ET23 / 181

Ex-ČD 181 116-5 has retained its original livery and designation; this machine is used by PCC Rail. Photo taken in Ostrołęka on April 9, 2006.

181 039-9 has also retained original livery and designation, but carries small logos of its new operator, Lotos Kolej; photo taken near Zduńska Wola Karsznice on May 15, 2006.

The same example, but repainted: Zduńska Wola Karsznice, July 14, 2008.

ET23-001.23, Transoda (ex 181 009-2), photographed at the same location on August 18, 2006.

The same machine, this time double-heading with T448P-092. Zduńska Wola Karsznice, July 31, 2007.

Class 181 side drawing by Škoda from AV vol.1.

181 060-5, owned by STK and leased to Lotos Kolej; photo taken in Zduńska Wola Karsznice on December 14, 2006.

Another machine owned by STK and leased to Lotos Kolej: 181 077-9, photographed at the same location two days later.

181 074-6, also owned by STK, but leased to Lotos Kolej, which is indicated by small yellow logos; Zduńska Wola Karsznice, February 7, 2007.

Another two locomotives, owned by STK and leased to Lotos Kolej: 181 081-1...

...and 181 112-4 in old Czech livery, both photographed at the same location on May 27, 2007.

Karsznice again: 181 047-2, also from Lotos Kolej, photographed on October 20, 2008.

PCC Rail operates coal trains between Upper Silesia and Warsaw, so their locomotives are frequent visitors in the capital. This 181 017-5 still has ČD livery...

... this 181 031-6 has no logo at all...

...while 181 050-6 has been repainted and carries full PCC Rail livery. All three were photographed near the Żerań power plant in Warsaw on September 12, 2007.

181 121-5, PCC Rail, Gliwice station, June 15, 2008.

In 1958, well-known Czechoslovak Škoda works of Plzeň built two electric locomotives with factory designation 23E1 (ČSD class E669.0, later 180). These were the first six-axle electric locomotives built in Czechoslovakia after WWII. Their design was based on the successful four-axle E499.0 and they differed in many details, being basically experimental machines (however, according to AL, 180.002 was still operational with ČD in mid-2006). In 1961, their improved variant with factory designation 31E1 was ordered by ČSD and eighty examples were built. Second batch, numbering seventy machines, differed mainly in more powerful traction engines (factory type 31E2). Both variants were classed E669.1, this designation being later changed to 181; they were commonly nicknamed ‘Šestikolák’ (literally, ‘six-wheeler’), due to the Co’Co’ axle arrangement. Last, 150^th locomotive was delivered in 1962. They were later developed into improved variants E669.2 and E669.3 (later classes 182 and 183, respectively), also built in series. 181s still remain in use with ČD, which in early 2006 had 48 examples. Further two are used by OKD Doprava a.s. Ostrava.

As with many other Czechoslovak locomotives, much larger orders came from the USSR. There were several individual variants, in SŽD service designated class ChS2 (ЧC2 in Russian script). First two prototypes (factory type 25E1) were built in 1958. They differed in having more powerful AL4846zT engines with one-hour rating of 586 kW and reduction gear ratio changed from 84:37 to 80:41. Their maximum speed was 160 km/h (in service reduced to 140 km/h) and of course they were passenger locomotives. Production variant (factory types 34E1 through 4) differed in still more powerful AL4846eT engines (700 kW), strengthened trucks and modified equipment; until 1964, 303 examples were delivered. In 1962, ChS2-232 was fitted with rheostatic braking system and served as a prototype for the modified version, classed ChS2^T (T stood for ‘tormoz’ – brake). Until 1973, 639 examples were delivered in nine batches, differing in minor items of equipment (factory types 53E1 through 9). Final version, which retained the ChS2^T designation, was fitted with AL4846dT engines (680/770 kW) and featured improved rheostatic braking system and entirely new, angular body, which made it externally completely different from its predecessors. This final variant (factory types 63E1 and 63E2) was built between 1974 and 1976; in all, 120 examples were delivered, bringing the grand total in the SŽD service to 1062. They still remain in use in large number with RŽD in Russia; several are probably used also by Ukrainian railways.

Polish state railways PKP never ordered these machines. They were substantially more powerful than six-axle ET21, but compared to ET22 had less power and less tractive effort (35 and 42 tonnes, respectively), being slightly heavier. First 181s appeared in Poland only in mid-2000s and these were second-hand ex-ČD machines. Their withdrawal has resulted from certain surplus of freight locomotives in Czech Republic; moreover, there is a tendency to supplant six-axle machines with four-axle ones, due to their lesser impact on track. First three examples, 181 009-2 (4243/1961), 181 039-9 (4273/1961) and 181 116-5 (4540/1962) arrived in Poland in November and December 2005. According to data provided by Petr Štefek (thanks a lot!), until now – March 2008 – as many as 29 181s have been obtained by three private operators. The largest fleet, currently twenty machines, is that of PCC Rail; some of them carry the company’s deep blue livery. One is operated by Transoda and eight by STK (all leased to Lotos Kolej). Many of them still carry old livery and plates with Czech serials, although this may be temporary. Formally these locomotives remain the property of ČD Cargo and have been leased to PCC Rail and ALZA leasing company, from which in turn they are leased to STK or Transoda. Pretty complicated indeed – I do feel more at ease with technical issues! As far as I know, only Transoda company have re-designated their first (and until now the only) locomotive of this type as ET23-001.23 (last two digits identify the company and their coincidence with class designation is purely incidental), i.e. in the PKP fashion. According to available data, further purchases are very likely to follow soon, as Czech railways will probably withdraw the entire class in near future. Again, acoording to information from Petr Štefek, at least four more 181s are expected to follow in 2008.

Main technical data

No.	Parameter	Unit	Value
1.	Years of manufacture	-	1961 – 1962
2.	Total built / used in Poland	-	150¹⁾ /29²⁾
3.	Axle arrangement	-	Co’Co’
4.	Control	-	individual
5.	Design maximum speed	km/h	90
6.	Traction motors (number X type)	-	6 X AL4846zT³⁾
7.	Voltage	V	3000
8.	One-hour rating	kW/KM
9.	Continuous rating	kW/KM	2610 / 3550³⁾
10.	Electric current at one-hour rating	A
11.	Electric current at continuous rating	A
12.	Rotational speed at one-hour rating	rpm
13.	Rotational speed at continuous rating	rpm
14.	Engine suspension	-	Sécheron
15.	Reduction gear ratio	-	84:37
16.	Diameter of drivers	mm	1250
17.	Total weight	kg	124 200
18.	Axle load	T	20.7
19.	Axle base	mm	13 000
20.	Overall length	mm	18 800
21.	Maximum width	mm	2 950
22.	Brake type	-	Oerlikon

1) Excluding variants for the USSR.

2) Until March 2008.

3) In last seventy examples, AD4346gT engines, 2790 kW/3795 KM

References and acknowledgments

Most technical and historical information has been taken from AV vol.1 and LOZD. Details on locomotives purchased by Polish operators can be found in SK (first reported in vol.2/06, see also the article by Jacek Chiżyński in vol.10/06). Feedback from Petr Štefek (http://spz.logout.cz) is gratefully acknowledged.