SU160 / 111Db
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Prototype 111Db exhibited at the InnoTrans in Berlin, September 24,
2014. Photo by Travelarz (www.commons.wikimedia.org).
Su160-001 during tests with PKP InterCity, photographed at the Rzeszów Główny station on June
27, 2015. Photo by Jiajjo (www.commons.wikimedia.org).
MTU 16V 4000 R84 diesel engine. Source: www.rrpowersystems.com.
Rzeszów again: SU160-003, PKP InterCity,
February 13, 2016. Photo by Adam Kilian (www.commons.wikimedia.org).
The same locomotive, photographed at the
Warszawa Wschodnia station on October 27, 2022.
SU160-004, PKP InterCity, photographed in Ełk on
August 20, 2021.
SU160-003,
PKP InterCity, Warszawa Wschodnia,
August 10, 2023.
The same location: SU160-001, October 19,
2023.
Warszawa
Wschodnia again: SU160-002, March 14, 2024. |
One
of the novelties displayed at the 2012 InnoTrans
fair in Berlin was the prototype 111Ed electric locomotive from
Bydgoszcz-based Pesa company. It was
intended as the first member of an entire family of modern universal
locomotives, commercially named ‘Gama’, which was also to include a
diesel-powered one. The latter materialized in July 2014 as factory type
111Db and was displayed at the next InnoTrans
fair in September. At that time Pesa had already secured a firm order for ten production
examples, placed by PKP InterCity.
They were intended to supplement (and possibly later supersede) elderly
SU46s; pending their appearance, PKP IC
leased five class 754 diesels from Czech railways. First 111Db for this
operator began tests in May 2015, commencing line service in June. Last,
tenth example was delivered in November. These locomotives have been assigned
a ‘hybrid’ service designation SU140, promptly changed to SU160, wherein ‘SU’
indicates universal diesel locomotive and ‘160’ is maximum speed (in fact
maximum operational speed has been set at 140 km/h, but homologation
procedures require an ability to run at speed higher by ten percent). Future
orders may follow, but at the time of writing (March 2019) none has been announced.
Prototype, designated 111Db-001, initially remained the manufacturer’s
property and was used for various tests. In June 2015 it was sold to Pol-Miedź Trans
and later, in May 2016, to Orlen KolTrans. Teething
troubles were initially reported as minor and concerning mainly auxiliary
electric equipment and ABS system. First winter, however, revealed some
problems with traction motors in low ambient temperatures, occasionally
forcing locomotive withdrawal from use. In mid-2018 more serious failures of
diesel engines were reported; according to Pesa, they resulted from
manufacturing defects. In October 2018, of ten locomotives purchased by PKP InterCity, five were operational,
three were withdrawn due to diesel engine failures and two were undergoing repairs
following minor accidents. On February 3, 2021, SU160-009 was badly damaged
in a crash with a truck near Grajewo. Currently
(April 2022) this locomotive is still awaiting decision on its future at the PESA premises. In
December 2014 prototype was tested by PKP
Cargo, although these tests were contracted by Pesa in order to confirm
suitability for freight traffic. Rumors on a possible order were promptly
denied by this operator. Main
technical data
1)
Until
April 2022. References and acknowledgments
- SK, various issues; |
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