NSB El 16
Encyclopedia
NSB El 16 is an electric locomotive
which is used on the Norwegian railway system
by CargoNet
to haul freight trains. Until it was replaced by the El 18
, the El 16 engines also pulled passenger trains.
was not adequate enough for the task. The solution seemed to be thyristor
locomotive that had successfully been tested by ASEA and Canadian Pacific Railway
with possibilities to pull 50% heavier trains than equivalent diesel electric locomotive
s were capable of. The Swedish Rc4 locomotives were tested on the Northeast Corridor
with success and NSB also chose to try the units on the Bergen Line. The locomotives were also equipped with dynamic slip control. In 1976 NSB ordered six unites, but chose to modify the Rc4 design, including the pointed nose which is able to force through the occasional snowdrift
s. In 1980 another four units were delivered and the final seven in 1984. The sets were numbered 16 2201 to 16 2217.
The engines were used throughout the electrified rail network, both passenger and freight trains, with the exception of the northern section of the Gjøvik Line and the Sørland Line west of Kristiansand
, due to too weak power supply systems. But the systems have since been upgraded.
Retirement from passenger service started with the fissioning of Norwegian State Railways
. 8 engines were transferred to the CargoNet freight company. In 2002, a further six engines were sold to Tågkompaniet and the remaining three engines were purchased by CargoNet. In 2007 all engines from Tågkompaniet were sold back to Norway.
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
which is used on the Norwegian railway system
Rail transport in Norway
The Norwegian railway system comprises 4,087 km of track of which 2,622 km is electrified and 242 km double track. There are 696 tunnels and 2760 bridges....
by 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...
to haul freight trains. Until it was replaced by the El 18
NSB El 18
NSB El 18 is a class of 22 electric locomotives built by Adtranz and Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works for the Norwegian State Railways . The class is a modification of the Swiss Federal Railways Re 460 locomotive and built at Adtranz Strømmen in 1996 and 1997...
, the El 16 engines also pulled passenger trains.
History
In the 1970s NSB was faced with a challenge on the steep and wintry Bergen Line and the El 14NSB El 14
NSB El 14 is a Norwegian electric locomotive operated by CargoNet for freight trains hauling. Built between 1968 and 1973 by Thune as a general purpose engine for the Norwegian State Railways , they were seen hauling passenger trains until the 1980s...
was not adequate enough for the task. The solution seemed to be thyristor
Thyristor
A thyristor is a solid-state semiconductor device with four layers of alternating N and P-type material. They act as bistable switches, conducting when their gate receives a current trigger, and continue to conduct while they are forward biased .Some sources define silicon controlled rectifiers and...
locomotive that had successfully been tested by ASEA and Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
with possibilities to pull 50% heavier trains than equivalent diesel electric locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s were capable of. The Swedish Rc4 locomotives were tested on the Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
with success and NSB also chose to try the units on the Bergen Line. The locomotives were also equipped with dynamic slip control. In 1976 NSB ordered six unites, but chose to modify the Rc4 design, including the pointed nose which is able to force through the occasional snowdrift
Snowdrift
A snowdrift is a deposit of snow sculpted by wind into a mound during a snowstorm. Snowdrifts resemble sand dunes and are formed in a similar manner, namely, by wind moving light snow and depositing it when the wind is slowed, usually against a stationary object. Snow normally crests and slopes...
s. In 1980 another four units were delivered and the final seven in 1984. The sets were numbered 16 2201 to 16 2217.
The engines were used throughout the electrified rail network, both passenger and freight trains, with the exception of the northern section of the Gjøvik Line and the Sørland Line west of Kristiansand
Kristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
, due to too weak power supply systems. But the systems have since been upgraded.
Retirement from passenger service started with the fissioning of Norwegian State Railways
Norwegian State Railways (1883–1996)
The Norwegian State Railways was a state-owned railway company that operated most of the railway network in Norway. The government agency was created in 1883 to oversee the construction and operation of all state-owned railways in Norway...
. 8 engines were transferred to the CargoNet freight company. In 2002, a further six engines were sold to Tågkompaniet and the remaining three engines were purchased by CargoNet. In 2007 all engines from Tågkompaniet were sold back to Norway.