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EP02-08, photographed somewhere in Poland
in September 1962. Photo from my collection.
EP02-07, withdrawn on March
20, 1972, now in Chabówka locomotive heritage park, Poland,
June 18, 2001.
EP02-02, typical livery from late 60s, Railway
Museum, Warsaw,
Poland, July
23, 2002.
EP02-08, preserved at the Kraków Bieżanów loco
depot. Photo taken on August 8, 2004,
by Wojtek ‘Mundek’ Nowak – thanks for permission!
Another picture of
(externally) refurbished EP02-02, Railway
Museum, Warsaw,
May 25, 2005.
Side drawing of the EP02; source – ‘Electrification
of the PKP between 20th and 21th
centuries’, Warsaw, 2009.
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Warsaw
railway junction was electrified before the WWII; reconstruction started
almost immediately after the termination of hostilities and was completed
before 1950. Lack of suitable locomotives for long-distance trains passing
through the capital remained, however, a problem, as the pre-war railway
stock was in most part either damaged or lost. First eight electric
locomotives were purchased from the Swedish ASEA company in early 50s (classed
E03, later EP03). Polish industry was not yet able to produce a complete
electric locomotive; it was felt, however, that with electric equipment and
traction motors purchased abroad, such machines could be built. Contacts with
the British Contractors Committee for
the Electrification of Polish Railways, dating from the 30s, had in fact
been revived before the purchase of Swedish machines and in 1949 a contract
was signed for delivery of electric equipment and traction motors for eight
locomotives. These machines were first designated E110 (corresponding to
allocated service numbers E110 to E117), then E02 and finally, in 1958, EP02
in accordance with new relevant Polish Standard. They were built by Pafawag factory of Wrocław
(pre-war Linke-Hofmann).
EP02 was a compromise between
demands and actual capabilities and was never entirely satisfactory. This
resulted from both almost no experience in design of such machines and
limited ability of various sub-contractors to deliver necessary items and
equipment of sufficient quality. First machine, rolled out probably in August
1953, had, for example, journal bearings of axle sets, instead of originally
intended two-row roller bearings; their failures were frequent. Most
important shortcomings, however, were uneasy running, snaking and
considerable vibration, especially at speeds above 70 km/h – rather
disturbing for a locomotive intended in fact for fast trains. Crews
complained of draughts and excessive shocks. These problems were never
completely solved, but several modifications were progressively introduced.
Reliability, however, was always comparatively low and failures remained
frequent. Experience gained with the EP02 proved, in the end, very valuable
for design of the successful ET21 freight locomotive, built in series from
1957 onwards.
Electric
traction motors and other electric equipment was almost the same as in the
pre-war EL100 (EP01), but trucks and body (of welded construction) were new,
more modern and different in appearance. Last machine built (E117, then
EP02-08) was fitted with new LKa635 traction motors and different reduction
gears, intended for the ET21. Modifications introduced during overhauls
resulted in significant differences between individual examples, but general
upgrade of the entire series was considered unjustified, due to deliveries of
new and more modern locomotives.
Service
of the EP02s with fast trains was comparatively short and after a few years
they were switched to slow trains, remaining in use until early 70s. In
September 1971 their service speed was limited to 70 km/h and soon afterwards
they were withdrawn from use. Three were kept as stationary heater cars, the
last of them remaining in this inconspicuous role until 1996. Next passenger
locomotives for PKP were purchased
in Eastern Germany (EU04), Czechoslovakia (EU05) and Great Britain (EU06),
the British machine finally going into license production in Poland.
Having
in mind that many other locomotives, often unique, had been scrapped before
their historical value was recognized, it is somehow surprising that three
EP02s still exist. EP02-08 is preserved in Krakow.
EP02-07 is now in the Chabówka railway stock heritage park. This machine,
after sixteen years of service, spent further twenty years as a stationary
heater car in Zakopane; in 1992 it was restored and brought to Chabówka.
EP02-2 is now on display in the Railway
Museum in Warsaw.
None is, however, in working order or even complete.
Main technical data
|
No.
|
Parameter
|
Unit
|
Value
|
|
1.
|
Years
of manufacture
|
-
|
1953 – 1956
|
|
2.
|
Total
built / used in Poland
|
-
|
8 / 8
|
|
3.
|
Axle
arrangement
|
-
|
Bo’Bo’
|
|
4.
|
Control
|
-
|
individual
|
|
5.
|
Design
maximum speed
|
km/h
|
1003)
|
|
6.
|
Traction
motors (number X type)
|
-
|
4 X MV185R1)
|
|
7.
|
Voltage
|
V
|
3000 DC
|
|
8.
|
One-hour
rating
|
kW/hp
|
1648 / 2241
|
|
9.
|
Continuous
rating
|
kW/hp
|
1360 / 1850
|
|
10.
|
Electric
current at one-hour rating
|
A
|
300
|
|
11.
|
Electric
current at continuous rating
|
A
|
246
|
|
12.
|
Rotational
speed at one-hour rating
|
rpm
|
870
|
|
13.
|
Rotational
speed at continuous rating
|
rpm
|
930
|
|
14.
|
Engine
suspension
|
-
|
nose-suspended
|
|
15.
|
Reduction
gear ratio
|
-
|
69:222)
|
|
16.
|
Diameter
of drivers
|
mm
|
1220
|
|
17.
|
Total
weight
|
kg
|
81 000
|
|
18.
|
Axle
load
|
T
|
20.25
|
|
19.
|
Axle
base
|
mm
|
10 250
|
|
20.
|
Overall
length
|
mm
|
15 000
|
|
21.
|
Maximum
width
|
mm
|
3 070
|
|
22.
|
Brake
type
|
-
|
Knorr
|
1) EP02-08
fitted with LKa635 motors
2) 78:31
in the EP02-08
3) Some
sources give 110 km/h.
References and acknowledgments
-
article by Paweł Terczyński (SK vol. 2/1997);
- www.parowozy.pl (Chabówka railway stock heritage park website).
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