PKP class EP09
Encyclopedia
PKP class EP09 is a Polish
electric locomotive
used by the Polish railways, Polskie Koleje Państwowe
(PKP) and produced by Pafawag
of Wrocław between 1986 and 1997.
In the beginning of 1980s the CMK line (rail trunk line) was suited for passenger transport. Before that time it had been used exclusively for freight transport. At first EU05 and EP05
locomotives were used to service this line, but Polish railways needed faster locomotives, reaching 160 km/h.
The machine was designed in Ośrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy Pojazdów Szynowych (Rolling Stock Research and Development Centre) in Poznań
. The prototype was ready in 1986, built in Pafawag in Wrocław. The machine was intended to be built with western parts, but severe financial restrictions caused many modern solutions to be abandoned. Co-operation with USSR gave little effect as well. Additionally, after the collapse of Eastern Bloc
Poland was forced to use old EP07
solutions in later series of EP09.
, those two locomotives started regular service. In 2005 EP09's livery was revised and unveiled. The locomotives are being repainted in during scheduled servicing.
All the locomotives produced are still fully operational, and are deployed in the locomotive depots in Kraków
and Warsaw
. 12 units work in Kraków
Prokocim depot, the rest are assigned to Warsaw. Besides running on the CMK line, those locomotives can be spotted on Warsaw-Poznań
-Szczecin
, Warsaw-Poznań-Wrocław, Warsaw-Lublin
and Warsaw-Kielce
lines.
EP09 series proved itself to be highly defective, e.g. in 1996 PKP was forced to replace 10 traction motor
s and 24 bogie
s. In the same time serious breakdowns of compressor
s were noted. In the end of 2000 EP09 were temporally sent to Gdańsk
. This was done in order to accustom engineers with this type of locomotive before rising top speed on Warsaw-Gdańsk line.
electric locomotive working in 3000 V DC electric system. The box is placed on two bogies. Each bogie has two, separately propelled axles. Crew compartments are located on either side of the box.
There are battery
box and air tanks mounted between bogies. Traction motor
s and transmissions are locked inside bogies. Behind each crew compartment the machine compartment is located. High voltage
compartment is situated in the middle of the machine. EP09 is the first Polish locomotive to have electro-dynamic brakes. This enables braking the locomotive using engines, swithed to work as alternator
s. It is worth noting, that this device works only with speed below 140 km/h, due to first planned top speed of the locomotive.
Other modifications to EP09 machine were e.g. ergonomic dashboard and windscreens equipped with internal heating.
Since locomotive number 38 the system of suspending locomotive on bogies was changed into Flexicoil and single pantographs (DSA200, Stemmann production) were mounted instead of the previously used double ones. Another important change during the production process is installing air conditioning
system (since locomotive number 40). At present PKP works on bringing all machines into the same standard as the last two locomotives (046 and 047) brought into service in January 1998.
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...
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 by the Polish railways, Polskie Koleje Państwowe
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...
(PKP) and produced 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...
of Wrocław between 1986 and 1997.
Construction
Work on designing new family of Polish locomotives, able to pull trains with speeds higher than 125 km/h, started in the 1970s. Of those plans only one was finally realised, which resulted in construction of EP09 locomotives.In the beginning of 1980s the CMK line (rail trunk line) was suited for passenger transport. Before that time it had been used exclusively for freight transport. At first EU05 and EP05
PKP class EP05
The EP05 is a Polish modification of Czech electric locomotive EU05 used by Polish railway operator -History:The locomotive was produced in the years 1957–1960 in three types: 20E1, the prototype, 30E1 and 30E2...
locomotives were used to service this line, but Polish railways needed faster locomotives, reaching 160 km/h.
The machine was designed in Ośrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy Pojazdów Szynowych (Rolling Stock Research and Development Centre) in Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
. The prototype was ready in 1986, built in Pafawag in Wrocław. The machine was intended to be built with western parts, but severe financial restrictions caused many modern solutions to be abandoned. Co-operation with USSR gave little effect as well. Additionally, after the collapse of Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
Poland was forced to use old EP07
PKP class EP07
PKP class EP07 is the name for a Polish electric locomotive used by the Polish railway operator Polskie Koleje Państwowe .-History:The EP07 is a later modification of the EU07 locomotive. The changes are:*Traction motors changed to LK535...
solutions in later series of EP09.
Deployment
It is impossible to find two identical locomotives of this class, as the design changed after each machine was completed. The First EP09 locomotive was presented in 1986, the next one in 1987. On May 29, 1988, according to the new timetablePublic transport timetable
A public transport timetable is a representation of public transport information to assist a passenger with planning a trip using public transport. A timetable details when vehicle will arrive and depart specified locations and may be organised for by route or for a particular stop...
, those two locomotives started regular service. In 2005 EP09's livery was revised and unveiled. The locomotives are being repainted in during scheduled servicing.
All the locomotives produced are still fully operational, and are deployed in the locomotive depots in Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
and Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. 12 units work in Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
Prokocim depot, the rest are assigned to Warsaw. Besides running on the CMK line, those locomotives can be spotted on Warsaw-Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
-Szczecin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
, Warsaw-Poznań-Wrocław, Warsaw-Lublin
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth largest city in Poland. It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 350,392 . Lublin is also the largest Polish city east of the Vistula river...
and Warsaw-Kielce
Kielce
Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship...
lines.
EP09 series proved itself to be highly defective, e.g. in 1996 PKP was forced to replace 10 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 and 24 bogie
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
s. In the same time serious breakdowns of 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...
s were noted. In the end of 2000 EP09 were temporally sent to Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
. This was done in order to accustom engineers with this type of locomotive before rising top speed on Warsaw-Gdańsk line.
Technical data
EP09 is a Bo-BoBo-Bo
A Bo-Bo or Bo′Bo′ is a locomotive with two independent four-wheeled bogies with all axles powered by individual traction motors...
electric locomotive working in 3000 V DC electric system. The box is placed on two bogies. Each bogie has two, separately propelled axles. Crew compartments are located on either side of the box.
There are battery
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...
box and air tanks mounted between bogies. 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 and transmissions are locked inside bogies. Behind each crew compartment the machine compartment is located. High voltage
High voltage
The term high voltage characterizes electrical circuits in which the voltage used is the cause of particular safety concerns and insulation requirements...
compartment is situated in the middle of the machine. EP09 is the first Polish locomotive to have electro-dynamic brakes. This enables braking the locomotive using engines, swithed to work as alternator
Alternator
An alternator is an electromechanical device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form of alternating current.Most alternators use a rotating magnetic field but linear alternators are occasionally used...
s. It is worth noting, that this device works only with speed below 140 km/h, due to first planned top speed of the locomotive.
Other modifications to EP09 machine were e.g. ergonomic dashboard and windscreens equipped with internal heating.
Since locomotive number 38 the system of suspending locomotive on bogies was changed into Flexicoil and single pantographs (DSA200, Stemmann production) were mounted instead of the previously used double ones. Another important change during the production process is installing air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
system (since locomotive number 40). At present PKP works on bringing all machines into the same standard as the last two locomotives (046 and 047) brought into service in January 1998.
Nicknames
- Dziewiątka (The Nine) - after the number in the name
- Epoka (The Epoch) - after the first two letters of the name