EPA42
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EPA42-001, photographed at the Warszawa Odolany depot, probably in 1996. Photo by Maciej Stępień.
Another
picture of this locomotive, taken at the same location on January 24, 1998.
Photo by Bartosz Łoziński
(from my collection).
Three
more pictures from the same location…
…
probably all taken on the same day…
…
showing EPA42-001 in rather poor condition. Inscription on the frame informs
on withdrawal from the PKP inventory on October 21, 1996. |
EPA42
is one of the most obscure Polish locomotives, with little information
available and few photos known to exist. The idea beyond its development was
to obtain a battery-storage locomotive for use with service and rescue trains
in areas where exhaust gas emission was unacceptable. The design was based on
SM42 diesel switcher, commonly used by PKP
and industry. Diesel engine and two of four electric traction motors were
removed. Energy was supplied from a battery of 320 lead-acid cells, with
three supply voltage values available, and estimated range was 120 km at 40
km/h. According to initial plans from early 1980s, a number of conversions
was to have been made by the railway stock repair works of Nowy Sącz (now Newag), but only one was in fact completed in 1985
(according to some sources, by Fablok). This
was the SM42-024 (Fablok
7440/1967), which was re-numbered EPA42-001, in accordance with the PKP designation system; ‘A’ stood for
‘akumulatorowa’ (battery-storage). It was assigned
to the Warszawa Odolany depot for use with wrecked
or damaged trains in the Diameter Line
tunnel, in order to eliminate pollution with exhaust gas. I cannot recall any
information on this locomotive ever being used for this purpose. It stayed in
Warsaw throughout its entire life and underwent several tests between 1985
and 1987. Results were rather unsatisfactory. EPA42 proved too weak for the
intended purpose (there were problems with hauling even light drafts,
comprising five standard four-axle passenger cars) and design maximum speed,
estimated at 50 km/h was never attained. In general this conversion was
finally judged unsuccessful and no further SM42s were rebuilt. EPA42-001 was
finally written off in October 1996 and scrapped a few years later. Main
technical data
1)
SM42 conversion. References and
acknowledgments
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