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Until I spot a Polish ‘Bobina’, I’d like to
present two photos of the ŽSSK
140.067: this one was taken in Zwardoń on March 7, 2003...
...
and this one on March 1, 2005 in Węgierska Górka,
with the train from Bratislava to Katowice.
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In
late 1940s, in view of planned electrification of main lines, Czechoslovak
state railways ČSD sought for a modern universal electric
locomotive with a potential for further development. Suitable machine was
found in Switzerland. It had been designed for Berg-Lötschberg-Simplon
Bahn (BLS) and first example
was accepted in November 1944; in all, eight were built for this railway
until 1955. They were also built for state railways (SBB), which
received 100 examples between 1946 and 1951. In 1949, well-known Škoda
works of Plzeň
acquired license rights to build this locomotive. Agreements were signed with
Schweizerische Lokomotiv- und Maschinenfabrik of Winterthur and
Société Anonyme des Ateliers de Sécheron of Genéve; first example was
completed in 1952 and accepted by ČSD
in 1953. After trials (some of which took place in Poland), 100 machines were
supplied for Czechoslovak state railways (class E 499.0 – factory designation
type 12E1), two for the Soviet Union (class ChS1, or ЧС1 in
Russian script – factory designation type 24E1) and ten for Northern Korea
(factory designation 22E1). I have no information on Korean locomotives (not
a big surprise, anyway); in the USSR,
first two ChS1s were supplied in 1957 and remained in use until 1971. Later a
batch of 100 machines with the same designation followed, but this was in
fact a modified version (factory designation 41E0 and 41E1); last of them,
ChS1-102, was in fact a prototype of class ChS3, with further modifications
and uprated AL-4846eT traction engines.
First production locomotives – easily
distinguishable by round side windows – immediately proved very successful
and remained in use for a long time. Their designation in the ČSD service was later changed to class 140 and their common
nickname was ‘Bobina’, after the axle arrangement. Most of them were
withdrawn in the 1990s and supplanted by more modern classes 162 and 163.
Several have survived into 21st century with ČD (Czech
Republic) and ŽSSK (Slovakia);
according to Marco van Uden (http://mercurio.iet.unipi.it)
in the beginning of 2003 ČD had six
machines in use and ŽSSK four. In
2006 ČD had only four, of which three were intended for preservation as
historic machines, while one Slovakian 140 was handed over to ŽSCS, a subsidiary of ŽSSK, and other three served on the Žilina – Katowice line, linking Slovakia with Poland. Last of them, 140.067, hauled the ‘Góral’
express train for the last time on December 9, 2006.
When, in early 21st century, private
railway operators emerged in Poland, purchase of second-hand foreign locomotives was
usually for them the most reasonable option. Many came from Czech and Slovak
railways, who had a number of surplus machines at hand. 140s, although rather
elderly, were also included. First two appeared in Poland in late 2005: these were 140.099 and 140.074,
purchased by CTL from ŽSSK (all Polish locomotives of this type came from Slovakia). They were redesignated ET13-R001 and ET13-R002
(why not ET12? Surely, CTL is not superstitious!). Then, in January 2007,
140.059-7 (Škoda 3589/1957) arrived, to be taken over by Rail Polska as their very first electric locomotive. As far as I know, 140.052-7
and 140.097-7 were readied for dispatch, also to Rail Polska, in late 2007; one
source also mentions 140.045-6. Further purchases are not very likely to
follow, as there are few ‘Bobinas’ available for sale: both in Czech Republic
and Slovakia they are considered heritage locos and some even haul special
trains.
Purchase of 50-years old locomotives can be seen
either as an act of desperation or as appreciation of their qualities. It
should be kept in mind, however, that PKP class EP05, of which two
examples still remain in use, was in fact a direct development of the original ‘Bobina’ and differed mainly
in details.
Main technical data
|
No.
|
Parameter
|
Unit
|
Value
|
|
1.
|
Years
of manufacture
|
-
|
1952 – 1958
|
|
2.
|
Total
built / used in Poland
|
-
|
1121) / 52)
|
|
3.
|
Axle
arrangement
|
-
|
Bo’Bo’
|
|
4.
|
Control
|
-
|
individual
|
|
5.
|
Design
maximum speed
|
km/h
|
120
|
|
6.
|
Traction
motors (number X type)
|
-
|
4 X 3AL4846ZT
|
|
7.
|
Voltage
|
V
|
3000
|
|
8.
|
One-hour
rating
|
kW/hp
|
2344 / 3188
|
|
9.
|
Continuous
rating
|
kW/hp
|
2032 / 2764
|
|
10.
|
Electric
current at one-hour rating
|
A
|
360
|
|
11.
|
Electric
current at continuous rating
|
A
|
350
|
|
12.
|
Rotational
speed at one-hour rating
|
rpm
|
900
|
|
13.
|
Rotational
speed at continuous rating
|
rpm
|
920
|
|
14.
|
Engine
suspension
|
-
|
Sécheron
|
|
15.
|
Reduction
gear ratio
|
-
|
84:37
|
|
16.
|
Diameter
of drivers
|
mm
|
1250
|
|
17.
|
Total
weight
|
kg
|
82 000
|
|
18.
|
Axle
load
|
T
|
20.5
|
|
19.
|
Axle
base
|
mm
|
11 500
|
|
20.
|
Overall
length
|
mm
|
15 7403)
|
|
21.
|
Maximum
width
|
mm
|
2 950
|
|
22.
|
Brake
type
|
-
|
Oerlikon
|
1)
Including 2 for SZD (class ChS1)
and 10 for Northern Korea, all for 1524
mm track.
2)
Until late 2007.
3)
140.001 through 017 – 15 600 mm, 140.018 through 040
– 15 800 mm.
References and acknowledgments
Monographic
article on class 140 by Bogdan Waga was published in KMD vol.2/2005.
Basic historical and technical information can be found in AV and AL.
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