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96-502: Iore , often stylized IORE , is a class of 34 electric locomotives built by Adtranz and its successor Bombardier Transportation for the Swedish mining company LKAB 's railway division Malmtrafik . The class is a variation of Adtranz's Octeon modular product platform, thus related to Bombardier's later TRAXX platform. The locomotives are considered to be one of the most powerful locomotives and haul iron ore freight trains on

192-505: A joint venture between LKAB, NSB and SJ, and its Norwegian subsidiary Malmtrafikk (MTAS). At the time, the line was using El 15 and Dm3 locomotives. In 1998, LKAB estimated a steady 35% increase in iron ore production until 2005, and requested that the governments grant sufficient funding to upgrade the lines from 25-tonne (25-long-ton; 28-short-ton) to 30-tonne (30-long-ton; 33-short-ton) maximum permitted axle load. Combined with new locomotives, this would give increased efficiency in hauling

288-452: A combustion-powered locomotive (i.e., steam- or diesel-powered ) could cause a safety issue due to the risks of fire, explosion or fumes in a confined space. Battery locomotives are preferred for mine railways where gas could be ignited by trolley-powered units arcing at the collection shoes, or where electrical resistance could develop in the supply or return circuits, especially at rail joints, and allow dangerous current leakage into

384-407: A fleet comprising roughly 50 locomotives and 10 shunters, and had recorded revenues of approximately SEK630 million ($ 89.2 million) during the previous year. The company was reorganised over the following twelve months; the subsidiary company Hector Rail GmbH was established in 2015 as part of its plans to expand operations into the wider European market. During 2016, Hector Rail took ownership of

480-401: A fleet of over 100 locomotives. Between 2016 and 2019, Hector Rail operated Blå Tåget between Gothenburg - Stockholm -( Uppsala ) on behalf of Skandinaviska Jernbanor . During August 2017, the Swedish mining company LKAB signed a new haulage contract with Hector Rail covering a five year period. In late 2019, Hector Rail partnered with Samskip, Skane Rail, and Euroterminal Coevorden to

576-429: A ground and polished journal that is integral to the axle. The other side of the housing has a tongue-shaped protuberance that engages a matching slot in the truck (bogie) bolster, its purpose being to act as a torque reaction device, as well as support. Power transfer from the motor to the axle is effected by spur gearing , in which a pinion on the motor shaft engages a bull gear on the axle. Both gears are enclosed in

672-415: A liquid-tight housing containing lubricating oil. The type of service in which the locomotive is used dictates the gear ratio employed. Numerically high ratios are commonly found on freight units, whereas numerically low ratios are typical of passenger engines. The Whyte notation system for classifying steam locomotives is not adequate for describing the variety of electric locomotive arrangements, though

768-507: A long term partnership with the Dutch logistics company Samskip to operate direct rail freight services between Scandinavia and the rest of Europe. In 2009, Hector Rail hauled its first passenger service. In September 2014, the company was acquired by the Swedish global investment organization EQT Infrastructure II , at which point the company fleet comprised roughly 50 locomotives and 10 shunters. During 2016, Hector Rail strategically aligned with

864-409: A modern locomotive can be up to 50% of the cost of the vehicle. Electric traction allows the use of regenerative braking, in which the motors are used as brakes and become generators that transform the motion of the train into electrical power that is then fed back into the lines. This system is particularly advantageous in mountainous operations, as descending locomotives can produce a large portion of

960-489: A new intermodal freight service between the Baltic port of Rostock and the city of Duisburg . In early 2023, Hector Rail provided traction for a new international freight service between Sweden and Italy. The company operates diesel and electrically powered locomotives: The first digit indicates the number of different electrical voltages supported, but 8 for diesel-electric and 9 for diesel-hydraulic. The second digit

1056-458: A new international freight service between Sweden and Italy. In 2004, Hector Rail was founded. At its establishment, the majority of the shares in the company were held by the Høegh family of Norway through Höegh Capital Partners . On 12 December of that year, Hector Rail ran its first train; early operations were focused on the transportation of heavy goods between Sweden and Norway. By 2007,

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1152-499: A new type 3-phase asynchronous electric drive motors and generators for electric locomotives at the Fives-Lille Company. Kandó's early 1894 designs were first applied in a short three-phase AC tramway in Évian-les-Bains (France), which was constructed between 1896 and 1898. In 1918, Kandó invented and developed the rotary phase converter , enabling electric locomotives to use three-phase motors whilst supplied via

1248-661: A single axle . This gives a Co′Co′ wheel arrangement. The tractive effort of each locomotive is 600 kN (130,000 lb f ) and the maximum dynamic braking effort is 375 kN (84,000 lb f ). There is also a boost function, allowing a temporary traction effort of 700 kN (160,000 lb f ). The units are capable of 80 km/h (50 mph) in single runs, 70 km/h (43 mph) with empty trains and 60 km/h (37 mph) with loaded trains. The locomotives are 22.905 m (75 ft 1.8 in) long, 4.465 m (14 ft 7.8 in) tall and 2.950 m (9 ft 8.1 in) wide. The distance between

1344-479: A single overhead wire, carrying the simple industrial frequency (50 Hz) single phase AC of the high voltage national networks. Italian railways were the first in the world to introduce electric traction for the entire length of a mainline rather than just a short stretch. The 106 km Valtellina line was opened on 4 September 1902, designed by Kandó and a team from the Ganz Works . The electrical system

1440-410: A smaller rail parallel to the main track, above ground level. There are multiple pickups on both sides of the locomotive in order to accommodate the breaks in the third rail required by trackwork. This system is preferred in subways because of the close clearances it affords. During the initial development of railroad electrical propulsion, a number of drive systems were devised to couple the output of

1536-841: A speed of 13 km/h. During four months, the train carried 90,000 passengers on a 300-meter-long (984 feet) circular track. The electricity (150 V DC) was supplied through a third insulated rail between the tracks. A contact roller was used to collect the electricity. The world's first electric tram line opened in Lichterfelde near Berlin, Germany, in 1881. It was built by Werner von Siemens (see Gross-Lichterfelde Tramway and Berlin Straßenbahn ). Volk's Electric Railway opened in 1883 in Brighton. Also in 1883, Mödling and Hinterbrühl Tram opened near Vienna in Austria. It

1632-532: Is a Swedish -based independent train haulage provider. It operates in the European rail transport market and possesses its own rolling stock, including a fleet of 100 locomotives . The company provides both locomotives and drivers to freight customers who need to have whole unit trains hauled between two places with a regular timetable . Hector Rail operated its first train on 12 December 2004 shortly after its establishment. Four years later, Hector Rail formed

1728-654: Is common in Canada and the U.S.) but not for passenger or mixed passenger/freight traffic like on many European railway lines, especially where heavy freight trains must be run at comparatively high speeds (80 km/h or more). These factors led to high degrees of electrification in most European countries. In some countries, like Switzerland, even electric shunters are common and many private sidings are served by electric locomotives. During World War II , when materials to build new electric locomotives were not available, Swiss Federal Railways installed electric heating elements in

1824-418: Is no easy way to do the voltage/current transformation for DC so efficiently as achieved by AC transformers. AC traction still occasionally uses dual overhead wires instead of single-phase lines. The resulting three-phase current drives induction motors , which do not have sensitive commutators and permit easy realisation of a regenerative brake . Speed is controlled by changing the number of pole pairs in

1920-463: Is now employed largely unmodified by ÖBB to haul their Railjet which is however limited to a top speed of 230 km/h due to economic and infrastructure concerns. An electric locomotive can be supplied with power from The distinguishing design features of electric locomotives are: The most fundamental difference lies in the choice of AC or DC. The earliest systems used DC, as AC was not well understood and insulation material for high voltage lines

2016-414: Is powered by onboard batteries; a kind of battery electric vehicle . Such locomotives are used where a diesel or conventional electric locomotive would be unsuitable. An example is maintenance trains on electrified lines when the electricity supply is turned off. Another use for battery locomotives is in industrial facilities (e.g. explosives factories, oil, and gas refineries or chemical factories) where

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2112-537: Is powered via a separate transformer winding feeding three independent insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) converters each providing a three-phase 400 volt system. The locomotive is designed with an open system architecture that can be adapted later. Diagnostic information is available to the driver and can be sent to the control center via GSM-R . The locomotive has a large and bright cab with space for up to three people. The second series of locomotives have an improved driver's chair, which has been retrofitted on

2208-902: Is seldom used in operation. The units are fed with 15 kV  16.7 Hz AC via a pantograph . The power is transformed and then converted via a single water-cooled gate turn-off (GTO) thyristor based converter per bogie. The converters belong to the Camilla family, which was developed by ABB's Swiss branch as successor for its oil-cooled converters, and found previous use in the FS Class E464 . The converters operate independently, with their own cooling and control systems and are shut down automatically in case of failure. The converters consist of seven line-replaceable unit modules to minimize maintenance costs. Each locomotive has six three-phase asynchronous alternating current traction motors , each rated at 918 kW (1,231 hp) and each powering

2304-509: Is sufficient to power the empty trains back up to the national border. Although the trains and hopper cars are all owned by LKAB, the line is owned by the Swedish Transport Administration and Bane NOR . The Iron Ore and Ofoten Lines are also used by passenger and container trains. Electric locomotive Electric locomotives benefit from the high efficiency of electric motors, often above 90% (not including

2400-483: Is the high cost for infrastructure: overhead lines or third rail, substations, and control systems. The impact of this varies depending on local laws and regulations. For example, public policy in the U.S. interferes with electrification: higher property taxes are imposed on privately owned rail facilities if they are electrified. The EPA regulates exhaust emissions on locomotive and marine engines, similar to regulations on car & freight truck emissions, in order to limit

2496-493: Is the number of axles, hinting the tractive effort. Hector Rail previously owned 6 Class 161, ex NSB El 15 locomotives, but they were taken out of service in 2019 after deliveries of new Class 243 "Vectron" locomotives and were sold in 2020 to the Norwegian company Grenland Rail. The railway was featured in a 2018 episode of Mighty Trains , showing newly acquired Vectron locomotives hauling lumber from northern Sweden to

2592-456: Is widespread in Europe, with electric multiple units commonly used for passenger trains. Due to higher density schedules, operating costs are more dominant with respect to the infrastructure costs than in the U.S. and electric locomotives have much lower operating costs than diesel. In addition, governments were motivated to electrify their railway networks due to coal shortages experienced during

2688-514: The Ganz works and Societa Italiana Westinghouse , was an electro-mechanical converter , allowing the use of three-phase motors from single-phase AC, eliminating the need for two overhead wires. In 1923, the first phase-converter locomotive in Hungary was constructed on the basis of Kandó's designs and serial production began soon after. The first installation, at 16 kV 50 Hz, was in 1932 on

2784-542: The Iron Ore Line and Ofoten Line in Sweden and Norway, respectively. The 8,600-tonne (8,500-long-ton; 9,500-short-ton) 68-car trains are hauled by two single-ended Co′Co′ locomotives, each with a power output of 5,400 kW (7,200 hp). Each operates with 600 kilonewtons (130,000 pounds-force) tractive effort and has a maximum speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). Delivery of the first series of 18 locomotives

2880-617: The Pennsylvania Railroad applied classes to its electric locomotives as if they were steam. For example, the PRR GG1 class indicates that it is arranged like two 4-6-0 class G locomotives coupled back-to-back. UIC classification system was typically used for electric locomotives, as it could handle the complex arrangements of powered and unpowered axles and could distinguish between coupled and uncoupled drive systems. A battery–electric locomotive (or battery locomotive)

2976-659: The Pennsylvania Railroad , which had introduced electric locomotives because of the NYC regulation, electrified its entire territory east of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania . The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific Railroad (the Milwaukee Road ), the last transcontinental line to be built, electrified its lines across the Rocky Mountains and to the Pacific Ocean starting in 1915. A few East Coastlines, notably

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3072-632: The Royal Scottish Society of Arts Exhibition in 1841. The seven-ton vehicle had two direct-drive reluctance motors , with fixed electromagnets acting on iron bars attached to a wooden cylinder on each axle, and simple commutators . It hauled a load of six tons at four miles per hour (6 kilometers per hour) for a distance of one and a half miles (2.4 kilometres). It was tested on the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway in September of

3168-533: The SJ Class Dm 3 locomotives on Swedish Railways produced a record 7,200 kW. Locomotives capable of commercial passenger service at 200 km/h appeared in Germany and France in the same period. Further improvements resulted from the introduction of electronic control systems, which permitted the use of increasingly lighter and more powerful motors that could be fitted inside the bogies (standardizing from

3264-479: The United Kingdom (750 V and 1,500 V); Netherlands , Japan , Ireland (1,500 V); Slovenia , Belgium , Italy , Poland , Russia , Spain (3,000 V) and Washington, D.C. (750 V). Electrical circuits require two connections (or for three phase AC , three connections). From the beginning, the track was used for one side of the circuit. Unlike model railroads the track normally supplies only one side,

3360-594: The Virginian Railway and the Norfolk and Western Railway , electrified short sections of their mountain crossings. However, by this point electrification in the United States was more associated with dense urban traffic and the use of electric locomotives declined in the face of dieselization. Diesel shared some of the electric locomotive's advantages over steam and the cost of building and maintaining

3456-404: The traction motors to the wheels. Early locomotives often used jackshaft drives. In this arrangement, the traction motor is mounted within the body of the locomotive and drives the jackshaft through a set of gears. This system was employed because the first traction motors were too large and heavy to mount directly on the axles. Due to the number of mechanical parts involved, frequent maintenance

3552-532: The 1990s onwards on asynchronous three-phase motors, fed through GTO-inverters). In the 1980s, the development of very high-speed service brought further electrification. The Japanese Shinkansen and the French TGV were the first systems for which devoted high-speed lines were built from scratch. Similar programs were undertaken in Italy , Germany and Spain ; in the United States the only new mainline service

3648-492: The 56 km section of the Hungarian State Railways between Budapest and Komárom . This proved successful and the electrification was extended to Hegyeshalom in 1934. In Europe, electrification projects initially focused on mountainous regions for several reasons: coal supplies were difficult, hydroelectric power was readily available, and electric locomotives gave more traction on steeper lines. This

3744-541: The B&;O to the new line to New York through a series of tunnels around the edges of Baltimore's downtown. Parallel tracks on the Pennsylvania Railroad had shown that coal smoke from steam locomotives would be a major operating issue and a public nuisance. Three Bo+Bo units were initially used, the EL-1 Model. At the south end of the electrified section; they coupled onto the locomotive and train and pulled it through

3840-553: The British freight operator GB Railfreight (GBRF) following its acquisition by EQT AB. During October 2019, EQT AB completed the sale of GB Railfreight to Infracapital , ending the British freight company's association with Hector Rail. In June 2020, EQT agreed terms for the sale of Hector Rail to Ancala Partners LLP; at the time of the transaction, it was the largest privately-owned rail freight operator in Scandinavia, having

3936-543: The British freight operator GB Railfreight (GBRF) following its acquisition by EQT AB; it was sold four years later. In late 2019, Hector Rail, in partnership with several other companies, launched the Coevorden-Nässjö rail freight service between the Netherlands and Sweden. During May 2021, Hector Rail began operating train services for FlixTrain within Sweden. In early 2023, Hector Rail provided traction for

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4032-691: The Buchli drive was mainly used by the French SNCF and Swiss Federal Railways . The quill drive was also developed about this time and mounted the traction motor above or to the side of the axle and coupled to the axle through a reduction gear and a hollow shaft – the quill – flexibly connected to the driving axle. The Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 locomotive used a quill drive. Again, as traction motors continued to shrink in size and weight, quill drives gradually fell out of favor in low-speed freight locomotives. In high-speed passenger locomotives used in Europe,

4128-448: The Coevorden-Nässjö rail freight connection between the Netherlands and Sweden. During the late 2010s, various measures were explored and enacted by Hector Rail to improve operational efficiency and bolster its environmental credentials of its services. During May 2021, Hector Rail began operating train services for FlixTrain when they launched their services in Sweden. During October 2022, Hector Rail cooperated with Samskip to launch

4224-509: The First and Second World Wars. Diesel locomotives have less power compared to electric locomotives for the same weight and dimensions. For instance, the 2,200 kW of a modern British Rail Class 66 diesel locomotive was matched in 1927 by the electric SBB-CFF-FFS Ae 4/7 (2,300 kW), which is lighter. However, for low speeds, the tractive effort is more important than power. Diesel engines can be competitive for slow freight traffic (as it

4320-846: The LKAB's mines in Kiruna , Svappavaara and Malmberget in Sweden to Luleå on the Baltic Sea in Sweden and to Narvik on the Norwegian Sea in Norway. Historically, these lines were operated by the Norwegian State Railways (NSB) in Norway and the Swedish State Railways (SJ) in Sweden, but in 1996 the operations, but not the infrastructure, were transferred to the new company Malmtrafik i Kiruna (MTAB),

4416-481: The London Underground. One setback for third rail systems is that level crossings become more complex, usually requiring a gap section. The original Baltimore and Ohio Railroad electrification used a sliding pickup (a contact shoe or simply the "shoe") in an overhead channel, a system quickly found to be unsatisfactory. It was replaced by a third rail , in which a pickup rides underneath or on top of

4512-564: The TRAXX family by the time of the second batch order in 2007. The manufacturer has also referred to the locomotive type as the Bombardier Kiruna. Each Iore consists of twin units with one driver's cab at each. They normally operate in fixed units of two, making a pair capable of hauling a 8,600-tonne (8,500-long-ton; 9,500-short-ton) ore train. Technically an Iore section is also capable to operate as single locomotive, an option that

4608-430: The amount of carbon monoxide, unburnt hydrocarbons, nitric oxides, and soot output from these mobile power sources. Because railroad infrastructure is privately owned in the U.S., railroads are unwilling to make the necessary investments for electrification. In Europe and elsewhere, railway networks are considered part of the national transport infrastructure, just like roads, highways and waterways, so are often financed by

4704-473: The bogie centers is 12.890 m (42 ft 3.5 in) and the bogie wheel-base is 1.920 m (6 ft 3.6 in). The wheel diameter is 1.250 m (4 ft 1.2 in) when new and 1.150 m (3 ft 9.3 in) when worn. Each locomotive weighs 180 tonnes (180 long tons; 200 short tons), of which 38 tonnes (37 long tons; 42 short tons) is electrical equipment. Each locomotive has 30 tonnes (30 long tons; 33 short tons) of dead weight to increase

4800-457: The boilers of some steam shunters , fed from the overhead supply, to deal with the shortage of imported coal. Recent political developments in many European countries to enhance public transit have led to another boost for electric traction. In addition, gaps in the unelectrified track are closed to avoid replacing electric locomotives by diesel for these sections. The necessary modernization and electrification of these lines are possible, due to

4896-538: The company operated roughly five million train-km per year in Sweden and Norway. During January 2008, Hector Rail began operating in Denmark , it also ran its first trains between Sweden and Germany that year. Hector Rail formed a long term partnership with the Dutch logistics company Samskip to operate direct rail freight services between Scandinavia and the rest of Europe; the frequency of these services would rise over

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4992-568: The early development of electric locomotion was driven by the increasing use of tunnels, particularly in urban areas. Smoke from steam locomotives was noxious and municipalities were increasingly inclined to prohibit their use within their limits. The first electrically worked underground line was the City and South London Railway , prompted by a clause in its enabling act prohibiting the use of steam power. It opened in 1890, using electric locomotives built by Mather and Platt . Electricity quickly became

5088-474: The electrification of many European main lines. European electric locomotive technology had improved steadily from the 1920s onwards. By comparison, the Milwaukee Road class EP-2 (1918) weighed 240 t, with a power of 3,330 kW and a maximum speed of 112 km/h; in 1935, German E 18 had a power of 2,800 kW, but weighed only 108 tons and had a maximum speed of 150 km/h. On 29 March 1955, French locomotive CC 7107 reached 331 km/h. In 1960

5184-508: The expo site at Frankfurt am Main West, a distance of 280 km. Using experience he had gained while working for Jean Heilmann on steam–electric locomotive designs, Brown observed that three-phase motors had a higher power-to-weight ratio than DC motors and, because of the absence of a commutator , were simpler to manufacture and maintain. However, they were much larger than the DC motors of

5280-489: The financing of the railway infrastructure by the state. British electric multiple units were first introduced in the 1890s, and current versions provide public transit and there are also a number of electric locomotive classes, such as: Class 76 , Class 86 , Class 87 , Class 90 , Class 91 and Class 92 . Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union have a mix of 3,000 V DC and 25 kV AC for historical reasons. Hector Rail Hector Rail

5376-606: The first batch operate five to six trains on the Southern Circuit. The four pairs of second-batch locomotives will replace Dm3 locomotives on the Northern Circuit by 2011. The trains hauled by Iore are 68 cars long and weigh 8,600 tonnes (8,500 long tons; 9,500 short tons). From Riksgränsen on the national border to the Port of Narvik, the trains use only a fifth of the power they regenerate. The regenerated energy

5472-756: The first main-line three-phase locomotives to the 40 km Burgdorf–Thun railway (highest point 770 metres), Switzerland. The first implementation of industrial frequency single-phase AC supply for locomotives came from Oerlikon in 1901, using the designs of Hans Behn-Eschenburg and Emil Huber-Stockar ; installation on the Seebach-Wettingen line of the Swiss Federal Railways was completed in 1904. The 15 kV, 50 Hz 345 kW (460 hp), 48 tonne locomotives used transformers and rotary converters to power DC traction motors. In 1894, Hungarian engineer Kálmán Kandó developed

5568-426: The following decade, reaching six round trips per week between Sweden and Germany alone. During 2009, Hector Rail hauled its first passenger service, doing so on behalf of Veolia . In September 2014, the company was acquired by the Swedish global investment organization EQT Infrastructure II . At the time of its acquisition, Hector Rail had roughly 190 employees operating across Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Germany,

5664-399: The following year, but the limited power from batteries prevented its general use. It was destroyed by railway workers, who saw it as a threat to their job security. The first electric passenger train was presented by Werner von Siemens at Berlin in 1879. The locomotive was driven by a 2.2 kW, series-wound motor, and the train, consisting of the locomotive and three cars, reached

5760-1013: The ground. The first electric locomotive built in 1837 was a battery locomotive. It was built by chemist Robert Davidson of Aberdeen in Scotland , and it was powered by galvanic cells (batteries). Another early example was at the Kennecott Copper Mine , McCarthy, Alaska , wherein 1917 the underground haulage ways were widened to enable working by two battery locomotives of 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 short tons (4.0 long tons; 4.1 t). In 1928, Kennecott Copper ordered four 700-series electric locomotives with onboard batteries. These locomotives weighed 85 short tons (76 long tons; 77 t) and operated on 750 volts overhead trolley wire with considerable further range whilst running on batteries. The locomotives provided several decades of service using nickel–iron battery (Edison) technology. The batteries were replaced with lead-acid batteries , and

5856-512: The inefficiency of generating the electricity). Additional efficiency can be gained from regenerative braking , which allows kinetic energy to be recovered during braking to put power back on the line. Newer electric locomotives use AC motor-inverter drive systems that provide for regenerative braking. Electric locomotives are quiet compared to diesel locomotives since there is no engine and exhaust noise and less mechanical noise. The lack of reciprocating parts means electric locomotives are easier on

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5952-434: The locomotive's weight to the maximum axle weight, and further weight increase has been achieved by making the walls 4 centimetres (1.6 in) wide with armored steel. The extra wall thickness also provides for increased structural strength, to withstand collisions with snowdrifts and elk . The sides of the walls were built as flat as possible to reduce the sticking of blowing snow and ice formation. The auxiliary system

6048-1144: The locomotives were retired shortly afterward. All four locomotives were donated to museums, but one was scrapped. The others can be seen at the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad , Iowa, and at the Western Railway Museum in Rio Vista, California. The Toronto Transit Commission previously operated on the Toronto subway a battery electric locomotive built by Nippon Sharyo in 1968 and retired in 2009. London Underground regularly operates battery–electric locomotives for general maintenance work. As of 2022 , battery locomotives with 7 and 14 MWh energy capacity have been ordered by rail lines and are under development. In 2020, Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Company , manufacturers of stored electrical power systems using supercapacitors initially developed for use in trams , announced that they were extending their product line to include locomotives. Electrification

6144-603: The new weights. While the first pair of locomotives had Janney couplers, the rest of the locomotives were equipped with SA3 couplers to handle the existing hopper cars, and the cars bought from K-Industrier. The locomotives and Transnet wagons with Janney couplers were retrofitted with SA3 couplers. In 2004, the El 15 locomotives were sold to Hector Rail . On 23 August 2007, LKAB ordered another four twin units, with delivery in 2010 and 2011, and costing €52 million. These will replace all remaining Dm3 locomotives by 2011, and LKAB convert all

6240-564: The older trains. The machine room has a center hallway. All high-current equipment is located behind a door which can only be opened with a special key. This key is locked in such a way that it cannot be accessed without grounding the locomotive, and similarly the locomotive cannot be ungrounded again until the key is back in place. LKAB operates iron ore mines in Kiruna, Svappavaara and Malmberget in Norrbotten County , Sweden. Most of

6336-533: The ore from the mines. The upgrade was estimated to cost 180 million Norwegian krone (NOK) for the Ofoten Line alone. In March 1998, LKAB awarded the contract to build 750 new 100-tonne hopper cars to Transnet of South Africa. In August, an agreement was reached whereby LKAB would pay NOK 100 million of the NOK ;130 million needed to upgrade the Ofoten Line. The contract to deliver 18 locomotives

6432-447: The ore trains to 68 cars. This will increase the capacity from 28 to 33 million tonnes per year, and at the same time reduce the number of departures per day from 21 to 15. The name Iore is a mixture between the term "iron ore", and the fictional character Eeyore from Winnie-the-Pooh , spelled "I-or" in Swedish. The Iore class was a cold-adapted and heavy-haul derivation from Adtranz's Octeon modular electric locomotive platform, which

6528-434: The other side(s) of the circuit being provided separately. Railways generally tend to prefer overhead lines , often called " catenaries " after the support system used to hold the wire parallel to the ground. Three collection methods are possible: Of the three, the pantograph method is best suited for high-speed operation. Some locomotives use both overhead and third rail collection (e.g. British Rail Class 92 ). In Europe,

6624-525: The output is transported by rail to the ice-free Port of Narvik , a route named the Northern Circuit. A minority of the ore is transported to Luleå on the Southern Circuit. Located on the Baltic Sea, ore is shipped to Baltic customers, or delivered to furnaces operated by SSAB in Luleå and Oxelösund . The Iron Ore and Ofoten Lines are 536 km (333 mi) long, including the branch to Svappavaara, with

6720-424: The performance of AC locomotives was sufficiently developed to allow all its future installations, regardless of terrain, to be of this standard, with its associated cheaper and more efficient infrastructure. The SNCF decision, ignoring as it did the 2,000 miles (3,200 km) of high-voltage DC already installed on French routes, was influential in the standard selected for other countries in Europe. The 1960s saw

6816-495: The period of electrification of the Italian railways, tests were made as to which type of power to use: in some sections there was a 3,600 V 16 + 2 ⁄ 3  Hz three-phase power supply, in others there was 1,500 V DC, 3 kV DC and 10 kV AC 45 Hz supply. After WW2, 3 kV DC power was chosen for the entire Italian railway system. A later development of Kandó, working with both

6912-573: The power required for ascending trains. Most systems have a characteristic voltage and, in the case of AC power, a system frequency. Many locomotives have been equipped to handle multiple voltages and frequencies as systems came to overlap or were upgraded. American FL9 locomotives were equipped to handle power from two different electrical systems and could also operate as diesel–electrics. While today's systems predominantly operate on AC, many DC systems are still in use – e.g., in South Africa and

7008-620: The power supply infrastructure, which discouraged new installations, brought on the elimination of most main-line electrification outside the Northeast. Except for a few captive systems (e.g. the Deseret Power Railroad ), by 2000 electrification was confined to the Northeast Corridor and some commuter service; even there, freight service was handled by diesel. Development continued in Europe, where electrification

7104-544: The power supply of choice for subways, abetted by Sprague's invention of multiple-unit train control in 1897. Surface and elevated rapid transit systems generally used steam until forced to convert by ordinance. The first use of electrification on an American main line was on a four-mile stretch of the Baltimore Belt Line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) in 1895 connecting the main portion of

7200-400: The quill drive is still predominant. Another drive was the " bi-polar " system, in which the motor armature was the axle itself, the frame and field assembly of the motor being attached to the truck (bogie) in a fixed position. The motor had two field poles, which allowed a limited amount of vertical movement of the armature. This system was of limited value since the power output of each motor

7296-420: The recommended geometry and shape of pantographs are defined by standard EN 50367/IEC 60486 Mass transit systems and suburban lines often use a third rail instead of overhead wire. It allows for smaller tunnels and lower clearance under bridges, and has advantages for intensive traffic that it is a very sturdy system, not sensitive to snapping overhead wires. Some systems use four rails, especially some lines in

7392-642: The rest of the Iore series from 2002 to 2005. In March 2004, LKAB decided not to purchase additional hopper cars from Transnet, and instead purchased 750 heavier cars from K-Industrier. Since 1969, the ore trains have been using the Soviet SA3 coupler . However, LKAB wanted to also try Janney couplers (also known as AAR coupler, used in much heavier trains in USA and South Africa), as the SA3 couplers were not much tested with

7488-406: The route from Kiruna to Narvik being 170 km (110 mi), and from Malmberget to Luleå being 220 km (140 mi). Operations are handled by LKAB's subsidiary Malmtrafik i Kiruna (MTAB) in Sweden, and Malmtrafikk (MTAS) in Norway. As of 2010, six pairs of the first batch Iore locomotives operate 11 to 13 trains daily in each direction on the Northern Circuit, and the remaining three pairs of

7584-439: The state. Operators of the rolling stock pay fees according to rail use. This makes possible the large investments required for the technically and, in the long-term, also economically advantageous electrification. The first known electric locomotive was built in 1837 by chemist Robert Davidson of Aberdeen , and it was powered by galvanic cells (batteries). Davidson later built a larger locomotive named Galvani , exhibited at

7680-399: The stator circuit, with acceleration controlled by switching additional resistors in, or out, of the rotor circuit. The two-phase lines are heavy and complicated near switches, where the phases have to cross each other. The system was widely used in northern Italy until 1976 and is still in use on some Swiss rack railways . The simple feasibility of a fail-safe electric brake is an advantage of

7776-442: The system, while speed control and the two-phase lines are problematic. Rectifier locomotives, which used AC power transmission and DC motors, were common, though DC commutators had problems both in starting and at low velocities. Today's advanced electric locomotives use brushless three-phase AC induction motors . These polyphase machines are powered from GTO -, IGCT - or IGBT -based inverters. The cost of electronic devices in

7872-607: The time and could not be mounted in underfloor bogies : they could only be carried within locomotive bodies. In 1896, Oerlikon installed the first commercial example of the system on the Lugano Tramway . Each 30-tonne locomotive had two 110 kW (150 hp) motors run by three-phase 750 V 40 Hz fed from double overhead lines. Three-phase motors run at a constant speed and provide regenerative braking and are thus well suited to steeply graded routes; in 1899 Brown (by then in partnership with Walter Boveri ) supplied

7968-960: The track, reducing track maintenance. Power plant capacity is far greater than any individual locomotive uses, so electric locomotives can have a higher power output than diesel locomotives and they can produce even higher short-term surge power for fast acceleration. Electric locomotives are ideal for commuter rail service with frequent stops. Electric locomotives are used on freight routes with consistently high traffic volumes, or in areas with advanced rail networks. Power plants, even if they burn fossil fuels , are far cleaner than mobile sources such as locomotive engines. The power can also come from low-carbon or renewable sources , including geothermal power , hydroelectric power , biomass , solar power , nuclear power and wind turbines . Electric locomotives usually cost 20% less than diesel locomotives, their maintenance costs are 25–35% lower, and cost up to 50% less to run. The chief disadvantage of electrification

8064-670: The tunnels. Railroad entrances to New York City required similar tunnels and the smoke problems were more acute there. A collision in the Park Avenue tunnel in 1902 led the New York State legislature to outlaw the use of smoke-generating locomotives south of the Harlem River after 1 July 1908. In response, electric locomotives began operation in 1904 on the New York Central Railroad . In the 1930s,

8160-443: The use of low currents; transmission losses are proportional to the square of the current (e.g. twice the current means four times the loss). Thus, high power can be conducted over long distances on lighter and cheaper wires. Transformers in the locomotives transform this power to a low voltage and high current for the motors. A similar high voltage, low current system could not be employed with direct current locomotives because there

8256-590: Was an extension of electrification over the Northeast Corridor from New Haven, Connecticut , to Boston, Massachusetts , though new electric light rail systems continued to be built. On 2 September 2006, a standard production Siemens electric locomotive of the Eurosprinter type ES64-U4 ( ÖBB Class 1216) achieved 357 km/h (222 mph), the record for a locomotive-hauled train, on the new line between Ingolstadt and Nuremberg. This locomotive

8352-416: Was launched in 1998 on the basis of Adtranz's latest models for Deutsche Bahn at the time. Adtranz and later Bombardier Transportation conducted the final assembly of the locomotives at Kassel, Germany. When Bombardier Transportation introduced the brand name TRAXX for its updated modular locomotive platform, the type designation TRAXX H80 AC was applicable to the Iore class, however, it was excluded from

8448-404: Was limited. The EP-2 bi-polar electrics used by the Milwaukee Road compensated for this problem by using a large number of powered axles. Modern freight electric locomotives, like their Diesel–electric counterparts, almost universally use axle-hung traction motors, with one motor for each powered axle. In this arrangement, one side of the motor housing is supported by plain bearings riding on

8544-487: Was made from 2000 to 2004, and they replaced some of the aging Dm3 and El 15 units. In 2007, eight more vehicles (4 double units) were ordered, with production to be completed by 2011, by which time, another four double units were ordered. These units were scheduled to be delivered from 2013 to 2014. The Ofoten Line and the Iron Ore Line are two railroad lines which were built to allow iron ore to be hauled from

8640-399: Was necessary. The jackshaft drive was abandoned for all but the smallest units when smaller and lighter motors were developed, Several other systems were devised as the electric locomotive matured. The Buchli drive was a fully spring-loaded system, in which the weight of the driving motors was completely disconnected from the driving wheels. First used in electric locomotives from the 1920s,

8736-498: Was not available. DC locomotives typically run at relatively low voltage (600 to 3,000 volts); the equipment is therefore relatively massive because the currents involved are large in order to transmit sufficient power. Power must be supplied at frequent intervals as the high currents result in large transmission system losses. As AC motors were developed, they became the predominant type, particularly on longer routes. High voltages (tens of thousands of volts) are used because this allows

8832-463: Was particularly applicable in Switzerland, where almost all lines are electrified. An important contribution to the wider adoption of AC traction came from SNCF of France after World War II . The company had assessed the industrial-frequency AC line routed through the steep Höllental Valley , Germany, which was under French administration following the war. After trials, the company decided that

8928-717: Was signed with Adtranz Switzerland on 15 September 1998. In 1999, LKAB bought SJ's and NSB's share in MTAB. The first two sections were delivered by Adtranz in August 2000, and was subjected to intensive tests before the manufacture of the rest of the series. Commissioning concluded in December 2000, the locomotive started regular service on 10 January 2001, and started operation with the new hopper cars and 30-tonne (30-long-ton; 33-short-ton) axle load on 7 March 2001. In May 2001, Bombardier Transportation took over Adtranz. Bombardier delivered

9024-526: Was the first in the world in regular service powered from an overhead line. Five years later, in the U.S. electric trolleys were pioneered in 1888 on the Richmond Union Passenger Railway , using equipment designed by Frank J. Sprague . The first electrified Hungarian railway lines were opened in 1887. Budapest (See: BHÉV ): Ráckeve line (1887), Szentendre line (1888), Gödöllő line (1888), Csepel line (1912). Much of

9120-513: Was three-phase at 3 kV 15 Hz. The voltage was significantly higher than used earlier and it required new designs for electric motors and switching devices. The three-phase two-wire system was used on several railways in Northern Italy and became known as "the Italian system". Kandó was invited in 1905 to undertake the management of Società Italiana Westinghouse and led the development of several Italian electric locomotives. During

9216-546: Was widespread. 1,500 V DC is still used on some lines near France and 25 kV 50 Hz is used by high-speed trains. The first practical AC electric locomotive was designed by Charles Brown , then working for Oerlikon , Zürich. In 1891, Brown had demonstrated long-distance power transmission for the International Electrotechnical Exhibition , using three-phase AC , between a hydro–electric plant at Lauffen am Neckar and

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