ST43
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First 060DA for CFR during
tests in Switzerland. Photo taken on May 14, 1959, and supplied by someone
who wishes to be known as Flodur44 (source: www.commons.wikimedia.org).
Slightly derelict, but saved from being
scrapped: ST43-01 at the Chabówka Rolling Stock
Heritage Park,
...and second photo, taken on
CFR 60-1238-9 and 060-DA-1004 (both
designations are still in use!). Photo: Mircea Dorobantu Six ST43s, PKP (first one is ST43-226),
photographed at the Węgliniec depot on
…and derelict
ST43-226 at Jelenia Góra loco depot three
years later (
Another picture from the Jelenia Góra depot: ST43-206 (most probably withdrawn), November
29, 2008.
In 2008, there were still many withdrawn
ST43s at the Węgliniec depot: the first one is
ST43-390, followed by ST43-332. Photo taken on July 16.
CFR class 62 with a passenger train. Photo: Mircea Dorobantu…
… and class 60 with a heavy freight train.
Photo: Mircea Dorobantu
Modernized 65-0944-2, operated by CFR Calatori, photographed in Pitesti on February 12,
2008. Photo by Stefan Puscacu (thanks for
permission!).
Derelict ST43-02 (Electroputere
205/1965) at the Industry and Railway Museum in Jaworzyna Śląska; there are
chances of restoration, anyway (
Side drawing of Bulgarian class 06 from LBDZ; apart from slightly different
life guards and decorative stripes, this machine is identical to ST43.
060DA-2384, Lotos Kolej, double-heading with a SM42;
photo taken in Zduńska Wola
Karsznice on
060DA is the principal heavy diesel in the Lotos Kolej
fleet; this 060DA-2222 was photographed on
...060DA-2392 followed on
... and 060DA-1341 two days later; this
example still carries the livery of the leasing company...
...while 060DA-1079, photographed on the same
occasion, has already been repainted.
Again in Karsznice:
060DA-1020,
…and 060DA-1079, July 16, 2008.
Another 060DA leased by Lotos Kolej: 060DA-2332, photographed at the
same location on
…and yet another: ST43-2394, photographed on
July 16, 2008. Note different designation systems.
ST43-R006, CTL Rail, photographed near the Miejska
Górka sugar plant on For several years, following the drastic
reduction of the ST44 fleet, ST43 was the most numerous heavy diesel in the PKP service. Some pictures can be
found here.
060DA-1009 (Electroputere 1009/1971),
operated by PTKiGK Rybnik. Photo taken in Zebrzydowice on
Withdrawn ST43-316, photographed at the Węgliniec depot on
This ST43-R011 probably belongs to CTL Rail, but has no logo or operator
name and is painted in gloomy black/grey – hope this is some interim livery? Bolesławiec,
New and old CTL Rail (now CTL Logistics)
liveries are displayed by double-heading ST43-R015 and ST43-R006,
respectively; Nysa station,
060DA-2410 displays new Lotos
Kolej livery – I like it. Zduńska Wola Karsznice,
March 18, 2009.
060DA-1003, PTKiGK
Rybnik, photographed at the Sosnowiec Jęzor
depot on April 14, 2009.
A very beautiful picture of the 060DA-2306, PTK,
with the Łagisza power station in the background;
May 7, 2009. Double designation on the front wall is noteworthy. Photo by Ryszard Rusak (thanks for
permission!).
ST43-R012 from the CTL Rail fleet; Bolesławiec, August 5, 2009.
Zduńska Wola Karsznice
again: 060DA-2335 from the Lotos Kolej fleet, November 23, 2009…
…and 060DA-2186 from the same company:
February 19, 2010. Last 060DAs operated by Lotos
Kolej were withdrawn in late 2012.
Hardly resembling the ‘old’ 060DA, the Carpathia 2300 DE-M is seen here at the Innotrans 2010 fair in Belin. Photo taken
by Chris West on September 22, 2010 – many thanks!
060DA-2976 operated by Euronaft
Trzebinia, photographed in Zduńska
Wola Karsznice on October
21, 2011.
The same locomotive photographed in Tomaszów Mazowiecki on April 27, 2012.
ST43-R005, operated by CTL Logistics,
photographed in Nowa Sól
on February 4, 2009. Photo by Michał Korfel (from my collection).
The same locomotive, photographed at the PESA
premises in Bydgoszcz on March 9, 2013.
Another locomotive from the CTL Logistics fleet:
ST43-R004, photographed in Zduńska Wola Karsznice on March 2, 2012.
060DA-1701, PTKiGK
Rybnik (ex KEG 2126), location and date
unknown (photo from my collection). This locomotive was purchased in 2006 and
transferred to DB Schenker Rail Bulgaria in
December 2010.
Several photos by Bartek
Łoziński (from my collection) of Romanian 60s:
60-1218-1, July 28, 2003…
…60-0746-8, the same date…
…60-0945-0, the same date…
…60-0577, the same date (must have been a
very busy day!)…
…60-1375, photographed near Periş two
days earlier…
…and 60-0510-2, Jibov,
July 31, 2003.
ST43-R013, operated by CTL Logistics; Kędzierzyn-Koźle, March
28, 2014.
ST43-R006 from the CTL Rail fleet, location and date unknown. Photo from my
collection.
Back To Romania: 60-1376, CFR Călători (with 50 506 in the
background), Tulcea, September 12, 2017…
… and 60 1682, DB Cargo Romania, photographed in Fetești on the next day. Both photos by Chris West
(thanks for permission!).
Three locomotives from the PTKiGK Rybnik fleet, photographed by Mariusz Niżyniec at the Jankowice
colliery (from my collection): 060DA-929, July 5, 2008…
… 060DA-1003, November 17, 2008…
… and 060DA-1389, July 24, 2009. All are ex-CFR locomotives and were transferred
to DB Schenker
Rail România in early 2010s.
ST43-R004, CTL Logistics,
photographed in Sosnowiec Jęzor on September 16,
2021. This locomotive is ex-CFR
60-1373, sold to Karsdorfer Eisenbahngesellschaft
in 2002 and then to CTL in 2004.
ST43-R005, CTL Logistics
(formerly CFR 60-1068, then KEG 2101), photographed at the same
location on September 15, 2022.
ST43-422, the last example purchased by PKP, photographed at the Railway Stock Heritage Park in Chabówka on April 6, 2024. |
In early 60s,
steam locomotives were being withdrawn from the PKP service in large numbers, more in order to keep in line with
current trends than due to economic factors (coal was readily available and relatively
cheap). However, electrification did not progress as rapidly as previously
envisaged and this created an urgent need for heavy diesel freight
locomotives. Polish industry had never built such machines; in fact, only
small and rather primitive switchers were then manufactured in quantity.
Design work obviously had to take some time, so purchase from a foreign
manufacturer remained the only solution. Political factors certainly limited
the number of possible suppliers and the choice fell on the Romanian 060DA
heavy line diesel locomotive. Romania
was a ‘black sheep’ among the CMEA
(Council for Mutual Economical Aid)
countries, often demonstrating a certain degree of independence. This was
sometimes manifested in purchasing licenses from Western countries, and
diesel locomotives provided an example. In 1959 Romanian state railways CFR purchased six – some older sources
give ten, which is incorrect – 060DA machines in Switzerland. They were
manufactured against a Romanian order by Schweizerische
Lokomotiv- und Maschinenfabrik
(SLM) of Winterthur, with serial numbers 4246 through 4251. Their
prime mover was developed by Sulzer from a pre-war design of rather
uncommon layout. Twelve-cylinder diesel engine comprised two separate
vertical six-cylinder blocks, each with an individual crankshaft, and a
common gearbox. Diesels of this type have also been built for France and UK;
they were considered reliable and trouble-free units. In order to spped up design and production, the body was based on
(and externally similar to) that of SBB Ae 6/6 electric locomotive.
License production started in 1960 at the Electroputere
works of Craiova, first ten locomotives being assembled from Swiss-made
components. This factory had been founded in 1949 to produce machinery and
equipment for power industry and transport; in 1990 it was split into seven
companies, to become SC Electroputere
SA holding four years later. Manufacture of electrical (Brown-Boveri license) and mechanical (SLM license)
components, as well as the final assembly, were located there, diesel engines
being manufactured at Reşita
works. Initial agreement stipulated a batch of forty Romanian-built
locomotives; their number would eventually exceed 2400, to make them the most
numerous European diesel locomotive (excluding those built in the USSR). Class
060DA, in the 1970s re-classed 60, soon became the principal heavy line
freight diesel with CFR. Initially
production rate was not impressive, only eight examples being built in 1961,
but later soared up to the maximum of 146 in 1974. Class 60 soon earned a
reputation of strong, robust and reliable, if not particularly advanced,
locomotive, giving good performance in mountain regions. Further development
included passenger version with car heating equipment, different gear ratio
and maximum speed increased to 120 km/h (060DA1, from 1966 onwards class 62)
and 1524 mm track version (class 67, from 1972 – for domestic use at border
stations). According to data supplied by Adrian Raduta
(many thanks!), production of these locomotives at Electroputere
lasted until 1993, totaled 2492 examples and included 1407 machines for CFR between 1960 and 1981, 130 for
Bulgarian railways BDŽ (class 06,
between 1966 and 1975) and 373 machines supplied to China between 1971 and 1990
(class ND2 – other sources give 285 and hence a grand total of 2404).
Besides, 160 locomotives of this type were supplied to various industrial
operators, who in 1993 received the last two 060s built. These locomotives
still remain in use. It should be kept in mind that in the old designation
system (in fact based on that used by French SNCF) ‘060’ referred to
axle arrangement and did not distinguish any particular type; for example,
060DD and 060DF were completely different locomotives. From 1999 onwards, a
few dozen examples have been modernized (new GM 8-710G3 power-pack, new body and heating equipment). They have
been given new CFR service
designations, class 63 (first three examples) or class 65 (subsequent
machines, with modified body); service numbers have been retained. Ten
second-hand 060s from CFR were sold
to Iran, where they are operated by national railways RAI under their original designation. In fact, a version
designated 060DB for Iran appeared as early as in 1971, but only two
prototypes were built, which eventually remained in Romania and went to
industry. They were fitted with up-rated engines and had only one cab. In
2010, the Romanian company REMAUL revealed a thoroughly modernized
variant Carpathia 2300 DE-M with
Caterpillar 3512C diesel engine, ac generator and completely redesigned body. Decision
to purchase the 060DA for PKP was
taken in June 1964 and the first batch comprised thirty machines, put into
service from March 1965 onwards and designated ST43. This class was intended
to replace heavy freight steam locomotives Ty246 and Ty51, primarily on
routes between Silesia and western Baltic Sea ports. Deliveries lasted until
1978. Between 1965 and 1974, 35 to 45 examples were delivered each year; last
three batches of ten locomotives each were received in 1976, 1977 and 1978.
In all, 422 examples were supplied. Machines from ST43-156 onwards were
fitted with slightly modernized 12LDS28B engine of the same output. ST43-276
introduced new brakes and from ST43-278 length was increased by 400 mm
(longer frame, due to the introduction of the automatic coupler), with a
slight increase in overall weight. From ST43-313 onwards automatic
fire-extinguishing system was fitted. ST43 was more powerful than its main
competitor in the PKP service, the
famous ‘Gagarin’ ST44 (Soviet M62), although the latter was larger and
certainly looked (and sounded!) more impressive. Indigenous SU46, which
finally appeared in 1974, was still more powerful, but supplied only in small
numbers – its production was halted in 1977 due to factors other than
economical. Just
like with CFR, these locomotives
earned a good reputation in Poland, being considered strong and reliable;
ease of maintenance was also praised and economy was considerably better in
comparison with the ST44, which had an enormous appetite for fuel and oil.
They were used mainly with heavy freight trains. During summer they also
hauled passenger and even fast trains, but the lack of heating devices
precluded their widespread use in this role. Withdrawal of the ST43s began in
early 80s due to three reasons: advances in electrification of main lines,
rapid increase of fuel prices and decreasing transportation needs. However,
thanks to their better economy, they fared better than ST44s, at least
initially. Most were withdrawn and kept in reserve (which did not necessarily
imply good overall condition), but many were later restored in service. Plans
from late 1990s envisaged a large-scale modernization of these locomotives:
it was intended to fit them with new, modern diesel engines of unspecified
type, apart from various minor modifications. Although these plans were to
include as many as 250 examples, they ended up in nothing. After most ‘Gagarins’ have been sold for scrap or abroad, ST43 became
the most numerous heavy line diesel locomotive in Poland. It was even planned
to transfer some to north-eastern Poland, where they had never been used
before, but, according to some sources, they were not found well suited to
heavy winter conditions, quite common in this region, and these plans were
later abandoned. Rosters compiled by Paweł Terczyński and given in AL list 174 machines in
the PKP inventory in late 2006,
certainly not all serviceable. According to the article by Paweł Czech (KMD vol. 1-2/2011), in late 2010 PKP
Cargo had 134 examples, of which 106 were serviceable and 28 awaited
repairs, at least in theory – many were in fact cannibalized for spares.
Lists available at www.kolejowaklatka.org
(website by Marek Dąbrowski) gave 133 examples with
PKP in mid-2011. During next three years this number fell to 127, of
which many were kept in reserve. Contrary to ST44 and SU46, no modernization
program has ever been launched for class ST43. In mid-2014 PKP Cargo cleared 48 withdrawn
examples for sale, but probably only two (according to the above-mentioned
website) were sold to a small private operator Wiskol in September 2015. According to SK, in late 2017 PKP Cargo
had just eight ST43s in service; during next few months, several were
withdrawn due to serious failures or completed mileage between overhauls. In
early 2019 PKP Cargo had only two
examples (ST43-355 and ST43-366) in service. The former, based in Lower
Silesia, ran for the last time with a freight train on March 14. ST43-366,
based in Jasło, hauled its last freight train on
April 25; three days later it was withdrawn from use, after a final run with
a special passenger train for railway fans. Both these locomotives are
intended for preservation. Although
ST43 were primarily purchased by PKP,
several withdrawn examples were later purchased by various private operators
– sometimes via scrap-disposal companies, when they awaited an inglorious
end. According to rosters quoted in KMD, SK and various Internet sources, 53 examples were purchased by
eight private railway companies. These included CTL Rail (later CTL Logistics, 15), Lotos Kolej (10), PTKiGK Rybnik
(13), PTKiGK Zabrze (3), PCC Rail (5, all
sold to Lotos Kolej)
PRKiI (track maintenance company, 2),
FER Polska (2) and EuroNaft (3). One more,
ST43-20, was transferred to a quarry as early as in May 1985 – in fact it was
the first locomotive of this type not operated by PKP. Most of these machines, depending on individual user, were designated
ST43 or 060DA plus service number (often, but not always, corresponding to
serial). Many of them – at least 26 – were ex-CFR machines, bought via German Karsdorfer Eisenbahngesellschaft (KEG). At least two came
from Spanish Comsa Rail Transport –
probably all were also ex-CFR locomotives. Some 060DAs from CFR
can be distinguished by double top headlights – those purchased by PKP had single ones. According to www.kolejowaklatka.org, in
mid-2011, after various transformations, exchanges and withdrawals,
locomotives of this type were owned by CTL Logistics (13), DB Schenker Rail Polska (7), EuroNaft (6), PRKiI
(2), FER Polska (2) and Lotos
Kolej (1) – 31 examples in all. In particular, Lotos Kolej,
following purchases of modern brand-new motive power, have got rid of all
their ST43s. The fate of two locomotives owned by FER Polska,
currently designated ST43-2416 (initially 60-2416) and ST43-1221, is not
clear, as this company (a joint venture of Rail4Chem and Comsa Rail Transport) went into liquidation
in late 2010. Most probably they have been sold. Most withdrawn ST43s were
sold back to Romania, but their subsequent fate is not known. Three were
transferred by DB Schenker Rail to Bulgaria.
Four private-owned 060DAs were written off and scrapped between 2001 and
2011. Currently (June 2019) these locomotives are owned by only two private
operators: CTL Logistics (ten) and Orlen KolTrans
(six); not all of them are operational. ST43-01
(first example in the PKP
inventory) recently somehow managed to find its way to the Chabówka rolling stock heritage park; its condition is
not very good, but at least it has been saved from scrapping. ST43-02 is
preserved at the Industry and Railway
Museum in Jaworzyna Śląska,
unfortunately in bad condition; currently it is not on display there, but
will probably be restored. According to SK
and SS, ST43-80 is also intended
for preservation. In August 2022 ST43-422, the last example purchased by PKP, was also transferred to Chabówka. First
060DA supplied to CFR has also been
preserved in Romania, at the Dej locomotive depot. Main
technical data
1)
Up to ST43-155, 12LDA28 2)
From ST43-278, overall length 17 400 mm, total
weight 118 000 kg 3)
From ST43-276, both Oerlikon
brakes 4)
Including six machines manufactured by SLM and assembled at Electroputere. 5)
With private operators. Figures
on class 060 production (courtesy Adrian Raduta)
can be found here. References
and acknowledgments
-
Monographic article by Marek Ćwikła
and Paweł Terczyński (SK
vol. 4/1995); -
Statistics by Paweł Terczyński (SK
vols. 2 to 5/2014); -
www.electroputere.ro
(official website of the SC Electroputere
SA); -
SK,
SS and KMD, various issues; -
AL; -
Adrian Raduta, Mircea Dorobantu and Chris West
(private communication – thanks for the photos!); -
www.cfr.ro (a text
by Antonio Bianco). |
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