ET41
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ET41-139, photographed in Żywiec on
...and
the same machine at the border station of Zebrzydowice,
Another
picture taken at the Żywiec station: ET41-078,
ET41-074,
photographed at the Zwardoń station on Slovakian border on
ET41-084, photographed in Milówka in southern
ET41-168, photographed at the same location on the next day.
Two-section locomotives are the favorites of graffiti ‘artists’ (I find it
hard to restrain myself from using more explicit terms...).
ET41-162, photographed in Jaworzyna Śląska on
...and ET41-150, photographed on the same occasion.
Two-section locomotives are not frequent visitors to
ET41-160,
ET41-145, stuck between two ET22s. Photo taken at
the Węgliniec depot on July 16, 2008. |
Of three types of two-section
heavy electric freight locomotives operated by PKP, class ET41 is the most
numerous one. It is also the only one of indigenous origin, albeit based on a
license-built EU07. The need for such locomotive resulted from increasing
weight of freight trains, especially those transporting coal – the basic
primary energy source in Prototype
(factory type 203E) appeared in 1977 and production started immediately, new
locomotive being classed ET41. As HCP
could not fulfill PKP
demands, second batch of thirty ET40s was delivered by Škoda in 1978 (factory type 77E2,
with minor modifications). Furthermore, yet another heavy two-section
locomotive was ordered from the Soviet NEVZ; this machine, classed ET42, was intended to precede ET41 in
service, but its development took longer than expected and first examples
were accepted only in May 1978. Initial plans for the ET41 production called
for about 500 examples, but with the economical crisis of early 1980s this
number was cut down to 200, last being delivered in 1983. For the same reason
a development version (factory type 203Ea), with various minor modifications
and slightly reduced weight, remained on drawing board. Just
like ET40, and contrary to ET42, this locomotive was built by simply
connecting two singles, with ballast in place of two cabs. Each section,
distinguished by a capital A or B after the service number, could be
de-coupled and operated as an independent machine: in fact, sections of three
ET41s written off after accidents (ET41-036B, -088A and -116B) were later
converted into EU07-537, -544 and -545. As mentioned above, ET41 was based on
EU07, but with some modifications. In particular, the body was strengthened
and simplified, longer by 320 mm and heavier by about 3.5 tonnes. This
allowed for fitting automatic couplings, instead of standard screw-type ones.
These modifications were also incorporated in the second variant of the EU07,
built at HCP from 1983 onwards as factory
type 303E (at Pafawag, EU07 was supplanted on
production lines by ET22). Of course, ET41 is a freight locomotive, but can
also haul heavy passenger trains. This has happened only exceptionally. In
the 1980s ET41-100, in red and white livery, was sometimes used with special
trains for state officials. Recently, in July 2007, ET41-142 hauled the
‘Venice Simplon Orient Express’ from As
the remaining two types of two-section freighters, ET41 has been used only by
PKP and saw no service with
private or industrial operators. According to rosters given in SK and AL, in January 1999 PKP had 167 locomotives of this
type; their number fell to 163 in 2004 and 161 in 2007. Given the fact that
no replacement is at hand, they are expected to enjoy a long service life.
Main technical data
1) Multiplied
in each section. References and acknowledgments
Concise
information and statistics can be found in |
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