RENFE Class 333
Encyclopedia
The RENFE Series 333 are high power six-axle diesel-electric locomotives built in the 1970s; at the time of their introduction they were the most powerful non-electric locomotives in Spain.
After three decades of service the class were rebuilt incorporating Alstom's newer technology, and thus extending their life - these rebuilt machines were given the sub-class names 333.3 and 333.4
was looking for a new, diesel-engined locomotive capable of both hauling express trains and high-tonnage heavy freight trains nationwide at a steady speed of 120 km/h.
At the time, the RENFE 316 and RENFE 318 series CC locomotives followed by the more numerous RENFE 319
, had displaced steam powered traction and were responsible for much of the work requiring higher-powered locomotives.
The Class 319, produced in collaboration between Macosa
and General Motors
, had shown good performance, which influenced the decision to choose a locomotive of the General Motors type GT 26, (3300 hp).
In this series of locomotives, instead of taking the typical single cabin General Motors design it was decided to used a two cabined design; the Scandinavian manufacturer Nohab
had also been producing GM engined locomotives (having acquired a license to produce GM engined locomotives of its own designs), and a model was chosen based on the JT-26 with the Nohab bi-cabin box (See DSB class MZ
) which was used by the Danske Statsbaner (DSB).
RENFE chose the variant model MZ1 which had a power output of almost 4000 hp, they were also able to supply electrical train heating
- a first in Spain.
d at 45 degrees, two-stroke, with a compression ratio
of 14.5:1, and volume 10.57 l (see Engine displacement
)
The available power for traction is 1875 kW - produced at 600V AC, and is rectified to DC through two groups of 30 silicon diodes, and eventually supplies six nose suspended traction motor
s which drive the wheels via a pinion
gear at a ratio of 59:18.
The maximum speed was rated at 146 km/h, though some of the class can travel at 160 km / hour with appropriate modifications. The bogies are of the 'flexicoil' type.
ASFA, a Spanish train safety system was also fitted (See Train protection system)
One of the first Class 333 hauled services was the legendary express train from Barcelona
to La Coruna
/ Vigo
via Roda de Barà
, la Plana- Picamoixons and the station of Miranda de Ebro
.
Other notable services were the fast Madrid
to Canfranc
, and the locomotives use in dragging the Madrid to Vigo Pendular service until the line was electrified.
Even the modest Orense-junction to Medina del Campo
route was ennobled by the mighty Class 333s, which also were found in other less glamorous roles such as transporting coal from Samper de Calanda
to thermal power stations in Andorra
, and working in pairs to bring ore from Ojos Negros
to the steel works at Sagunto
.
On 1st Jan 2005 a law came into effect that began the de-monopolisation of the Spanish railway system - one effect of this new law was that private rail companies could now operate services in Spain alongside existing RENFE services. Two companies "Continental Rail" (part of ACS
) and "Acciona
Rail" bought Class 333.3 locomotives to operated freight services.
) and generators as well as the ASFA train protection system were reused - the rest of the locomotive being completely new type with input from Alstom
. The control electronics have been upgraded from the system of relays and contactors with a block rectifier with power electronics which are electronically controlled by microprocessors and software. The traction motors have been updated from the D-77 to D-78 type, additionally the fuel capacity has been increased from 4500 to 7200 l.(6000l?)
The new designs have a top speed of 120 km/h, and are intended for freight traffic. The rebuild gives improvement of 8–10% in tractive effort over the original machines which is explained by the use of the power electronics system.
One of them 333.304 (previously 333.050) was destroyed in an accident at Chinchilla
in 2003.
After three decades of service the class were rebuilt incorporating Alstom's newer technology, and thus extending their life - these rebuilt machines were given the sub-class names 333.3 and 333.4
Background
In the early 1970s, RENFERENFE
Renfe Operadora is the state-owned company which operates freight and passenger trains on the 1668-mm "Iberian gauge" and 1435-mm "European gauge" networks of the Spanish national railway infrastructure company ADIF .- History :The name RENFE is derived from that of the former Spanish National...
was looking for a new, diesel-engined locomotive capable of both hauling express trains and high-tonnage heavy freight trains nationwide at a steady speed of 120 km/h.
At the time, the RENFE 316 and RENFE 318 series CC locomotives followed by the more numerous RENFE 319
RENFE Class 319 (early versions)
The RENFE Class 319 was a class of mainline medium-high powered diesel electric locomotives built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and by Macosa for the state railways of Spain.-Background, history and design:In the mid 1960s General Motors won a contract to supply...
, had displaced steam powered traction and were responsible for much of the work requiring higher-powered locomotives.
The Class 319, produced in collaboration between Macosa
MACOSA
Material y Construcciones S.A. or MACOSA was a Spanish heavy-engineering company, mainly producing products for the rail industry. From 1989 onwards the organisation was named Meinfesa and became part of the GEC-Alstom group of companies, until 2005 when it became part of the Vossloh group as...
and General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
, had shown good performance, which influenced the decision to choose a locomotive of the General Motors type GT 26, (3300 hp).
In this series of locomotives, instead of taking the typical single cabin General Motors design it was decided to used a two cabined design; the Scandinavian manufacturer Nohab
NOHAB
NOHAB was a manufacturing company in the city of Trollhättan, Sweden.The company was founded by Antenor Nydqvist, Johan Magnus Lidström and Carl Olof Holm in 1847 as Trollhättans Mekaniska Verkstad as a manufacturer of turbines for hydraulic power plants...
had also been producing GM engined locomotives (having acquired a license to produce GM engined locomotives of its own designs), and a model was chosen based on the JT-26 with the Nohab bi-cabin box (See DSB class MZ
DSB class MZ
DSB class MZ was a series of 61 diesel-electric locomotives operated by Danske Statsbaner. They were built by NOHAB between 1967 and 1978 on licence from General Motors EMD with subcontractors Thrige-Titan and Frichs ....
) which was used by the Danske Statsbaner (DSB).
RENFE chose the variant model MZ1 which had a power output of almost 4000 hp, they were also able to supply electrical train heating
Head end power
Head end power or electric train supply is a rail transport term for the electrical power distribution system on a passenger train. The power source, usually a locomotive at the front or “head” of a train or a generator car, generates all the electricity used for lighting, electrical and other...
- a first in Spain.
Technical
The locomotives were equipped with General Motors engines, generators, traction motors and electrical equipment. The diesel engines are 16 cylinder, V engineV engine
A V engine, or Vee engine is a common configuration for an internal combustion engine. The cylinders and pistons are aligned, in two separate planes or 'banks', so that they appear to be in a "V" when viewed along the axis of the crankshaft...
d at 45 degrees, two-stroke, with a compression ratio
Compression ratio
The 'compression ratio' of an internal-combustion engine or external combustion engine is a value that represents the ratio of the volume of its combustion chamber from its largest capacity to its smallest capacity...
of 14.5:1, and volume 10.57 l (see Engine displacement
Engine displacement
Engine displacement is the volume swept by all the pistons inside the cylinders of an internal combustion engine in a single movement from top dead centre to bottom dead centre . It is commonly specified in cubic centimeters , litres , or cubic inches...
)
The available power for traction is 1875 kW - produced at 600V AC, and is rectified to DC through two groups of 30 silicon diodes, and eventually supplies six nose suspended 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 which drive the wheels via a pinion
Pinion
A pinion is a round gear used in several applications:*usually the smallest gear in a gear drive train, although in the case of John Blenkinsop's Salamanca, the pinion was rather large...
gear at a ratio of 59:18.
The maximum speed was rated at 146 km/h, though some of the class can travel at 160 km / hour with appropriate modifications. The bogies are of the 'flexicoil' type.
ASFA, a Spanish train safety system was also fitted (See Train protection system)
Service history and operators
The 93 units of the original series were ordered from Macosa for RENFE and delivered between 1974 and 1976, having had many years in service these locomotives have drawn all sorts of trains.One of the first Class 333 hauled services was the legendary express train from Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
to La Coruna
A Coruña
A Coruña or La Coruña is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. It is the second-largest city in the autonomous community and seventeenth overall in the country...
/ Vigo
Vigo
Vigo is a city and municipality in north-west Spain, in Galicia, situated on the ria of the same name on the Atlantic Ocean.-Population:...
via Roda de Barà
Roda de Barà
Roda de Barà is a municipality in the comarca of the Tarragonès inCatalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast in the east of the comarca...
, la Plana- Picamoixons and the station of Miranda de Ebro
Miranda de Ebro
Miranda de Ebro is a city on the Ebro river in the province of Burgos in the autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. It is located in the north-eastern part of the province, on the border with the province of Álava and the autonomous community of La Rioja...
.
Other notable services were the fast Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
to Canfranc
Canfranc
Canfranc is a municipality in the Aragon Valley of north-eastern Spain consisting of two towns.- Political information :* comarca of Jacetania * province of Huesca* autonomous community of Aragón- Canfranc :...
, and the locomotives use in dragging the Madrid to Vigo Pendular service until the line was electrified.
Even the modest Orense-junction to Medina del Campo
Medina del Campo
Medina del Campo is a town located in the middle of the Spanish Meseta Central, in the province of Valladolid, Castile-Leon autonomous region, 45 km from Valladolid. It is the capital of a farming area, far away from the great economic centres.-History:...
route was ennobled by the mighty Class 333s, which also were found in other less glamorous roles such as transporting coal from Samper de Calanda
Samper de Calanda
Samper de Calanda is a municipality located in the province of Teruel, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 984 inhabitants....
to thermal power stations in Andorra
Andorra
Andorra , officially the Principality of Andorra , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, , is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of...
, and working in pairs to bring ore from Ojos Negros
Ojos Negros
Ojos Negros is a municipality located in the province of Teruel, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 531 inhabitants....
to the steel works at Sagunto
Sagunto
Sagunto or Sagunt is an ancient city in Eastern Spain, in the modern fertile comarca of Camp de Morvedre in the province of Valencia. It is located in a hilly site, c. 30 km north of Valencia, close to the Costa del Azahar on the Mediterranean Sea...
.
On 1st Jan 2005 a law came into effect that began the de-monopolisation of the Spanish railway system - one effect of this new law was that private rail companies could now operate services in Spain alongside existing RENFE services. Two companies "Continental Rail" (part of ACS
Grupo ACS
Actividades de Construcción y Servicios, S.A. is a Spanish company dedicated to civil and engineering construction, all types services and telecommunications. It is one of the leading construction companies in the world, with projects in many countries around the world...
) and "Acciona
Acciona
Acciona, S.A., is a Spanish conglomerate group dedicated to civil engineering, construction and infrastructure.The company was founded in 1997 through the merger of Entrecanales y Tavora and Cubiertas y MZOV. The company's headquarters is in Alcobendas, Community of Madrid, Spain. The company's U.S...
Rail" bought Class 333.3 locomotives to operated freight services.
Variants and rebuilds
Part of this class were destined to have a second life, some were upgraded in the 1990s, and yet more were totally rebuilt in the early part of the 2000s to meet new demands and at the same some losing the locomotive's distinctly 'Viking' appearance. With the rebuilding complete none of the original type remain in service.Subclass 333.0
These are the remainder of the original 93 locotives, consisting of the locomotives that have remained unrebuilt, and un-upgraded. They are (or were) numbered 333.001 to 333.093Subclass 333.1
Eight locomotives had new bogies fitted suitable for 160 km/h operation in the early 1990s forming the subclass 333.1 They are numbered 333.101 to 333.108 and are intended for passenger operation.Subclass 333.2
In the 1990s four locomotives intended for mixed operation had new bogies fitted including gearing suitable for 140 km/h operation forming the subset 333.2 They are numbered 333.201 to 333.204Subclass 333.3
From 2000 to 2005 a total of 92 locomotives were produced from new using some components from the original series; only the engine (or prime moverPrime mover (locomotive)
In engineering, a prime mover is an engine that converts fuel to useful work. In locomotives, the prime mover is thus the source of power for its propulsion. The term is generally used when discussing any locomotive powered by an internal combustion engine...
) and generators as well as the ASFA train protection system were reused - the rest of the locomotive being completely new type with input from Alstom
Alstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
. The control electronics have been upgraded from the system of relays and contactors with a block rectifier with power electronics which are electronically controlled by microprocessors and software. The traction motors have been updated from the D-77 to D-78 type, additionally the fuel capacity has been increased from 4500 to 7200 l.(6000l?)
The new designs have a top speed of 120 km/h, and are intended for freight traffic. The rebuild gives improvement of 8–10% in tractive effort over the original machines which is explained by the use of the power electronics system.
One of them 333.304 (previously 333.050) was destroyed in an accident at Chinchilla
Chinchilla
Chinchillas are crepuscular rodents, slightly larger and more robust than ground squirrels, and are native to the Andes mountains in South America. Along with their relatives, viscachas, they make up the family Chinchillidae....
in 2003.
Subclass 333.4
From 2003 onwards eight of the converted 333.3 machines have converted to 160 km/h running for passenger services and given the classification "333.4"See also
- RENFE Class 334RENFE Class 334The RENFE 334 is a high speed, 4 axle passenger locomotive built for RENFE's Talgo service on non electrified lines.-Background:With the well known RENFE Class 333 locomotives having served for over 30 years the Spanish rail operator faced decisions as to their future...
This model is very similar to the rebuilt 333.3 and 333.4 sub types - except it uses a different GM-EMD engine. - Vossloh Euro locomotivesVossloh Euro locomotivesVossloh Euro is a class of diesel-electric locomotives built by Vossloh for the European market. It is available in two basic variants, the four-axle Euro 3000 and the six-axle Euro 4000.-History and background:...
These 'Euro' locomotives technically may include the RENFE class 334, and are built at the same plant in Valencia.