FS Class E550
Encyclopedia
The FS
Class E550 was a class of three-phase electric locomotive
used in Italy
, introduced in the 20th century, which remained in service until 1965.
line, in the early 20th century the newly-formed state-owned Ferrovie dello Stato
, led by Riccardo Bianchi, decided to electrify also the important mountain line of the Passo di Giovi, which connected the port of Genoa
to the industrial cities of northern Italy
. Despite the use of the powerful 470 class steam locomotive, the line was actually near full saturation. Electrification of the line at 3.6 kV 16.7 Hz were completed in 1916.
Designer of the electric part was the Hungarian engineer Kálmán Kandó
. The whole project, initially developed by the FS central design studio, was later completed by the Società Italian Westinghouse of Vado Ligure
. The first E550 prototype proved to be capable to haul, on the steep hill stretches of the Giovi railroad, trains of up to 400 tons (against the 310 of pair of Gr.470 steam engines), and also at the double speed of 50 km/h. The use of electric traction also solved the problem of smoke dissipation in the tunnels. A total of 186 E550s was built between 1908 and 1921, in four series.
. The three center axles were rigidly mounted to the frame and the center axle's wheels were without flanges. The outer axles were mounted in a manner that allowed them to turn into curves. The wheels were small, and thus adapted to heavy freight or slow passenger services at low speed. The locomotive had two cabs, one at each end of the central compartment. The motors were asynchronous three-phase, which could be connected in series at low speed and in parallel at higher speeds. The connections were enabled through a tambour connector using a liquid-cooled rheostat. Feeding was provided by two trolleys, both always connected to the line.
Braking was provided by an automatic continuous brake and a regulated, hand-operated brake.
The locomotives E551, E552 and E554 were all developments of E550. Some E550s units were later transformed into snow-sweepers.
In 1955, locomotives E.550.086 and E.550.115 were demotorized and transformed into push-type snow plows; they received the classification Vnx 201 and 202. Between 1963 and 1966 additional units were transformed in the same fashion to become Vnx 210-222. Sometime thereafter, snow plow equipped E.550.023 was also demotorized.
At some point, the Vnx were renumbered into the series Vnx 806.210-222. Some have since been renumbered into the 12-digit UIC scheme in the series 40 83 970 6 0xx-x.
in St. Louis, Missouri
in poor cosmetic condition due to being stored outside since 1968.
E550.030 is at the Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci in Milano, Italy.
Ferrovie 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:...
Class E550 was a class of three-phase electric locomotive
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
used in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, introduced in the 20th century, which remained in service until 1965.
History
In the wake of the success met with three-phase electric locomotives on the ValtellinaValtellina
Valtellina or the Valtelline valley ; is a valley in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, bordering Switzerland. Today it is known for its skiing, its hot spring spas, its cheeses and its wines...
line, in the early 20th century the newly-formed state-owned Ferrovie dello Stato
Ferrovie 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:...
, led by Riccardo Bianchi, decided to electrify also the important mountain line of the Passo di Giovi, which connected the port of Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
to the industrial cities of northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Despite the use of the powerful 470 class steam locomotive, the line was actually near full saturation. Electrification of the line at 3.6 kV 16.7 Hz were completed in 1916.
Designer of the electric part was the Hungarian engineer Kálmán Kandó
Kálmán Kandó
Kálmán Kandó de Egerfarmos et Sztregova was a Hungarian engineer, and a pioneer in the development of electric railway traction.-Education:...
. The whole project, initially developed by the FS central design studio, was later completed by the Società Italian Westinghouse 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....
. The first E550 prototype proved to be capable to haul, on the steep hill stretches of the Giovi railroad, trains of up to 400 tons (against the 310 of pair of Gr.470 steam engines), and also at the double speed of 50 km/h. The use of electric traction also solved the problem of smoke dissipation in the tunnels. A total of 186 E550s was built between 1908 and 1921, in four series.
Description
E550 had five axles connected to the two electric motors through an articulated connecting rodConnecting rod
In a reciprocating piston engine, the connecting rod or conrod connects the piston to the crank or crankshaft. Together with the crank, they form a simple mechanism that converts linear motion into rotating motion....
. The three center axles were rigidly mounted to the frame and the center axle's wheels were without flanges. The outer axles were mounted in a manner that allowed them to turn into curves. The wheels were small, and thus adapted to heavy freight or slow passenger services at low speed. The locomotive had two cabs, one at each end of the central compartment. The motors were asynchronous three-phase, which could be connected in series at low speed and in parallel at higher speeds. The connections were enabled through a tambour connector using a liquid-cooled rheostat. Feeding was provided by two trolleys, both always connected to the line.
Braking was provided by an automatic continuous brake and a regulated, hand-operated brake.
The locomotives E551, E552 and E554 were all developments of E550. Some E550s units were later transformed into snow-sweepers.
Transformations and reutilization
In 1953, locomotive E.550.023 was modified at Bolzano to add a large snow plow to one end. It served on the Brenner line from 1955 to 1965.In 1955, locomotives E.550.086 and E.550.115 were demotorized and transformed into push-type snow plows; they received the classification Vnx 201 and 202. Between 1963 and 1966 additional units were transformed in the same fashion to become Vnx 210-222. Sometime thereafter, snow plow equipped E.550.023 was also demotorized.
At some point, the Vnx were renumbered into the series Vnx 806.210-222. Some have since been renumbered into the 12-digit UIC scheme in the series 40 83 970 6 0xx-x.
Preservation
E550.025 is at the Museum of TransportationMuseum of Transportation
The Museum of Transportation of the St. Louis County, Missouri, United States Parks Department is a museum located in the Greater St. Louis area. It was first founded in 1944 by a group of individuals dedicated to preserving the past and has a wide variety of vehicles from American history...
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
in poor cosmetic condition due to being stored outside since 1968.
E550.030 is at the Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci in Milano, Italy.