FS Class E464
Encyclopedia
The E464 is a class of Italian railways electric locomotive
s. They were introduced in the course of the 1990s for hauling light trains, especially for commuter service. They were acquired by FS Trenitalia to replace the old E424
and E646
, dating from the 1940s and 1950s. The class was originally designed by ABB Trazione, later ADTranz
(now part of the Bombardier
group), and produced in the Italian plant of Vado Ligure
.
Cost per unit is 2.6 million Euro. With 570 locomotives currently in service, the E464 is the largest class in use in Italy.
in the 1980s for a "modular" class of locomotives which would be easily adapted to commuter, inter-regional and cargo services. Initially, types with 4-axle (Bo-Bo
, E453/E454) and 6-axle (Bo-Bo-Bo
, E665/E666) were devised, the latter for cargo services. However, the E666 class was cancelled due to availability of the new E652 Tigre class, capable of hauling massive cargo trains. Moreover, the new inverter
technology was developed in those years, and the E454 became suddenly obsolete.
In 1994 FS requested ABB to design a new class which, to save money, was to be based on already built prototypes and using parts from the new E412
from the same producer. The first batch of 50 E464 was issued to the Lazio regional government in 1999-2000, and proved immediately successful. Further orders for 90, 100 and 48 units followed in 2001-2005, plus another 100 in 2006-2007, another 100 in 2009, and finally another 50 in 2011: a total of 688 locomotives, and an investment of over one billion Euro.
6 units are also used by Ferrovie Emilia Romagna
.
The locomotive uses simplified on-board electronics, with two GTO thyristor
choppers which provide a variable voltage to the two inverters
, that are used to feed the 4 three-phase asynchronous motors.
The motors employ a double-star type connection; if a traction inverter is inoperative (i.e. due to a failure) the motors use a delta-type connection and are fed by only one inverter.
During braking the motors can be used as generators in order to recover electric energy (regenerative braking). However, since Italian railway power substations are not able to receive energy (they are not reversible), this method only works if there are other trains nearby absorbing current and the line voltage is lower than 4000 V. Otherwise the power is dissipated through a braking rheostat. The vehicle braking logic checks if these conditions are met and then decides to send the current to the line or to the rheostat.
Two static inverters (often referred to as BUR) output a voltage of 450 V, 60 Hz AC that feeds the auxiliary systems which include the compressors, 24 V battery charger, rheostat ventilation fans, motors fans etc.
Usually BUR n.1 feeds only the motor cooling devices with a voltage down to 352 V at 58 Hz, while BUR n.2 feeds the rest; in case of failure of one BUR, one of the three motor fans is deactivated automatically and the system is fed at 450 V 60 Hz by the remaining one.
Braking systems include, other than the regenerative/rheostat braking, disc-type brakes activated by compressed air to completely immobilize the locomotive when stationary. If this condition lasts for a prolonged time air may run out thereby releasing the brakes, in which case the spring brake is activated.
The coupling system allows, in case of emergency, coupling of up to 4 locomotives for hauling heavy trains, for a total of 14,000 kW (more than one TGV
The E464 can be coupled with other modern types like the E402
.
The locomotive is provided with a secondary driving cabin with reduced instrumentation in the rear area, for short range manoeuvres in stations (maximum speed allowed: 30 km/h).
Apart from FS-Trenitalia (whose engines are often possessed by regional authorities), E464 is used in Lombardy
by the Italo-Swiss company TiLo
which operates services between Italy and Canton Ticino.
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
s. They were introduced in the course of the 1990s for hauling light trains, especially for commuter service. They were acquired by FS Trenitalia to replace the old E424
FS Class E424
The FS E424 is a class of Italian railways electric locomotives. They were built in 1943-1951 and have been decommissioned in 2008.-History:A design for a small multi-service Bo-Bo locomotive, with speed up to 90 km/h, had been devised by Giuseppe Bianchi as early as in the 1930s, but the...
and E646
FS class E646
The FS E645 and E646 are two classes of similar electric locomotives used on Italian railways. They were introduced during the 1950s and they have been retired in 2009.- History :...
, dating from the 1940s and 1950s. The class was originally designed by ABB Trazione, later ADTranz
Adtranz
ABB Daimler-Benz Transportation , commonly known under its brand Adtranz, was a multi-national rail transport equipment manufacturer with facilities concentrated in Europe and the USA....
(now part of the Bombardier
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
group), and produced in the Italian plant of Vado Ligure
Vado Ligure
Vado Ligure, in antiquity Vado Sabatia, is a town and comune in the province of Savona, Liguria, in northern Italy.- Economy :Vado has a large industrial and commercial port....
.
Cost per unit is 2.6 million Euro. With 570 locomotives currently in service, the E464 is the largest class in use in Italy.
History
The E464 derives from a project launched by the Italian Ferrovie dello StatoFerrovie dello Stato
Ferrovie dello Stato is a government-owned holding which manage infrastructure and service on the Italian rail network. The subsidiary Trenitalia is the main rail operator in Italy.-Organization:Ferrovie dello Stato subsidiaries are:...
in the 1980s for a "modular" class of locomotives which would be easily adapted to commuter, inter-regional and cargo services. Initially, types with 4-axle (Bo-Bo
Bo-Bo
A Bo-Bo or Bo′Bo′ is a locomotive with two independent four-wheeled bogies with all axles powered by individual traction motors...
, E453/E454) and 6-axle (Bo-Bo-Bo
Bo-Bo-Bo
thumb|Italian articulated Bo-Bo-Bo [[FS Class E656|E656]] locomotive, [[Rome]], June 2, 2006.A Bo-Bo-Bo in UIC classification is a locomotive with three independent two-axle bogies with all axles powered...
, E665/E666) were devised, the latter for cargo services. However, the E666 class was cancelled due to availability of the new E652 Tigre class, capable of hauling massive cargo trains. Moreover, the new inverter
Inverter (electrical)
An inverter is an electrical device that converts direct current to alternating current ; the converted AC can be at any required voltage and frequency with the use of appropriate transformers, switching, and control circuits....
technology was developed in those years, and the E454 became suddenly obsolete.
In 1994 FS requested ABB to design a new class which, to save money, was to be based on already built prototypes and using parts from the new E412
FS class E412
The E412 class is a batch of multi-role electric locomotives built for the mountain lines, particularly for the northern Italian lines of the Brenner pass. They are known as Brenner or Brennerlok locomotives...
from the same producer. The first batch of 50 E464 was issued to the Lazio regional government in 1999-2000, and proved immediately successful. Further orders for 90, 100 and 48 units followed in 2001-2005, plus another 100 in 2006-2007, another 100 in 2009, and finally another 50 in 2011: a total of 688 locomotives, and an investment of over one billion Euro.
6 units are also used by Ferrovie Emilia Romagna
Ferrovie Emilia Romagna
Ferrovie Emilia Romagna is a secondary bus and railway company of Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy.The company was formed in 1997 by acquisition by the Emilia-Romagna region of four previous state-owned railway companies:...
.
Technology
The E464 were the first Italian locomotives provided with an automatic Scharfenberg coupling system, capable of forming trains rapidly. The hull is steel with aluminium ceiling, in the white-green standard livery of FS Trenitalia.The locomotive uses simplified on-board electronics, with two GTO thyristor
Gate turn-off thyristor
A gate turn-off thyristor is a special type of thyristor, a high-power semiconductor device. GTOs, as opposed to normal thyristors, are fully controllable switches which can be turned on and off by their third lead, the GATE lead.-Device description:...
choppers which provide a variable voltage to the two inverters
Inverter (electrical)
An inverter is an electrical device that converts direct current to alternating current ; the converted AC can be at any required voltage and frequency with the use of appropriate transformers, switching, and control circuits....
, that are used to feed the 4 three-phase asynchronous motors.
The motors employ a double-star type connection; if a traction inverter is inoperative (i.e. due to a failure) the motors use a delta-type connection and are fed by only one inverter.
During braking the motors can be used as generators in order to recover electric energy (regenerative braking). However, since Italian railway power substations are not able to receive energy (they are not reversible), this method only works if there are other trains nearby absorbing current and the line voltage is lower than 4000 V. Otherwise the power is dissipated through a braking rheostat. The vehicle braking logic checks if these conditions are met and then decides to send the current to the line or to the rheostat.
Two static inverters (often referred to as BUR) output a voltage of 450 V, 60 Hz AC that feeds the auxiliary systems which include the compressors, 24 V battery charger, rheostat ventilation fans, motors fans etc.
Usually BUR n.1 feeds only the motor cooling devices with a voltage down to 352 V at 58 Hz, while BUR n.2 feeds the rest; in case of failure of one BUR, one of the three motor fans is deactivated automatically and the system is fed at 450 V 60 Hz by the remaining one.
Braking systems include, other than the regenerative/rheostat braking, disc-type brakes activated by compressed air to completely immobilize the locomotive when stationary. If this condition lasts for a prolonged time air may run out thereby releasing the brakes, in which case the spring brake is activated.
The coupling system allows, in case of emergency, coupling of up to 4 locomotives for hauling heavy trains, for a total of 14,000 kW (more than one TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
The E464 can be coupled with other modern types like the E402
FS Class E402
E402A/B is a class of electric locomotives mainly used on high speed passenger trains by the Italian railway company FS Trenitalia.- History :...
.
The locomotive is provided with a secondary driving cabin with reduced instrumentation in the rear area, for short range manoeuvres in stations (maximum speed allowed: 30 km/h).
Other users
Bombardier is currently producing 60 units especially adapted for use with the new Vivalto two-floor coachesApart from FS-Trenitalia (whose engines are often possessed by regional authorities), E464 is used in Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
by the Italo-Swiss company TiLo
Tilo
Tilo is a local name for some plants:* the herb Justicia pectoralis* the tree Ocotea foetens...
which operates services between Italy and Canton Ticino.