ST43
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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(most probably withdrawn), November 29, 2008.
In 2008, there were still many withdrawn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
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 Currently ST43 is the basic 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Withdrawn ST43-316, photographed at the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, |
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were being withdrawn from the PKP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 economical 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 road diesel.
Romania
was a ‘black sheep’ among the CMEA
(Council for Mutual Economical Aid)
countries, often determined to demonstrate 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 and license
production started in 1960 (according to some sources, 1959) at the Electroputere
works in Craiova, first ten locomotives being assembled from Swiss-made
elements. This factory was 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
(Sulzer license – twelve-cylinder two-row unit with two separate crankshafts)
being manufactured at Reşita works.
These machines soon became the principal heavy road freight diesels with CFR, later designated class 60 in this
service. They soon earned a reputation of strong, robust and reliable – if
not particularly advanced – locomotives, 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, later class 62, from 1966) 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 BDŽ railways (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 last two built 060s. These locomotives still
remain in use. It should be kept in mind that in the old designation system
‘060’ referred to axle arrangement and did not distinguish any particular
type; for example, 060DD and 060DF were completely different machines. From
1999 onwards, a few dozen examples have been modernized (new GM 8-710G3 power-pack, new body and
heating equipment). They are given new CFR
service designations, class 63 (first three examples) or class 65 (subsequent
machines, with modified body); service numbers have been retained. Recently
ten second-hand 060s from CFR were
sold to Iran, where they are operated by national railways RAI under their original designation. Decision
to purchase the 060-DA 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 Baltic Sea ports. Deliveries ended in 1978, after
422 examples had been 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. 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
number – 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. Most have been
withdrawn and kept in reserve (which does not necessarily imply good overall
condition), but many have recently been restored in service. After most
‘Gagarins’ have been sold for scrap or abroad, ST43 is now the most numerous
heavy road diesel in Poland. These machines still continue to replace ST44s;
it was even planned to transfer some to north-eastern Poland, where they had
never been used before, but – according to some sources – they are not well
suited to heavy winter conditions, quite common in this region, and these
plans have recently been abandoned. Rosters compiled by Paweł Terczyński and
given in AL list 174 machines still in the PKP inventory, but certainly not all are serviceable. Rosters
available at www.lokomotywowniapkp.republika.pl
give 172 examples. 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. Although
ST43 were primarily purchased by PKP,
several withdrawn examples have recently been bought 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, in
mid-2008 seven private railway companies had at least 52 examples (CTL Rail – 15, Lotos Kolej – 15, PTKiGK
Rybnik – 13, PTKiGK Zabrze – 3,
PRKiI – 2, FER Polska – 2 and Euronaft
– 1). Most of these machines, depending on individual user, are designated
ST43 or 060DA plus service number (often, but not always, corresponding to
serial). Many of them are ex-CFR
machines, bought via German Karsdorfer
Eisenbahngesellschaft (KEG).
Some came from Spanish COMSA Rail Transport – probably they also ex-CFR
locomotives. Some 060DAs from CFR can be distinguished by double top
headlights – those purchased by PKP
had single ones. The above numbers may change, as further purchases are
likely to follow and exchanges between various operators are not uncommon. 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. 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)
Including three ex-CFR second-hand machines bought
in 2004 Figures
on class 060 production (courtesy Adrian Raduta) can be found here. References and acknowledgments
Technical
and historical description of the class ST43 can be found in SK
vol.4/1995. Some interesting details are available at www.electroputere.ro - official
website of the SC Electroputere SA (in English and Romanian). I have obtained
much important information from Adrian Raduta and Mircea Dorobantu from |
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