Eurorunner
Encyclopedia
The Eurorunner family of locomotives are a series of medium to high power diesel electric locomotive
s built by Siemens
for the European market. Introduced from 2002 onwards, they share design characteristics with the successful Eurosprinter
range of electric locomotives, also built by Siemens.
The main initial order for these locomotives was for 100 of the four axle ER20 for the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and designated ÖBB type 2016, and commonly called Hercules, further smaller orders from smaller railway companies have also been fulfilled. Later six axle versions ER20CF were produced for Lithuanian Railways
. A higher power version ER30 is also offered but has not resulted in any orders as of 2010.
Marketing by Siemens has heavily emphasised the locomotive's energy saving characteristics, as well as the technology used to reduce particulate emissions.
The locomotives have a supercharged 16-cylinder diesel engine of the MTU
4000 series developing 2,000 kW of power which drive a three-phase brushless alternator. At idle 8 of the 16 cylinders can be turned off reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
The three phase electrical supply is rectified to DC to supply a pulse width modulator, which in turn generates a three phase electrical supply to the traction motors (which are of the induction type) - the four traction motors are connected in parallel.
Electrical taps from the main DC power supply also provide power to other electronically controlled power supplies including those that power the cooling fans (also known as 'blowers') at 440V 3phase 60 Hz. The power supply for passenger operations (coach heating, lighting etc.) is optional and is located separately under the main frame whereas the rest of the electronic equipment is mounted in the body of the vehicle.
In addition the electrodynamic brakes can charge both a battery pack, as well as high capacity capacitors - meaning that energy absorbed on de-acceleration can be re-used later on. This feature saves emissions and fuel consumption - if the batteries and capacitors are full a roof mounted set of resistors provides the remainder or additional rheostatic braking. The maximum electrical braking effort is 100 kN. For additional braking a pneumatic braking system is included.
The locomotives are equipped for Push-Pull
operation (with Driving van trailer for instance) and for multiple unit operation (see Multiple-unit train control
.)
as locomotive type 2016.
Further locomotives were purchased by various companies:
Kowloon–Canton Railway Corporation of Hong Kong
were an early customer, ordering five locomotives in 2003 for use hauling freight services on the Kowloon-Canton Railway
.
Nord-Ostee Bahn also operate ER20s as 'DE 2000'. These original locomotives were available in a passenger version; the equipment (such as electric train heat etc.) required for passenger operation was carried under the locomotives frame between the bogies and necessitated a reduction in the size of the fuel tank. Alternatively, it may be said that the freight version has a larger fuel tank.
Locomotives based in Germany have been called 'Class 253', but that code has been given to the Vossloh G2000 and the locomotives now answer to the name 'Class 223', in Austria the designation is often 'Class 2016' since the original Austrian order for ÖBB had that number, the name 'Hercules' is also commonly used for this class since the original Austrian locomotive carried that name.
In 2007 Siemens announced variants available as a six axle Co'Co' locomotive. The first order for this type came from Lithuanian Railways
(Lietuvos Geležinkeliai or LG) for 34 of a 1520mm gauge freight specific version, the new variant was given the reporting name ER 20 CF Higher powered versions are also offered, designated ER30.
The passenger version is labelled ER 20 CU (U is for universal), and retrospectively the two axle variants have been relabelled ER 20 BU or ER 20 BF for the universal (passenger) and freight versions respectively. (Originally the Bo'Bo' freight version reported as ER 20 F)
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s built by Siemens
Siemens
Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
for the European market. Introduced from 2002 onwards, they share design characteristics with the successful Eurosprinter
EuroSprinter
The EuroSprinter family of electric locomotives is a modular concept of locomotives for the European market built by Siemens. The internal Siemens product name is ES 64, with ES for EuroSprinter and the number 64 indicating the 6,400 kW power at rail.Additional information is given in the name...
range of electric locomotives, also built by Siemens.
The main initial order for these locomotives was for 100 of the four axle ER20 for the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and designated ÖBB type 2016, and commonly called Hercules, further smaller orders from smaller railway companies have also been fulfilled. Later six axle versions ER20CF were produced for Lithuanian Railways
Lithuanian Railways
Lithuanian Railways is the national, state-owned railway company of Lithuania. It operates all the railway lines in the country.Lithuanian Railways' main network consists of 1749 km of broad gauge railway of which 122 km are electrified. They also operate 22 km of standard gauge...
. A higher power version ER30 is also offered but has not resulted in any orders as of 2010.
Technical
The locomotive is designed to be made of as few parts as possible, and is of modular construction, with separate components (engine, electronics etc.) kept in separately fabricated units and are designed to be easily replaceable.Marketing by Siemens has heavily emphasised the locomotive's energy saving characteristics, as well as the technology used to reduce particulate emissions.
The locomotives have a supercharged 16-cylinder diesel engine of the MTU
MTU Friedrichshafen
MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH is a manufacturer of commercial internal combustion engines founded by Wilhelm Maybach and his son Karl Maybach in 1909...
4000 series developing 2,000 kW of power which drive a three-phase brushless alternator. At idle 8 of the 16 cylinders can be turned off reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
The three phase electrical supply is rectified to DC to supply a pulse width modulator, which in turn generates a three phase electrical supply to the traction motors (which are of the induction type) - the four traction motors are connected in parallel.
Electrical taps from the main DC power supply also provide power to other electronically controlled power supplies including those that power the cooling fans (also known as 'blowers') at 440V 3phase 60 Hz. The power supply for passenger operations (coach heating, lighting etc.) is optional and is located separately under the main frame whereas the rest of the electronic equipment is mounted in the body of the vehicle.
In addition the electrodynamic brakes can charge both a battery pack, as well as high capacity capacitors - meaning that energy absorbed on de-acceleration can be re-used later on. This feature saves emissions and fuel consumption - if the batteries and capacitors are full a roof mounted set of resistors provides the remainder or additional rheostatic braking. The maximum electrical braking effort is 100 kN. For additional braking a pneumatic braking system is included.
The locomotives are equipped for Push-Pull
Push-pull train
Push–pull is a mode of operation for locomotive-hauled trains allowing them to be driven from either end.A push–pull train has a locomotive at one end of the train, connected via some form of remote control, such as multiple-unit train control, to a vehicle equipped with a control cab at the other...
operation (with Driving van trailer for instance) and for multiple unit operation (see Multiple-unit train control
Multiple-unit train control
Multiple-unit train control, sometimes abbreviated to multiple-unit or MU, is a method of simultaneously controlling all the traction equipment in a train from a single location, whether it is a Multiple unit comprising a number of self-powered passenger cars or a set of locomotives.A set of...
.)
Eurorunner ER20 C
The six axled locomotives have a number of changes in addition to the change of bogie type: both mass, tractive effort and braking effort are increased. The modularity concept used in the 4 axle versions remains unchanged. One notable difference between the two is that the ER20 C models have one pulse width modulator (electronic power supply: generic term 'inverter') per bogie (i.e. 2 ), whereas the ER 20B models have only one pulse width modulator in total. In addition the arrangement of modular components is changed from the Bo'Bo' versions. This model also sports a water closet.Eurorunner ER30
Siemens technical documentation mentions an ER30 which appears to be a variant of the ER20 CF model, with the possibility of a higher operating speed - it is describe as being suitable for passenger and freight operations.History and Operators
The initial order of the Eurorunner was of 100 units for Austrian Federal Railways ÖBBÖBB
The Austrian Federal Railways is the national railway system of Austria, and the administrators of Liechtenstein's railways...
as locomotive type 2016.
Further locomotives were purchased by various companies:
| organisation | location | number of units |
date | comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTR Corporation MTR Corporation MTR Corporation Limited is a company listed on the Hong Kong Exchange and included in the Hang Seng Index. MTR owns and runs the Hong Kong MTR metro system, and is also a major property developer and landlord in Hong Kong... (as Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation The Kowloon–Canton Railway Corporation was established in 1982 under the Kowloon–Canton Railway Corporation Ordinance for the purposes of operating the Kowloon–Canton Railway , and to construct and operate other new railways... ) |
Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
5 | 2003 | named 8000 series |
| MRCE MRCE MRCE can refer to:*Manav Rachna College Of Engineering*Mitsui Rail Capital EuropeSee also*Mrče, village in Serbia... Dispolok |
Europe | 15 | 2003–2006 | leasing company |
| StLB (Steiermärkische Landesbahnen) | Austria | 2 | 2004/5 | as 2016 series |
| LTE (LTE Logistik- und Transport- GmbH) | Austria | 2 | 2004/5 | as 2016 series |
| PRESS (Pressnitztalbahn) | Germany | 2 | 2004/5 | as 253 series |
| Eisenbahnen und Verkehrsbetriebe Elbe-Weser Eisenbahnen und Verkehrsbetriebe Elbe-Weser EVB Eisenbahnen und Verkehrsbetriebe Elbe-Weser GmbH is a German railway and bus company offering passenger and freight services that is headquartered in Zeven and Bremervörde... (EVB) |
Germany | 4 | 2005/7 | as 420 series |
| CBrail CBrail CBRail Sàrl is a European rolling stock leasing company based in Luxembourg, formed in 2004 from the European operations of Porterbrook.Since March 2010 the company's rail leasing activities in Germany and Luxembourg have been carried out by the renamed subsidiary Ascendos Rail Leasing.The company... |
Luxembourg | 3 | 2006 | leasing company |
| WLE (Westfälische Landes Eisenbahn) | Germany | 2 | 2007/9 | |
| RTS Austria | Austria | 2 | 2007/9 | as class 2016 |
| Osthannoversche Eisenbahnen (OHE) OHE The Osthannoversche Eisenbahnen AG is a Celle based transportation company with railway network in North-eastern Lower Saxony around the Lüneburg Heath area of over 250 km.... |
Germany | 3 | 2007 | as 27000 series |
| Stern & Hafferl | Austria | 1 | 2008 | as Rh 2016 |
| Angel Trains cargo Angel Trains Angel Trains is an English Rolling Stock Operating Company created in 1994 as part of the privatisation of British Rail. It was one of three ROSCOs... |
12 | leasing company | ||
| Lithuanian Railways (LG) Lithuanian Railways Lithuanian Railways is the national, state-owned railway company of Lithuania. It operates all the railway lines in the country.Lithuanian Railways' main network consists of 1749 km of broad gauge railway of which 122 km are electrified. They also operate 22 km of standard gauge... |
Lithuania | 44 | 2007–2009 | as ER20 series |
Kowloon–Canton Railway Corporation of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
were an early customer, ordering five locomotives in 2003 for use hauling freight services on the Kowloon-Canton Railway
Kowloon-Canton Railway
The Kowloon–Canton Railway refers to a railway network in Hong Kong which is now combined with the MTR railway system, comprising rapid transit services, a light rail system and feeder bus routes within Hong Kong, and intercity passenger and freight train services to the rest of China...
.
Nord-Ostee Bahn also operate ER20s as 'DE 2000'. These original locomotives were available in a passenger version; the equipment (such as electric train heat etc.) required for passenger operation was carried under the locomotives frame between the bogies and necessitated a reduction in the size of the fuel tank. Alternatively, it may be said that the freight version has a larger fuel tank.
Locomotives based in Germany have been called 'Class 253', but that code has been given to the Vossloh G2000 and the locomotives now answer to the name 'Class 223', in Austria the designation is often 'Class 2016' since the original Austrian order for ÖBB had that number, the name 'Hercules' is also commonly used for this class since the original Austrian locomotive carried that name.
In 2007 Siemens announced variants available as a six axle Co'Co' locomotive. The first order for this type came from Lithuanian Railways
Lithuanian Railways
Lithuanian Railways is the national, state-owned railway company of Lithuania. It operates all the railway lines in the country.Lithuanian Railways' main network consists of 1749 km of broad gauge railway of which 122 km are electrified. They also operate 22 km of standard gauge...
(Lietuvos Geležinkeliai or LG) for 34 of a 1520mm gauge freight specific version, the new variant was given the reporting name ER 20 CF Higher powered versions are also offered, designated ER30.
The passenger version is labelled ER 20 CU (U is for universal), and retrospectively the two axle variants have been relabelled ER 20 BU or ER 20 BF for the universal (passenger) and freight versions respectively. (Originally the Bo'Bo' freight version reported as ER 20 F)
See also
- Contempary Siemens locomotive products
- Siemens EurosprinterEuroSprinterThe EuroSprinter family of electric locomotives is a modular concept of locomotives for the European market built by Siemens. The internal Siemens product name is ES 64, with ES for EuroSprinter and the number 64 indicating the 6,400 kW power at rail.Additional information is given in the name...
- electrically powered related product - Siemens AsiarunnerAsiarunnerThe Siemens Asiarunner locomotives are contemparies to the Eurorunner class and are designed specifically for the South-East Asian market - in particular metre gauge - key features are a Co'Co' wheel arrangement and good clearance -Development:Much of the development of the Asiarunner locomotive...
- Locomotive sold to VietnamVietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
for meter gauge railway, contemporary to the EuroRunner - IranRunner 22 - Eurorunner type locomotive for railways of IranIslamic Republic of Iran RailwaysThe Islamic Republic of Iran Railways is the national state-owned railway system of Iran. is an associate of the IR and manages its passenger trains including international trains between Tehran and Istanbul and Tehran and Damascus...
produced by Siemens and on license by MLC of IranMLC (Mapna Locomotive Engineering and Manufacturing Company)Mapna Locomotive Engineering and Manufacturing Company is a manufacturing company in Iran. It was established in 2006 with the objective manufacturing 150 passenger locomotives in cooperation with Siemens AG...
- Siemens Eurosprinter
- Contemparies and potential competitors in the European diesel locomotive market:
- Bombardier TRAXX
- JT42CWR also known as "Class 66"
- Vossloh Euro locomotive
- Vossloh G2000
- Alstom Prima locomotivesPrima (locomotive)Prima is a family of railway diesel and electric locomotives built by Alstom. Manufacturing began in the late 1990s, and by 2008 Alstom had sold 1750 Prima locomotives...
Literature
- Alexander Bückle: Die Lokomotiven der Hercules-Familie. EK-Verlag, Freiburg, 2008 ISBN 3-88255-369-7