SP32
and SP49
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This SP32-026 was photographed near the
Kudowa Zdrój station in May 2001.
SP32-138 with a passenger train shortly after departure
from Uherce; photo taken on
SP32-098, probably withdrawn; photo taken at the
Kamieniec Ząbkowicki depot on
…while this re-engined SP32-148, photographed on
the same occasion, still remains in service, but is not looking very well.
Modernized SP32-209 (ex
SP32-110), photographed at the
This photo of the SP49-002 has been taken from www.kolejowaklatka.org,
but can be found at various other Internet sites; no author has yet appeared
to claim the distinction!
SP32 side drawing by M.Ćwikła from SK 5/99.
Modernized SP32-210 (ex SP32-128) at a railway
crossing near Głogówek (the signpost was obviously in a wrong place!); June
14, 2008. |
Steam locomotives remained in service with local passenger trains in Poland until 1990s, longer than in any European country. A need for some replacement was, however, recognized much earlier. Indigenous classes SP45 (later SU45) and SU46 were successful machines, but their production was halted in 1977 and, despite some efforts, could not be re-commenced in the 1980s, due to economical crisis; moreover, these locomotives were too heavy and powerful for many potential tasks. It was therefore decided to order a new diesel locomotive from the 23 August works of Bucharest (former Malaxa, then FAUR). Romanian manufacturers had already supplied successful standard-gauge and narrow-gauge diesels for PKP (ST43 and Lxd2, respectively), so their capabilities seemed unquestioned. A contract was thus placed for 200 examples. Contrary to the above-mentioned earlier classes, new locomotive, with factory designation LDE1300, was of a completely new design, developed specially for PKP, and had some novel and modern features, like ac generator, electrodynamic braking and adjustable control desk. Certain elements and sub-assemblies were, however, adapted from earlier locomotives (e.g. traction engines, wheelsets and suspension were the same as in class 060DA, or ST43). Initially it was intended to fit multiple control, hence new machine was designated SP49. First two examples, SP49-001 and SP49-002 (serial numbers 24995 and 24996) were delivered in 1985, but soon it was decided to proceed with the single-control variant only, so class designation was changed to SP32 and in 1987 both prototypes were re-classed, to be written off in 1992. Two SP49s saw little service, so few photos are known, but some – of unknown authorship – can be found at various Internet sites. Initial service experience with SP32 was far from satisfactory. New locomotives quickly proved very unreliable and manufacturing quality turned out to be poor. Engine, generator and compressor failures were commonplace. Despite many detailed improvements, introduced in later batches, this situation never substantially improved and SP32 immediately earned itself a contemptuous nickname of ‘Ceausescu’s revenge’. At times one-third of the entire fleet was immobilized due to serious failures and it was not uncommon for a SP32 to be accompanied by a ST43, ‘just in case’. Moreover, these locomotives proved too weak for many tasks, especially in mountainous areas and during winter, when car heating was on (and demanded some 250 kW with a six-car draft). No wonder, thus, that only 152 examples were delivered and orders for the remaining 48 were cancelled. Last two locomotives arrived in 1991 (serials 25570 and 25571), but went directly to railway stock repair works in Piła (now Interlok) and later were given service numbers SP32-001 and SP32-002, replacing two prototypes withdrawn earlier that year. For a comparatively ‘young’ class, withdrawals started early. On January 1, 1999, PKP had (according to rosters quoted in SK) only 102 examples, not all of them serviceable. It was intended to retain 100 machines in service and fit them with new diesel engines until 2005, but due to financial problems only a handful underwent such conversions. Five examples (SP32-073, -096, -147, -148 and -149) were fitted with new MTU 12V396TC12 diesels (license-built in Romania) of the same rating as the original ones. Between 2000 and 2003, ten more underwent more thorough modernizations; apart from numerous minor improvements, they were fitted with MTU 12V396TC14 diesels rated at 1380 hp and state-of-the-art control and diagnostic systems. All locomotives from the second batch were renumbered. First of them, SP32-130, became SP32-201 and returned to service in November 2000. Until now, nine more followed: SP32-046 (renumbered to SP32-202), -044 (203), -053 (204), -113 (205), -043 (206), -062 (207), -076 (208), -110 (209) and -128 (210). Formally they are owned by a leasing company, but have retained PKP livery. All remaining 87 SP32s have been withdrawn from active service between June and July 2004, even if some of them have not been formally written off. Further modernizations seem rather unlikely. Many withdrawn SP32s are currently kept at the railway stock repair works (ZNTK) of Poznań, awaiting a decision on their future. Recently one of them (SP32-120, 23 August 25427/1989) has been overhauled and adapted for switching at the company premises. SP32 was the last class, ordered in quantity for PKP, until the appearance of EU43 in 2008. Most of these locomotives were outlived in service by their elder predecessors and only one-tenth of the total number still remains in service. Main technical data
1) Including
two SP49s, later re-designated SP32. 2) MTU
12V396TC12 (license-built in 3) 74
500 kg in modernized locomotives. 4) With
12V396TC14 engine. References and acknowledgments
Concise
description can be found in |
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