ET22
and EP23
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ET22-211, photographed at the Łuków station on
This ET22-342 was photographed near Złotoryja on
Slightly derelict ET22-121, rebuilt from sole
EP23-001, at Jaworzyna Śląska heritage park,
The same locomotive: restoration is under way. July
8, 2009.
ET22-1006, photographed in Pyskowice on
Production ET22; side drawing by M.Ćwikła from SK
vol.6/1999.
Modernized ET22-2000; side drawing by M.Ćwikła from
SK
vol.11/2004.
Modernized ET22-2000, photographed at the Warszawa
Wschodnia station on
ET22-1000, photographed at the Sosnowiec
Maczki station on
This ET22-243 was photographed at the Łódź
Olechów depot on
ET22s can often be seen with passenger
trains, but is double-heading really necessary? ET22-003 and ET22-1155 with
P57102 train at Tczew,
Another ET22 with a passenger train:
ET22-877, photographed at Wałbrzych Główny station on
... and yet another: ET22-423, photographed
in Krotoszyn on
ET22-174, photographed at the same location
on
ET22-1067, photographed in Jaworzyna Śląska
on
ET22-436, photographed near the Warszawa
Wschodnia station on
...and ET22-1010, photographed on the same
occasion. Note differences between left and right side cooling louvers.
ET22-1051, photographed at the same location
exactly two weeks later.
ET22-1118, photographed near the Ostrów
Wielkopolski depot on
ET22-800, photographed in Lubin on the next
day.
ET22-1007, Sokółka,
ET22-1170,
Lubin Górniczy,
...and ET22-660 with ET22-935, photographed
on the same location on
Lubin Górniczy again (I often visit this
station): ET22-092,
Another picture of the ET22-1170, this time
with a passenger train; Warszawa Wschodnia station,
The same machine, with designation changed to
ET22-R002. Czempiń,
ET22-621,
Kraków Prokocim,
ET22-749, Zebrzydowice,
ET22-705,
ET22-819, photographed at the Rogów station
on
ET22-944, photographed in Zduńska Wola
Karsznice on
ET22-651, photographed at the same location
on
Karsznice once again: ET22-260, April 18,
2008…
…and again: ET22-245, August 13, 2008…
…and one more time: ET22-402, December 17,
2008.
ET22-1004, Węgliniec station,
This photo captures an atmosphere: ET22-316
(note three rectangular headlights), photographed near Ścinawa on
This ET22-824, with a passenger train, was
photographed on
ET22-1094, photographed at Bednary near
Łowicz on
Two ET22s, photographed at the Ełk depot on
...and ET22-1036.
ET22-853, arriving with the P21104 train from
Three ET22s with passenger trains,
photographed at one of my favorite spots near Warszawa Zachodnia station on
...ET22-808...
...and ET22-965.
Two more pictures from this location:
ET22-1128...
...and ET22-1093, both taken on
ET22-1129, photographed in Bolesławiec on
ET22-225, photographed near the Warszawa
Olszynka Grochowska depot on
The same engine, photographed near the
Warszawa Miedzeszyn station on August 21, 2008.
ET22-308, photographed in Gliwice during a
railway stock exhibition on June 15, 2008.
ET22-114, photographed at the Węgliniec depot
on July 16, 2008.
ET22-317, photographed in Korsze on September
9, 2008…
…and ET22-856, photographed on the same
occasion.
Two ET22s, photographed in Sochaczew on
September 15, 2008: ET22-886…
…and ET22-984.
This ET22-974 was photographed at the Ruda
Talubska station on October 11, 2008.
ET22-826, photographed at the Węgliniec
station on October 20, 2008. The shade is of me.
This ET22-430 was spotted at the Poznań
Franowo station eight days later.
ET22-423,
Ostrów Wielkopolski, February 6, 2009.
ET22-1000 and ET22-157, posing at the Zebrzydowice
station on a cold and misty day of March 3, 2009; note single-arm current
collectors.
ET22-796, photographed on the same occasion.
Zebrzydowice again: ET22-153, April 27, 2009.
ET22-442 with traces of ‘artists’ activities;
Rybnik, April 18, 2009.
ET22-1126, Racibórz station, April 27, 2009.
Two ET22s, photographed in Rzepin on May 15,
2009, display new PKP Cargo livery: ET22-813…
…and ET22-583, departing with a passenger
train to Poznań.
Four ET22s, photographed near the Zduńska Wola
Karsznice station on June 1, 2009: ET22-652…
ET22-764…
…ET22-442…
…and ET22-648. This storage track used to be
occupied by ET42s.
ET22-939, photographed at the Krotoszyn
station on the same day.
ET22, photographed near the Warszawa Żerań
station on July 3, 2009.
ET22-877,
Jaworzyna Śląska station, July 8, 2009.
ET22-642 with a heavy draft approaches the
Zduńska Wola Karsznice station; August 5, 2009.
ET22-909,
Lubin Górniczy, August 5, 2009.
Two pictures, taken at the Węgliniec depot on
the same day: ET22-583…
…and ET22-959.
ET22-561, Wrocław Psie Pole station, August
7, 2009.
ET22-398, photographed near Oleśnica on
September 25, 2009.
Zduńska Wola Karsznice again: ET22-674,
November 23, 2009. November is seldom that sunny in Poland.
ET22-298
hauls a PKP Przewozy Regionalne passenger train: Warszawa Wschodnia station,
March 19, 2010. This is an interim measure: currently EuroSprinter
locomotives are introduced.
ET22-1135, photographed at the Krotoszyn
station on May 21, 2010.
Warszawa
Wschodnia again: ET22-125, photographed on July 9, 2010. |
Heavy drafts have always been typical for Polish freight traffic; no wonder, thus, that first indigenous electric freight locomotive, ET21 (726 examples built between 1957 and 1971), with continuous rating of 2040 kW, soon became too weak. Double-heading was certainly not an economical solution and, with rapid progress of electrification, more powerful freighters were obviously necessary. ET21, based to a certain extent on Soviet VL22M of early 1940s, was a simple and straightforward machine with little – if any – potential of further development. Six-axle EU20, supplied from Eastern Germany, was neither reliable nor particularly modern. Specification for a new freight locomotive was submitted in 1966, initially with an intention to create a universal machine with maximum speed of 125 km/h, suitable also for heavy passenger trains – hence proposed class designation EU22 (factory type 7E, later changed to 201E). New locomotive owed much to British-built EU06 and its later Polish license variant EU07. In particular, traction motors were of the same type, as well as their suspension and many other items of equipment. First prototype from Pafawag factory of Wrocław, finally designated ET22-001, was rolled out in November 1969 and tests began in December, ET22-002 joining next February. Results were basically satisfactory and next ten machines were delivered in 1971. New locomotive, compared to ET21, offered almost 50% increase of rated power and tractive effort and was soon accepted for mass production. Between 1971 and 1989, 1207 examples were supplied, which makes ET22 the most numerous electric locomotive ever built in Poland and in fact also in Europe. First ET22s were found prone to derailing, so from ET22-122 onwards connection between trucks and body was redesigned (which also resulted in reduced vibration and improved crew comfort). This modification was between 1994 and 1996 retroactively introduced in 27 earlier examples that still remained in service. Last machine with earlier suspension variant in active service was ET22-101, written off in 2001. Only two examples of this version (ET22-010 and -101) still exist. Although considered a universal locomotive at the design stage, type 201E finally emerged as a freight machine, mainly due to PKP priorities. Type 201Ea, delivered in March 1973, was an attempt to develop ET22 into a fast – at least for that time – passenger locomotive (maximum speed 140 km/h). Reduction gear ratio was changed from 79:18 to 73:22, but running qualities left much to be desired and after prolonged tests the idea was abandoned. The sole example, designated EP23-001, was converted in 1979 to the ET22 standard and designated ET22-121 (this service number was used for the second time, the first ET22-121 being written off two years earlier). 201Ed (later re-designated 103E), with the same reduction gear, LKa535 engines, modified trucks and maximum speed 160 km/h, never left the drawing board. During 1974, several modifications were introduced, mainly in suspension, in order to improve running qualities, but type designation remained unchanged. 201Eg, built in 1975, was the export variant for Moroccan state railways ONCF, with redesigned body (different vehicle gauge), LKa535 engines and many minor modifications. 23 examples, supplied between 1975 and 1976, were designated ONCF class 1000 and given service numbers from E-1001 onwards. 201Ec of 1977 featured multiplied control, further truck and suspension modifications and various minor improvements. It was initially intended to standardize this variant, but the idea was abandoned and only two examples were built, with service numbers ET22-501 and ET22-502 (later ET22-701 and ET22-702, finally ET22-1001 and ET22-1002). Many other minor modifications were introduced during production and individual batches differed externally in shape and location of side windows, air inlets and vents. Type designation, however, was not changed and apart from above-mentioned examples all ET22s built until 1987 were delivered as type 201E. For some unknown reason, later ET22s were designated type 201Eh, although in fact no modification justified this change! Due to decrease of freight traffic and lack of passenger locomotives, ET22s are quite often used with passenger trains; their running qualities in this role are, however, far from satisfactory. In fact, running qualities have never been the strong side of ET22 and older ET21 was even considered superior in mountain regions. In early 1970s preliminary specification was drawn up for a 6000 kW Co’Co’ electric locomotive, to be built in several variants, of which the fastest was to attain 200 km/h. Plans to build 720 such machines until 1985 proved sadly over-optimistic. New machine failed to materialize even in a prototype form and thus ET22, commonly nicknamed ‘Byk’ (Bull), is still the basic electric freight locomotive in PKP service. According to rosters quoted in SK, their number reached its peak in 1991: on January 1 PKP had 1171 examples. During next six years they dwindled to 1153 and on January 1, 1999, PKP had 1024 ET22s (of 1184 delivered). This type is also used by other operators (some examples having been purchased via scrap-disposal companies!). In mid-2006, CTL holding had seven ex-PKP machines; as state railways were not eager to sell further locomotives to the potential competitor, three examples withdrawn from ONCF service (E-1003, E-1018 and E-1021) had been purchased in 2003. Two more ex-Moroccan machines were intended to follow in 2004, but they have not yet arrived. Moreover, 201E-277 (ex-PKP) is used by Kuźnica Warężyńska sand mine. Private operators don’t use any consistent designation system, so their machines are designated as ET22 or 201E plus service number (usually serial, but sometimes an alphanumerical designation, e.g. CTL RS-003 is ex-PKP ET22-143). Basic ET22 design goes back to the 1960s and further modifications – apart from trucks and suspension – were generally restricted to details. Plans from late 1990s stipulated that about 50 locomotives of this type should be modernized by 2000, with options for further 300 between 2001 and 2005 and 200 between 2006 and 2010. It was intended to fit new ac traction engines in completely new trucks and modify the suspension, which had never been a strong side of the basic design. These plans had to be cut down substantially and first major modernization was undertaken only in 2002. The first modernized machine, designated type 201Em, with service number ET22-2000 (ex ET22-315), was rolled out in June 2004. Main effort was concentrated at improving running qualities, so trucks and suspension were thoroughly redesigned. Electric equipment and control systems were also modified, although traction engines remained unchanged. Control panel was completely redesigned. Externally – apart from minor differences, new livery and out-of-sequence service number – the modernized machine is easily identified by different headlights and rectangular air intakes to AC installations, installed for the first time. Service tests began in August 2004 and results were considered satisfactory, but next step came only in 2007, when a decision was taken to bring up further 49 ET22s to this standard during next two years. A contract for modernization of four examples was signed with ZNLE (Electric Locomotive Repair Works) of Gliwice in September and first two of these, ET22-427 and ET22-569, are scheduled for delivery in spring 2008. Modernized locomotives will be given new service numbers, from ET22-2000 onwards. Many Polish locomotives of unquestionable historical value have been scrapped, so it is certainly worth mentioning that ET22-121 (ex EP23-001) has been saved. After withdrawal, it somehow managed to find its way to the rolling stock heritage park in Jaworzyna Śląska (now Industry and Railway Museum), where it can now be seen. Its condition is far from perfect, but – considering the attitude of its present owners – things should soon improve. According to recent information, this locomotive is intended for restoration in near future, providing that adequate funds are available.
Main
technical data – ET22
1) Multiplied
in ET22-1001 and 1002 2) One
example rebuilt from EP23-001 (ET22-121 – service number used for the second
time) 3) LKa535
engines in Moroccan examples (type 201Eg) Main
technical data – EP23
1) Later converted into ET22-121 References and
acknowledgments
Detailed
description of this locomotive can be found in the monographic articles by
Paweł Terczyński in SK vol.8/2006 and vol.1/2007. Modification into
ET22-2000 standard is described in the article by the same author in SK
vol.11/2004. Concise descriptions and statistics are given in |
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