NSB Di 8
Encyclopedia
The NSB Di 8 is a class of diesel electric locomotives used by Norwegian railway company CargoNet
for freight use.
20 engines were built between 1996 and 1997 at the Maschinenbau Kiel
(MaK) plant in Kiel
whilst it was part of Siemens Schienenfahrzeugtechnik
) of the type used by the Nederlandse Spoorwegen
(NS). This led to an order of twenty similar locomotives, with features similar to the NS Class 6400 and the MaK DE 1002
. including the single slightly off centre cab.
The locomotives were about 3 metre longer than their predecessors, and were powered by a more powerful Caterpillar Inc.
engine (about 300 to 400 kW more powerful). Additionally the electrical transmission system was now sourced from Siemens
(the locomotive factory's ultimate owner) rather than an ABB system as had been used previously. The Siemens electrical system utilised gate turn-off thyristor
(GTO) semiconductor
technology to supply the traction motors, while the auxiliary electrical equipment was powered by a insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) inverter
.
In 2002 the locomotives passed to CargoNet
after the split of Norges Statsbaner (NSB) into passenger and freight companies.
The locomotives have had reliability problems and were at one time offered for sale, but no buyers were found. The locomotives can operate in pairs, and the driving conditions are said to be good.
CargoNet
CargoNet AS is the primary operator of freight trains on the Norwegian railway system. It was formed as NSB Gods after NSB fissioned into a passenger and a freight company. NSB Gods changed its name to CargoNet at the beginning of 2002. It is owned by NSB and the Swedish freight company Green Cargo...
for freight use.
20 engines were built between 1996 and 1997 at the Maschinenbau Kiel
Maschinenbau Kiel
Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH designed, manufactured and marketed marine diesel engines, diesel locomotives and tracked vehicles under the MaK brand name. The three primary operating divisions of Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH were sold to different companies in the 1990s.Rheinmetall acquired the military...
(MaK) plant in Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
whilst it was part of Siemens Schienenfahrzeugtechnik
Background and details
In the 1990s the Norwegian State Railway had a need for light to medium power freight locomotives; at first the company hired DE 6400 type locomotives (see NS Class 6400NS Class 6400
The NS Class 6400 is a type of 4 axle diesel-electric freight locomotive. 120 were built by MaK and ABB between 1988 and 1994 for Nederlandse Spoorwegen.-Design and description:...
) of the type used by the 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...
(NS). This led to an order of twenty similar locomotives, with features similar to the NS Class 6400 and the MaK DE 1002
MaK DE 1002
The MaK DE 1002 is a class of 4 axle Bo'Bo' diesel electric locomotives built by Maschinenbau Kiel in association with Brown, Boveri & Cie .-Design and operation:...
. including the single slightly off centre cab.
The locomotives were about 3 metre longer than their predecessors, and were powered by a more powerful Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar Inc. , also known as "CAT", designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines and sells financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas...
engine (about 300 to 400 kW more powerful). Additionally the electrical transmission system was now sourced from Siemens
Siemens
Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
(the locomotive factory's ultimate owner) rather than an ABB system as had been used previously. The Siemens electrical system utilised gate turn-off thyristor
Gate turn-off thyristor
A gate turn-off thyristor is a special type of thyristor, a high-power semiconductor device. GTOs, as opposed to normal thyristors, are fully controllable switches which can be turned on and off by their third lead, the GATE lead.-Device description:...
(GTO) semiconductor
Semiconductor
A semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity due to electron flow intermediate in magnitude between that of a conductor and an insulator. This means a conductivity roughly in the range of 103 to 10−8 siemens per centimeter...
technology to supply the traction motors, while the auxiliary electrical equipment was powered by a insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) inverter
Inverter (electrical)
An inverter is an electrical device that converts direct current to alternating current ; the converted AC can be at any required voltage and frequency with the use of appropriate transformers, switching, and control circuits....
.
In 2002 the locomotives passed to CargoNet
CargoNet
CargoNet AS is the primary operator of freight trains on the Norwegian railway system. It was formed as NSB Gods after NSB fissioned into a passenger and a freight company. NSB Gods changed its name to CargoNet at the beginning of 2002. It is owned by NSB and the Swedish freight company Green Cargo...
after the split of Norges Statsbaner (NSB) into passenger and freight companies.
The locomotives have had reliability problems and were at one time offered for sale, but no buyers were found. The locomotives can operate in pairs, and the driving conditions are said to be good.