VR-Baureihe Dr16
Vorlage:Infobox locomotive The Dr16 is a class of diesel-electric locomotives used by VR (Finnish Railways). The 23 locomotives have a single, off-centre cab and are currently VR's most powerful diesel locomotives. Their nickname is "Iso Vaalee" (Big Blonde). They are presently mainly used on heavy freight services in northern Finland; their main passenger duty is the haulage of trains on the non-electrified line between Kemi and Kolari in Lapland.Vorlage:Sfn Dr16 locomotives were also used extensively on the line between Oulu and Rovaniemi, prior to the completion of the electrification of the line in 2004.Vorlage:Sfn
History
At the beginning of the 1980s, Valtionrautatiet ordered new locomotives to replace its aging Dr12 and Dv12 class diesel locomotives. The company had installed a bigger engine on a Dr12 (which became the Dr15) and modified one Dv12 to run on electricity instead of diesel.Vorlage:Sfn However, the company wanted a totally new locomotive, and finally chose Valmet's type M in 1983, with Strömberg providing the electrical components.Vorlage:Sfn VR originally ordered 23 locomotivesVorlage:Sfn, with an option of 20 more when the first series were delivered.Vorlage:Sfn
Four prototypes
It was originally planned that two locomotives would be first built as prototypesVorlage:Sfn, the first of them being fitted with a Wärtsilä engine and the second one with the Pielstick.Vorlage:Sfn While the first prototype ran on its own on Vorlage:Date for the first timeVorlage:Sfn, the Pielstick was under its engine cover due to the Wärtsilä proving three tons too heavy.Vorlage:Sfn When completion of the Wärtsilä engine was delayed a second time, the second prototype was also fitted with a Pielstick. Vorlage:Sfn Due to these engine problems, the number of prototypes was extended to four on January 1986.Vorlage:Sfn The locomotives, numbered 2801-2804, were taken into service in 1985-1987Vorlage:Sfn: the first two had a Pielstick engine, the latter two a Wärtsilä.Vorlage:Sfn On Vorlage:Date VR confirmed that Pielstick engines would be fitted on all the upcoming locomotives.Vorlage:Sfn The Wärtsilä engines were kept on the two prototypes, as refitting them would have been too costly.Vorlage:Sfn
The main series
After an extensive testing programme, the 19 series locomotives were delivered between 1990 and 1992.Vorlage:Sfn The manufacturer had anticipated a larger series to be ordered to replace old heavy line diesels (Dr12 and Dr13); however, the rapid progress of the electrification of Finnish main lines decreased the need for new heavy diesel locomotives and thus no further orders materialized.Vorlage:Sfn The locomotives were designed and assembled in Finland, either by Valmet Oy at Tampere (numbers 2801-2809) or by Transtech Oy at Otanmäki and Taivalkoski (numbers 2810-2823).Vorlage:Sfn
Technical information
Originally the engines were planned to be of Finnish design (Wärtsilä Vaasa 8R22), but after tests with two prototype locos, the engine type was changed into French Pielstick 12PA4-V-200VG.Vorlage:Sfn
The locomotive was very modern at its time and it was among the firstVorlage:Sfn to use microprocessor-controlled GTO thyristor inverter-driven three-phase asychronous AC motors.Vorlage:Sfn The construction is modularVorlage:Sfn, and data is transmitted via optical fiber cables between modules.Vorlage:Cn The maximum speed is 140 km/h.Vorlage:Sfn The maximum frequency of the inverters corresponds to 156 km/h, and the locomotive has reached that in test runs.Vorlage:Citation needed The locomotive provides 400 kW 1500V electricity for heating of passenger cars[1].
Livery
All Dr16s were painted in a white/red livery when they were built, showcasing the VR logo next to the cab. Two of the locomotives (numbers 2816[2] and 2819[3]) have been repainted in a new white/green livery in 2010 and 2011. These have been called Iso Kalpee (Finnish for "Big Pale") by railroad enthousiasts.Vorlage:Cn
Fleet details
Of a total of 23 built locomotives, five Dr16:s have been withdrawn from service and/or scrapped. This includes all of the prototype locomotives (numbers 2801–2804), which were withdrawn between 2004 and 2009.Vorlage:Sfn[4]
In addition to the prototypes, one series locomotive, number 2814, was scrapped in 2000 after sustaining serious damage in a level crossing accident near the municipality of Ii.Vorlage:Sfn[5] After the accident, the obstruction clearing device of the Dr16 was redesigned and strenghtened according to the recommendation of the accident investigation board.Vorlage:Sfn[5]
| Built | First test runs | Official delivery | Withdrawn | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2801 | Vorlage:Date | Vorlage:Date | Vorlage:Date | Vorlage:Date | Pielstick engine. |
| 2802 | Vorlage:Date | Vorlage:Date | Vorlage:Date | July 2009 | Pielstick engine. Closest to the series locomotives. |
| 2803 | Vorlage:Date | Vorlage:Date | Vorlage:Date | Vorlage:Date | Wärtsilä engine. |
| 2804 | Vorlage:Date | Vorlage:Date | Vorlage:Date | Vorlage:Date | Wärtsilä engine. |
| Delivered | Withdrawn | |
|---|---|---|
| 2805 | Vorlage:Date | |
| 2806 | Vorlage:Date | |
| 2807 | Vorlage:Date | |
| 2808 | Vorlage:Date | |
| 2809 | Vorlage:Date | |
| 2810 | Vorlage:Date | |
| 2811 | Vorlage:Date | |
| 2812 | Vorlage:Date | |
| 2813 | Vorlage:Date | |
| 2814 | Vorlage:Date | Vorlage:Date |
| 2815 | Vorlage:Date | |
| 2816 | Vorlage:Date | |
| 2817 | Vorlage:Date | |
| 2818 | Vorlage:Date | |
| 2819 | Vorlage:Date | |
| 2820 | Vorlage:Date | |
| 2821 | Vorlage:Date | |
| 2822 | Vorlage:Date | |
| 2823 | Vorlage:Date |
Sources: Vorlage:Harvnb; Isovaalee.info
Variants
Ttm1
Also known as type N locomotive (Vorlage:Lang-fi) or Dv13. It is a smaller work locomotive that implements some of the components of the Dr16.Vorlage:Sfn The two locomotives share also the same computer system.Vorlage:Sfn It is owned nowadays by Maansiirto Veli Hyyryläinen Oy (part of Destia group).Vorlage:Cn
Sx prototype
Valmet originally prepared the Dr12 to be modified as a full electric locomotive while building it, designing it for speeds up to Vorlage:Convert.Vorlage:Sfn It was estimated that the electric and diesel variants would share 80% of their parts.Vorlage:Sfn However, VR finally ordered the Sr2 locomotives from SLM and ABB.
References
Literature
- Petri P. Pentikäinen: Iso Vaalee. Petrin Viestintä, 2006, ISBN 952-92-0413-2 (isovaalee.info).
External links
Vorlage:Commons category-inline
- Finnish Diesel Locomotives. In: 4rail.net. (Dr16).
Vorlage:Finnish locomotives Vorlage:VR Group
- ↑ Dr16-veturi maailman huipulta. In: Resiina. Februar 1989, S. 67–71 (finnisch).
- ↑ Petri P Pentikäinen: 2816 vihrein kuvioin liikenteessä. Petrin Viestintä (finnisch).
- ↑ Petri P Pentikäinen: 2819 valmis. Petrin Viestintä (finnisch).
- ↑ Petri P Pentikäinen: 2802. Petrin Viestintä (finnisch).
- ↑ a b B1/2000R Onnettomuus Iissä Akolan vartioimattomassa tasoristeyksessä 9.2.2000. Accident investigation board of Finland