Henschel-BBC DE2500
Encyclopedia
The DB Class 202, also commonly referred to under its manufacturers' designation Henschel-BBC
DE2500, since it was only in experimental use and never purchased by the DB
, is a class of diesel-electric locomotives designed for use on main and secondary lines for both passenger and freight trains.
One unit was converted to 1500V DC overhead electric operation, and used by Nederlandse Spoorwegen
, as NS Class 1600P.
The DE2500 featured a light-weight and completely modular construction, which allowed the quick and easy exchange of whole sections of the locomotive, such as the prime mover, generator or alternator sections. It was both capable of driving on C'C' bogies (002, 004) as well as B'B' bogies (003). All the components of the electric sections - from generator to traction motors - were built to the latest state of the art featuring brushless, collectorless and nearly contactless operation, which resulted in long service intervals and high reliability.
The locomotives were extensively tested by the Deutsche Bundesbahn
on its lines throughout Western Germany, starting in 1971 through the mid-1980s. They were stationed at Bw Mannheim with the following DB numbers:
into an all-electric locomotive for 1500 V DC
-overheadwire. It was painted in the Dutch yellow scheme, assigned the number 1600P and given the logos of the Dutch railways. A pantograph for the collection of the current from the overhead wire was installed, the diesel prime mover and the generator section were removed and replaced with ballast weight. The NS
was very pleased with the results of the test cycles, but ultimately chose to acquire its serial-production Class 1600
from French manufacturers, based on the BB 7200
, for both budget and delivery time considerations.
Brown, Boveri & Cie
Brown, Boveri & Cie was a Swiss group of electrical engineering companies.It was founded in Baden, Switzerland, in 1891 by Charles Eugene Lancelot Brown and Walter Boveri who worked at the Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon. In 1970 BBC took over the Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon...
DE2500, since it was only in experimental use and never purchased by the DB
Deutsche Bundesbahn
The Deutsche Bundesbahn or DB was formed as the state railway of the newly established Federal Republic of Germany on September 7, 1949 as a successor of the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft '...
, is a class of diesel-electric locomotives designed for use on main and secondary lines for both passenger and freight trains.
One unit was converted to 1500V DC overhead electric operation, and used by Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Nederlandse Spoorwegen , or NS, is the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands.Its trains operate over the tracks of the Dutch national railinfrastructure, operated by ProRail, which was split off from NS in 2003...
, as NS Class 1600P.
History
The class represents a major milestone in the German locomotive development, since in these locomotives three phase asynchronous electric traction was first applied in a mainline diesel-electric locomotive.The DE2500 featured a light-weight and completely modular construction, which allowed the quick and easy exchange of whole sections of the locomotive, such as the prime mover, generator or alternator sections. It was both capable of driving on C'C' bogies (002, 004) as well as B'B' bogies (003). All the components of the electric sections - from generator to traction motors - were built to the latest state of the art featuring brushless, collectorless and nearly contactless operation, which resulted in long service intervals and high reliability.
The locomotives were extensively tested by the Deutsche Bundesbahn
Deutsche Bundesbahn
The Deutsche Bundesbahn or DB was formed as the state railway of the newly established Federal Republic of Germany on September 7, 1949 as a successor of the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft '...
on its lines throughout Western Germany, starting in 1971 through the mid-1980s. They were stationed at Bw Mannheim with the following DB numbers:
- 202 002-2 (white)
- 202 003-0 (orange, later UmAn paint scheme)
- 202 004-8 (blue)
Conversion to electric locomotive
During the mid-1970s, one machine was converted for the Dutch railways (NS)Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Nederlandse Spoorwegen , or NS, is the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands.Its trains operate over the tracks of the Dutch national railinfrastructure, operated by ProRail, which was split off from NS in 2003...
into an all-electric locomotive for 1500 V DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
-overheadwire. It was painted in the Dutch yellow scheme, assigned the number 1600P and given the logos of the Dutch railways. A pantograph for the collection of the current from the overhead wire was installed, the diesel prime mover and the generator section were removed and replaced with ballast weight. The NS
Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Nederlandse Spoorwegen , or NS, is the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands.Its trains operate over the tracks of the Dutch national railinfrastructure, operated by ProRail, which was split off from NS in 2003...
was very pleased with the results of the test cycles, but ultimately chose to acquire its serial-production Class 1600
NS Class 1600
The NS Class 1600 is a type of B-B electric locomotive built by Alsthom between 1980 and 1983 based on the SNCF Class BB 7200, and in use by the Dutch Railways since 1981....
from French manufacturers, based on the BB 7200
SNCF Class BB 7200
The SNCF Class BB 7200 is a class of 1.5 kV DC electric locomotives. They are part of the "Nez Cassé" family of locomotives, this being the DC version. Class BB 15000 is the AC version while the Class BB 22200 is a dual-voltage version. They are numbered to show that the DC and AC class make...
, for both budget and delivery time considerations.
Literature
- Karl Gerhard Baur: Die Geschichte der Drehstromlokomotiven. EK-Verlag, Freiburg, 2005. ISBN 3-88255-146-1
- BBC Asynchronous motor drive for Diesel locomotives Order No. D VK 40810 E
- Horst J. Obermayer: Diesellokomotiven - Mit Kleinlokomotiven, Stuttgart 1972.