EU05
and EP05
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EP05-16 (Škoda
4322/1961), probably in
The same locomotive, photographed at the Warszawa
Olszynka Grochowska depot on
Side drawing of EP05 by Z.Kołoda (KMD vol.1/2006).
Derelict EP05-01 (Škoda 4307/1961),
photographed at the Warszawa Olszynka Grochowska depot on
...and wreck of the EP05-18 (Škoda 4324/1961),
photographed on te same occasion.
EP05-23 in new (and controversial!) livery,
photographed near the Warszawa Wschodnia station...
... and the
same machine ready to depart with the 5311 train to Przemyśl; both photos
taken on
Two pictures of EP05-01 and EP05-18 during their
transportation to the new location…
…on March 3, 2009. Both photos by Seweryn Dębski
(thanks for permission!). EP05-18, seen here in the foreground, was scrapped
some four months later.
EP05-03, location and date unknown (possibly
Warszawa Wschodnia station); photo from my collection. |
In 1953,
Czechslovak state railways ČSD
accepted the first E499.0 universal electric locomotive, which was a
license-built variant of Swiss Ae 4/4, originally designed for the BLS railway. Until 1958, 100 examples
were supplied by Škoda works of
Plzeň (factory type 12E1), plus ten for Northern Korea (type 22E1) and two
for the Soviet Union (class ChS1, or ЧС1 in Russian script – type
24E1). These locomotives, commonly nicknamed ‘Bobina’ (due to the Bo’Bo’
arrangement), enjoyed long service life; some of them were later sold to
Poland (they are described under a separate entry). They served as a basis
for several other designs, including class E 499.1 (it should be kept in mind
that, according to ČSD designation
system then in use, this did not necessarily correspond to a particular
design, but rather to a set of basic parameters). New machine retained the
body of the E 499.0 (however, with rectangular side windows instead of
original round ones and other minor changes) and electric motors, but trucks,
transmission and suspension were modified. In particular, original
Sécheron-type coupling of the earlier machine was supplanted with an
indigenous design. Prototype (type 20E1 – still with round side windows) was
built in 1957 and sixty production machines (types 30E1 and 30E2) for ČSD followed between 1959 and 1960.
Most of them, later re-designated class 141, remained in use with ČD until early 21st
century; Marco van Uden (http://mercurio.iet.unipi.it)
gives 54 examples in the end of 2002, but according to AL in mid-2006 there were only eleven left, used mainly with
local trains. Further 87 locomotives for 1524 mm track were supplied to the
USSR in 1960 and 1961 as class ChS3 (ЧС3 – factory designation type
29E1). In
late 1950s there was a particular need for fast passenger electric
locomotives in Poland. Electrification of main lines, despite certain
difficulties, progressed quite rapidly, but suitable motive power was in
short supply. Production of freight locomotives (class ET21) was given
priority and started in 1957. Passenger machines were also planned
(eventually these plans materialized in 1965 in the form of license-built
EU07), but for the time being only a handful of obsolete EP02s and EP03s were
at hand, plus several rather unreliable EP04s. It was thus decided to
purchase a number of machines abroad, as an interim measure, and the choice
fell on Czechoslovak 44E1, almost identical with E 499.1 and designated EU05
with PKP. Contract
for thirty EU05s was signed in June 1960 and all were supplied during March
and April 1961 (factory numbers 4307/1961 through 4336/1961). Initially they
were assigned to the Warszawa Odolany depot, supplanting EU04s. They soon
gained the reputation of most modern, reliable and useful electric
locomotives in the PKP service and
were used almost exclusively with express passenger trains; starting from May
1988, they double-headed the fastest trains in Poland (160 km/h), from Warsaw
to Katowice and to Cracow. Nicknamed simply ‘Czechs’, they were very popular
with the crews, although some railway engineers complained on draughts. Most
of them were based in Warsaw throughout their entire life. In 1968, EU05-29
attained 174 km/h during an experimental run – as far as I know, this
national locomotive speed record was beaten only in 1999 by the EU43-001
prototype. Between 1971 and 1977, 27 machines (starting from EU05-26, s/n
4332/1961) were modified and fitted with new reduction gears – reduction
ratio changed from 84:37 to 77:44 – in order to increase maximum speed from
125 to 160 km/h; they were intended for fast passenger trains. New gears and
wheelsets were supplied from Czechoslovakia. This modification did not
include EU05-09, EU05-12 and EU05-19, withdrawn in 1965, 1969 and 1962,
respectively (written off after being damaged beyond repair in crashes – all
were eventually scrapped). The latter, together with the EU05-11,
participated in one of the most tragic train crashes in the PKP
history, on October 9, 1962, near Batorówka, which took the lives of possibly
over sixty passengers (official sources gave 34). EU05-19, which hit a
derailed passenger car at almost full speed, was written off after only one
year in service. In May 1973 designation was changed to
EP05, service numbers being retained; green livery, typical for electric
locomotives serving with PKP, was
changed to orange and red (as with indigenous class EP08). Second
modification of eleven machines (early 80s) included fitting pneumatic
couplings and multiple control. In 1991, four locomotives were fitted with
7AL4846 engines, differing only in couplings. Apart from three
above-mentioned machines, five EP05s were written off as a result of crashes. It
was intended to withdraw EP05s in 1992, but as a result of problems with new
locomotives from Pafawag (EP09) they remained in service for much
longer. In 2000, four (of five still in the PKP rosters) still
remained in operation. Two, EP05-16 and EP05-23, were withdrawn in 2002, but
they were once again overhauled and restored in service in January 2004.
EP05-16 was finally withdrawn in July 2007, following a serious traction
engine failure. EP05-23 (4329/1961), after a scheduled revision in 2007, was
repainted and now carries new PKP Cargo red and white livery – needless
to say, many railway fans grind their teeth, although by now this livery has
already become historical! It hauled a scheduled train from Cracow to Warsaw
for the last time on May 14, 2008. There are plans to use this locomotive
with special trains in future, but until now (June 2011) nothing has been
done about it, although it is still kept serviceable. EP05-22, in old green
livery, has been plinthed at the Prokocim depot in Cracow. EP05-01 and
EP05-18 (the latter in a very poor condition) after final withdrawal were
stored at the Olszynka Grochowska depot in Warsaw, awaiting a decision on
their ultimate fate. In March 2009 they were transferred to a new location in
Warsaw, at the PKP premises (many thanks to Seweryn Dębski for
information and photos!). The former is intended for preservation (although
no location has yet been proposed), while the latter was finally scrapped in
July. Main technical data
1) Reconstruction
– designation changed to EP05 in 1973 2) Including
87 for SZD (1524 mm track – class
ChS) 3) Multiple
control in some machines 4) Some
sources give 2344 kW 5) Replaced
by 7AL4846 in four machines. References and acknowledgments
-
Monographic article by Bogdan Waga (KMD vol.
1 and 2/2006); -
MAL, AV vol. 1 (information on
Czechoslovakian machines); -
Account of service with PKP by Paweł
Terczyński (SK vol. 2/2000); -
http://rafikx.republika.pl
(website by Rafał Onysk); -
SK, various issues; -
Rafał Onysk and Seweryn Dębski (private
communication – thanks a lot!). |
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