FS class E646
Encyclopedia
The FS
E645 and E646 are two classes of similar electric locomotive
s used on Italian railways
. They were introduced during the 1950s and they have been retired in 2009.
. A similar concept for a 4-axle locomotive led to the development of the E444
high-speed locomotive in the 1960s.
The first prototypes were delivered in October 1958. The first thirty-seven individual locomotives differed only in their livery: twenty built for passenger
traffic were painted in grey-green, while seventeen built for goods were painted in auburn. Later, the freight
locomotives were reclassed E645. The total number of locomotives built amounted to 295 units.
Several locomotives from each class are still in service with FS Trenitalia
, on push-pull services, and many have been converted in E645 and assigned to goods services until 2009. They are substituted by E464 engines
on regional services.
s, each providing 360 kW
, fed from the 3000 V
catenary. These motors are more powerful than those mounted on the predecessor E636 class and able to improve performance up to 50% with only a 20% increase in weight; this also increases the mass available for adhesion, giving it better hauling ability.
Maximum speed is 140 km/h for the E646. The E645 has a different gear ratio — 21/68 instead of 25/64 — which reduces the maximum speed to 120 km/h (75 mph), while increasing tractive effort. The locomotives weights 110 (E645: 112) tonne
s.
To reach higher speeds, the motors can be connected in four ways:
Due to the ability of the DC motors to absorb very high currents at low speeds, a rheostat needs to be connected in series to the traction motors when starting the train, to avoid drawing excessive current. The rheostat is gradually excluded as speed builds up and is also reintroduced when a transition to another is made; like almost every Italian electric locomotive since E626, rheostatic exclusion is commanded through a controller (formed by a lever mounted on a curved notched support, commonly called respectively maniglione and roncola in Italian) subdivided into several notches, each representing a portion of the rheostat, plus four (one for each combination) special intermediate "end combination" notches.
The driver gradually excludes the rheostat by rotating the lever counterclockwise, paying attention to not exceed the maximum allowed current (in this occurrence, the "maximum current relay", and consequently the "Main Breaker" (IR, Interruttore Rapido) opens), until he reaches the end combination notches, meaning that the rheostat is fully excluded for that combination; at this point, he can pass to the following combination or insert the field weakening shunts to further increase current.
There are 31, 11, 9 and 8 notches on the roncola, each representing a portion of rheostat in the respective combinations.
In the 1960s the E646 locomotives were updated with the standard 78-wire cable, fire extinguishing system and automatic rheostatic exclusion system (Avviatore Automatico) to permit remote commanding by driving coaches on commuter
push-pull passenger services.
Air production is granted by two 1000 l compressors, that fill the main tanks used by the braking system and other components (horn, whistle, contactors etc.).
Main auxiliary services also comprehend the 3000 V motor cooling fans, which also are used as generators to produce current used to recharge the 24 V DC batteries, that feed the low tension devices (lights, relays, solenoid valves, etc.).
Some units have also been fitted with static converters to feed auxiliary services and recharge batteries.
Like all non-electronic Italian locomotives, E646 are technically simple; driving personnel can often easily fix problems and get the locomotive moving for enough time to end the service or at least free the tracks.
in Murazze di Vado (Bologna
). The train hauled by these two locomotives derailed due to damage to the line caused by a landslide, and ended poised over a slope. When the first rescue had already arrived, both locomotives were hit by an ALe601 EMU on the express service Freccia della Laguna; the coaches fell into the slope, while the locomotives piled up one on top of the other on their sides. The accident caused 32 deaths and 120 wounded.
Verona
's football club was travelling on this train. They escaped unhurt because at the time of the accident, they were having lunch in the restaurant wagon. After the accident, E645.016 was scrapped.
In Florence
Firenze Castello station, on March 23, 1998, unit E646.009 was hit by EMU ETR 480-34, that was running between Rome
and Bergamo
, and that passed a signal at 'danger' without stopping (SPAD
); the accident caused one dead and 39 wounded. The E646 was later decommissioned.
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:...
E645 and E646 are two classes of similar 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...
s used on Italian railways
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:...
. They were introduced during the 1950s and they have been retired in 2009.
History
The E646 and E645 locomotives project was started in 1953, with a new model engine that was to be installed on the modified chassis of the already-existing six-axle locomotive E636FS class E636
The FS E636 is a class of Italian articulated electric locomotives. They were introduced in the course of the 1940s until the 1960s, and have been decommissioned in 2006. They have been one of the most numerous Italian locomotive group, and have been widely employed during their long career,...
. A similar concept for a 4-axle locomotive led to the development of the E444
FS Class E444
The FS E444 is a class of Italian railways electric locomotives. They were introduced in the course of the 1960 until 1975. Starting from 1995, all E444s were upgraded as E444R.The locomotives are nicknamed Tartaruga .-E444 standard:...
high-speed locomotive in the 1960s.
The first prototypes were delivered in October 1958. The first thirty-seven individual locomotives differed only in their livery: twenty built for passenger
Passenger
A passenger is a term broadly used to describe any person who travels in a vehicle, but bears little or no responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination....
traffic were painted in grey-green, while seventeen built for goods were painted in auburn. Later, the freight
Cargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
locomotives were reclassed E645. The total number of locomotives built amounted to 295 units.
Several locomotives from each class are still in service with FS Trenitalia
Trenitalia
Trenitalia is the primary train operator in Italy. Trenitalia is owned by Ferrovie dello Stato, itself owned by the Italian Government. It was created in 2000 following the EU directive on the deregulation of rail transport.-Passenger transport:...
, on push-pull services, and many have been converted in E645 and assigned to goods services until 2009. They are substituted by E464 engines
FS Class E464
The E464 is a class of Italian railways electric locomotives. 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...
on regional services.
Technical details
Class E646 does not follow the standard Italian class numbering rules where the last digit indicates the number of motors, as it mounts 12 two by two mechanically coupled 82-333FS type electric motorElectric motor
An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force...
s, each providing 360 kW
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
, fed from the 3000 V
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
catenary. These motors are more powerful than those mounted on the predecessor E636 class and able to improve performance up to 50% with only a 20% increase in weight; this also increases the mass available for adhesion, giving it better hauling ability.
Maximum speed is 140 km/h for the E646. The E645 has a different gear ratio — 21/68 instead of 25/64 — which reduces the maximum speed to 120 km/h (75 mph), while increasing tractive effort. The locomotives weights 110 (E645: 112) tonne
Tonne
The tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
s.
To reach higher speeds, the motors can be connected in four ways:
| Combination | Motors set-up | Field shunts levels allowed | Maximum current allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series | All motors are connected in series | Five | 700 A |
| Series-Parallel | Two branches of six motors each | Five | 1100 A |
| Parallel | Three branches of four motors each | Three | 1650 A |
| Super-Parallel | Four branches of three motors each | Three (none on some 645) | 1800 A |
Due to the ability of the DC motors to absorb very high currents at low speeds, a rheostat needs to be connected in series to the traction motors when starting the train, to avoid drawing excessive current. The rheostat is gradually excluded as speed builds up and is also reintroduced when a transition to another is made; like almost every Italian electric locomotive since E626, rheostatic exclusion is commanded through a controller (formed by a lever mounted on a curved notched support, commonly called respectively maniglione and roncola in Italian) subdivided into several notches, each representing a portion of the rheostat, plus four (one for each combination) special intermediate "end combination" notches.
There are 31, 11, 9 and 8 notches on the roncola, each representing a portion of rheostat in the respective combinations.
In the 1960s the E646 locomotives were updated with the standard 78-wire cable, fire extinguishing system and automatic rheostatic exclusion system (Avviatore Automatico) to permit remote commanding by driving coaches on commuter
Commuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
push-pull passenger services.
Air production is granted by two 1000 l compressors, that fill the main tanks used by the braking system and other components (horn, whistle, contactors etc.).
Main auxiliary services also comprehend the 3000 V motor cooling fans, which also are used as generators to produce current used to recharge the 24 V DC batteries, that feed the low tension devices (lights, relays, solenoid valves, etc.).
Some units have also been fitted with static converters to feed auxiliary services and recharge batteries.
Like all non-electronic Italian locomotives, E646 are technically simple; driving personnel can often easily fix problems and get the locomotive moving for enough time to end the service or at least free the tracks.
Modified E645s
For testing purposes, units E645.016 and 017 were built with an even shorter gear ratio (20/69), that allowed a maximum speed of 110 km/h. These units were intended to be used for hauling heavy trains on steep lines. This modify was not applied on other E645s, however units 016 and 017 remained on regular service with their gear ratio for many years. Unit 016 was scrapped prematurely, as being involved in Murazze di Vado (see below) accident in 1978, while unit 017 reverted to the usual 21/68 ratio in the first half of 1990s; however it retained the shorter roncola with considerably less notches than the usual E645/6 ones.Accidents
On April 15, 1978, an accident involved units E645.016 and E636.282FS class E636
The FS E636 is a class of Italian articulated electric locomotives. They were introduced in the course of the 1940s until the 1960s, and have been decommissioned in 2006. They have been one of the most numerous Italian locomotive group, and have been widely employed during their long career,...
in Murazze di Vado (Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
). The train hauled by these two locomotives derailed due to damage to the line caused by a landslide, and ended poised over a slope. When the first rescue had already arrived, both locomotives were hit by an ALe601 EMU on the express service Freccia della Laguna; the coaches fell into the slope, while the locomotives piled up one on top of the other on their sides. The accident caused 32 deaths and 120 wounded.
Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
's football club was travelling on this train. They escaped unhurt because at the time of the accident, they were having lunch in the restaurant wagon. After the accident, E645.016 was scrapped.
In Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
Firenze Castello station, on March 23, 1998, unit E646.009 was hit by EMU ETR 480-34, that was running between Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Bergamo
Bergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
, and that passed a signal at 'danger' without stopping (SPAD
Signal passed at danger
A Signal passed at danger , in British railway terminology, occurs when a train passes a stop signal without authority to do so. It is a term primarily used within the British Railway Industry, although it can be applied worldwide.-Categories of SPAD:...
); the accident caused one dead and 39 wounded. The E646 was later decommissioned.