NSB El 17

The NSB El 17 is a class of twelve

During the late 1970s, NSB was in need of new rolling stock for their intercity trains. At first electric multiple units were considered, but NSB instead chose to order locomotives and waggons, to have greater operational flexibility. The choice fell on the German DB Class 120, which was the first three-phase asynchronous locomotive in the world in "almost" regular service (prototype 120.0 in test service 1979, the serial version 120.1 from 1986). However, the Norwegian variation was scaled down due to the maximum axle load (16.0 t or 15.7 long tons or 17.6 short tons, Class 120 has 21.0 t or 20.7 long tons or 23.1 short tons) and had a lower power output than the Class 120. Because of this, the El 17 is less powerful than its three predecessors, El 14, El 15 and El 16(3.0 MW instead of 4.4 MW).

When the order was placed, it was the first Norwegian electric locomotive with the mechanical components built in Germany. At the same time, NSB ordered five six-axle diesel-electric locomotives from Thyssen-Henschel (Mark Di 4), almost the same as the Danish Mark ME 1500. The Di 4/ME 1500 have many similarities to its electric counterpart El 17. The two were planned to have the same rectifiers and motors, but due to weight restrictions the El 17 received the same type as Class 120.^[1]

The first six locomotives, numbered 2221–2226, were delivered in 1982. At the same time, the delivery of the

Eventually NSB felt confident that they had found a technical solution that would be satisfactory, and ordered another six units to allow all trains on the Dovre, Bergen and Sørland Lines to be hauled with the class. Units 2227–2232 were delivered in 1987, and put into regular service on the Sørland Line. Although better than the first series, the second series was also prone to technical problems, and never entered regular service on the Bergen Line. During the 1990s, they were also put into service on the regional rail services on the Vestfold and Gjøvik Lines.^[3] The units were never well-liked by NSB, in part because of the bad name the first series had given, and partly because the number of available units was unpredictable. It also took a while for NSB to discover that asynchronous locomotives needed to be operated differently. The locomotives had been designed to haul a six-car train, but NSB regularly needed to haul eight-car trains, and therefore instead used the more powerful El 16.^[4]

In the early 1990s, NSB decided that they would replace the intercity trains with the

The El 17 was built by the manufacturer Thyssen-Henschel of Germany. The locomotives have three-phase asynchronous motors with a continuous output power of 3,000 kilowatts (4,000 hp), allowing a maximum speed of 150 kilometres per hour (93 mph). The units receive

The El 17 is an electric locomotive designed for intercity trains, but is also capable of hauling light freight trains. The body is welded as a self-containing construction. The roof (light alloy) sections can be removed, and the locomotives were the first Norwegian locomotives to have a center aisle in the machine room.[4] The locomotives are 16.30 metres (53 ft 6 in) long, have a wheel diameter of 1,100 millimetres (3 ft 7 in) and weigh 64.0 tonnes (63.0 long tons; 70.5 short tons). The locomotives can run in multiple; by using a UIC 568 signalling cable, the locomotives do not need to be adjacent to each other in the train.^[6] the El 17 has the unique pointed front that was first used on the El 16, and is also found on the Di 4 and Di 6 classes.^[1]

References

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Bibliography

• ISBN 82-91448-42-6
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