PKP class EN57
Encyclopedia
EN57 is an electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...

 used by the Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

 railway operator (PKP
Polskie Koleje Panstwowe
is the dominant railway operator in Poland.The company was founded when the former state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union...

). It was built for suburban and long-distance services. Presently it is used by Przewozy Regionalne, Szybka Kolej Miejska and Koleje Mazowieckie
Koleje Mazowieckie
Koleje Mazowieckie is a regional rail operator in the Masovian Voivodeship of Poland.- History :The company was founded in 2004 as a joint venture of the Masovian Voivodeship, with 51% shares, and the, then government-owned, PKP Przewozy Regionalne, with 49% shares, to handle local passenger...

 companies.

History

Designed for regional transport class EN57 was based on the earlier class EW55 units. EW55 were the first electrical multiple units built in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

. They were built by Pafawag
Pafawag
Pafawag is a Polish locomotive manufacturer based in Wrocław. The company became part of Adtranz in 1997 as Adtranz Pafawag, and in 2001 part of Bombardier Transportation...

 works in Wrocław.

Production started in 1962 and ended in 1993 with 1412 units produced, most of which are still in operation. This class is believed to have had the longest production period in the world for electric multiple units.
The first units had first class compartments, but units numbered 602 and upwards were produced with only second class. Due to very long production period the series varies between specific production spans. Units up to number 1113 have corrugated sides and three windscreens, units numbered 1114 to 1825 have flat sides and three windscreens, whilst units from number 1900 up to 1953 have flat sides and two winscreens, resembling class EW58 units.

As the result of several fires and accidents, units numbered 201 to 206 are assembled from surviving cars of previously destroyed units. Since 2006, Przewozy Regionalne have modernized several units with funding from the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...

. The changes affect the appearance of the units, with the ends being redesigned. The interior was also changed. Mechanical and electric devices remain mostly unchanged. Modified units are being renumbered from 2001 upwards.

Classes EN71
PKP class EN71
The EN71 is a four-carriage Polish EMU constructed for the Polish National Railways and is based on the three-carriage EN57, but differs in that it has an additional motor carriage.-History:...

, ED72
PKP class ED72
The ED72 is a Polish four-car, long distance EMU operated by Przewozy Regionalne . Like its cousin , the ED72 is based on the EN57 and became the basis for its successor: the ED73.-History:...

, and ED73
PKP class ED73
The ED73 is a Polish four-car, long distance EMU operated by Polish National Railways , based on the ED72.-History:Only one unit was built at the Pafawag factory in 1997 and as a prototype at that. Until 2005, ED73-001 was operated by Wielkopolski Zakład Przewozów Regionalnych...

 units were based on class EN57. Szybka Kolej Miejska which operates service in the Tricity
Tricity
Tricity is an urban area consisting of three Polish cities: Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot. They are situated adjacent to one other, in a row, on the coast of the Gdańsk Bay, Baltic Sea, in Pomerelia , northern Poland...

 area uses these units and has also modernized them, this being mostly to the interior.

Technical data

EN57 is a three car electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...

 with traction motor
Traction motor
Traction motor refers to an electric motor providing the primary rotational torque of a machine, usually for conversion into linear motion ....

s located in the middle car. The unit has four LK450 motors, each with power of 145 kW. The outer two cars are both driving trailers and do not have motors. Trailers are distinguished with letters a and b, with part a including compressor
Gas compressor
A gas compressor is a mechanical device that increases the pressure of a gas by reducing its volume.Compressors are similar to pumps: both increase the pressure on a fluid and both can transport the fluid through a pipe. As gases are compressible, the compressor also reduces the volume of a gas...

 and part b including the batteries
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...

.

Each part of the unit consists of three compartments, divided by corridors. In the trailers only two compartments are for passenger accommodation, while the third was thought to be luggage compartment. In the motor car, all three compartments are used by passengers. Previously, there were toilets in all parts of the unit, yet due to several fires caused by neighbouring electric devices the toilets in the motor cars were removed. Class EN57 is capable of multiple unit operation with two or three units, using Scharfenberger couplers to connect units together. Each unit can seat up to 212 passengers.

Service in other countries

Examples of class EN57 EMU were exported to Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...

 in 1964, where they classified 311-0 (for trailers) and 315-0 (for motor cars). Some units are still in service with the Croatian Railways
Croatian Railways
Croatian Railways is the national railway company of Croatia. It was formed after the dissolution of Yugoslavia and Yugoslav Railways.Croatia is a member of the International Union of Railways . The UIC Country Code for Croatia is 78.-Railway network:...

 (6011 series) as well as Slovenian Railways
Slovenske železnice
Slovenian Railways is the state railway company of Slovenia, created in 1991 from the Ljubljana division of the former Yugoslav Railways after the breakup of Yugoslavia.Slovenia is a member of the International Union of Railways...

. As in the time of delivery Władysław Gomułka was the leader of Polish Communist Party, those items were nicknamed after him.

Resource

  1. Polish electric multiple units technical data, URL accessed on June 8, 2007
  2. EN57 unofficial website, URL accessed on June 8, 2007
  3. Mundkowa Galeria Kolejowa, retrieved on June 26, 2007.

See also

  • Polish locomotives designation
  • Szybka Kolej Miejska
  • 14WE
    14WE
    14WE is an electric multiple unit produced by Newag in Nowy Sącz, Poland. It is a heavily modified version of the PKP class EN57 EMU, of early-1960s vintage....

    A heavily modified version of EN57, developed in mid-2000s




The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK