operated by Metronom Eisenbahngesellschaft (now Regionalverkehre Start Deutschland) and the entire
order was completed in November 2007. In 2011 three 246s were declared
surplus; two were sold to Havelländische Eisenbahn AG and one to Inbetriebnahmegesellschaft
Transporttechnik. Freight version was ordered
by Luxembourg-based CBrail leasing company
and by SNCF Fret. Order for ten examples for CBrail
(classed 285) was placed in February 2006 and completed in 2008. First
locomotive, 285 001, was fitted with car heating and lighting sockets; these
were deleted in later examples (numbered from 285 100 onwards), as they are
intended for freight traffic, but can be easily fitted if necessary. 285 110
was used by Bombardier as a test vehicle for the French variant, later
to be renumbered 076 101 and sent to the Netherlands for homologation. In
order to make up for its loss, additional example 285 111 was delivered in
2010. All 285s owned by CBrail have been
leased to various German operators; 285 107 saw some service in Slovakia and
Czech Republic. French railways received their first locomotives (classed BB
76000, fitted with up-rated 2 400 hp diesel
engines) in 2010. It was intended to order 45 examples in all, with an option
for further 35. Of these, fifteen were to be formally owned by Akiem, a SNCF subsidiary, and made
available for leasing to other operators. However, deliveries to SNCF Fret ended up with 15th
example in 2013; in 2016 all were withdrawn and sold. In October 2009 Lotos Kolej
ordered six 2 400-hp F140DEs, increasing their number to ten in May 2010.
First of them arrived in April 2011 and deliveries were completed until
September. These locomotives have ‘double’ service designations, being
numbered 3 650 016 through 025 and BR285 121 through 130; usually they are referred
to as class BR285. In accordance with the operator’s profile (Lotos Kolej is a
subsidiary of a large petrochemical company), they are most frequently
encountered with drafts of tank cars for oil products. Until now (August
2020) no more purchases for any Polish operator have followed. In 2012 Bombardier
revealed next diesel-powered TRAXX variant, designated P160DE ME, with last
two letters standing for ‘multi-engine’. Externally similar to the earlier
version, this locomotive is powered by four 540 hp
diesels, probably delivered from truck power units. Such layout is expected
to offer superior economy and flexibility, as individual engines may be
switched off when less power is demanded. First firm order for twenty
examples for DB Regio (class 245) was placed
in 2012 and deliveries began in 2014. Preliminary framework order from DB
covered 200 examples in all. According to the manufacturer’s website, until
now (August 2020) a total of 101 diesel-powered TRAXX locomotives in all
variants has been delivered. As with all other locomotives of this type,
bodies are built in Poland, at the former Pafawag
works. Main
technical data
1)
Until August 2020. 2)
P160DE/F140DE; with modified traction engines
suspension, up to 200 km/h. 3)
Depending on variant (see main text). References and acknowledgments
-
www.railcolor.net,
www.kolejowaklatka.org, www.railwayfaneurope.net; -
SK (various issues); |
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