RENFE Class 334
Encyclopedia
The RENFE 334 is a high speed, 4 axle passenger locomotive built for RENFE
's Talgo
service on non electrified lines.
locomotives having served for over 30 years the Spanish rail operator faced decisions as to their future. Different options for action were available - rebuild/repair/upgrade the locomotives or replace them with new models; at the time the company was undergoing a major modernisation project - with about 6 billion Euros being invested in rolling stock as part of a 120 billion Euro transport plan.
In the event, acting pragmatically RENFE chose to do both. The 333 series were extensively rebuilt forming the 333.3 and 333.4 subclasses, and 28 new locomotives were ordered - these were the new build Class 334. A few components were used from old Class 333s, so technically the Class could be considered a rebuild, but the amount of material reused was small so a new class was created.
The design was similar to the modernised 333s but with a General Motors EMD 710
engine instead of the EMD 645
used in the Class 333.4. Additionally 2-axle bogies were used instead of the 3-axle type that were re-used from the original 333 class in the rebuilt 333.4 and 333.3 models.
Curiously the twenty eight Class 334 locomotives inherit the main generator, alternator and heating equipment from RENFE Class 319.3 locomotives - which in turn have inherited the generators and alternators from scrapped Class 333 locomotives. In summary, the engine, electronics and power transmission system are from General Motors, the other components are typical of a Alstom locomotive.
Despite a change of ownership in 2004, with the factory being bought by Vossloh
, the production was not affected.
, Murcia
and Cartagena
.
Six units are used to provide an Altaria
service between Madrid and Murcia, the regional capital of the region of Murcia
. They are also used on the daily Talgo service from Lorca (Murcia) to Montpellier (France) as far as Barcelona.
Four further units provide a Talgo
service between Madrid and Almería
. Their use also means that it is not necessary to change engines at the Linares-Baeza station at Baeza
.
Additionally since 5 units of the RENFE Class 354
are out of action (two destroyed in a head end collision in Linarejos, three others had accidents in Hellín
, Tobarra
and Chinchilla
and another caught fire) the Class 334 have been used to replace them (being the 354 and the 334 the only diesel locomotives capable of 200 km/h in Spain). However the lower power-to-weight ratio compared to the Class 354 units leads to the typical conclusion of lower technical performance for locomotive hauled trains.
Three locomotives are used to replace the Class 354s destroyed at Linarejos (one used as a reserve) and will operate between A Coruña
and Madrid. The replacement service began in March 2007 and ends when the construction of a true high speed line is completed.
s and Class 335 (Euro 4000). This action has met with criticism from unions as it is part of the process of privatising the Spanish Railways.
RENFE
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...
's Talgo
Talgo
Talgo is a Spanish manufacturer of railway vehicles. It is best known for a design of articulated railway passenger cars in which the wheels are mounted in pairs, but not joined by an axle, and being between rather than underneath the individual coaches...
service on non electrified lines.
Background
With the well known RENFE Class 333RENFE Class 333
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....
locomotives having served for over 30 years the Spanish rail operator faced decisions as to their future. Different options for action were available - rebuild/repair/upgrade the locomotives or replace them with new models; at the time the company was undergoing a major modernisation project - with about 6 billion Euros being invested in rolling stock as part of a 120 billion Euro transport plan.
In the event, acting pragmatically RENFE chose to do both. The 333 series were extensively rebuilt forming the 333.3 and 333.4 subclasses, and 28 new locomotives were ordered - these were the new build Class 334. A few components were used from old Class 333s, so technically the Class could be considered a rebuild, but the amount of material reused was small so a new class was created.
Technical details and manufacture
RENFE worked with Alstom, who then owned the locomotive manufacturing plant in Valencia, to come up with a design for the new locomotives; Alstom Valencia already had produced diesel powered passenger locomotives for the UK and Israel as well as modernising the RENFE class 333.The design was similar to the modernised 333s but with a General Motors EMD 710
EMD 710
The EMD 710 is a line of diesel engines built by Electro-Motive Diesel . The 710 series largely replaced the earlier EMD 645 series. The EMD 710 is a large two-stroke diesel engine that has a displacement per cylinder. Since its introduction, EMD has continually upgraded the 710G diesel engine...
engine instead of the EMD 645
EMD 645
The EMD 645 family of diesel engines was designed and manufactured by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors. Intended primarily for locomotive, marine and stationary engine use, one 16-cylinder version powered the 33-19 "Titan" prototype haul truck designed by GM's Terex...
used in the Class 333.4. Additionally 2-axle bogies were used instead of the 3-axle type that were re-used from the original 333 class in the rebuilt 333.4 and 333.3 models.
Curiously the twenty eight Class 334 locomotives inherit the main generator, alternator and heating equipment from RENFE Class 319.3 locomotives - which in turn have inherited the generators and alternators from scrapped Class 333 locomotives. In summary, the engine, electronics and power transmission system are from General Motors, the other components are typical of a Alstom locomotive.
Despite a change of ownership in 2004, with the factory being bought by Vossloh
Vossloh
Vossloh AG is a German transport technology manufacturer based in the Westphalian town of Werdohl. The group has 4,700 employees , and generated sales of €1.2 billion, of which approximately 60% came from the rail infrastructure division, and the remainder from the motive power and components...
, the production was not affected.
Operation
The Class 334 locomotives were originally intended for operations between MadridMadrid
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...
, Murcia
Murcia
-History:It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle , although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village...
and Cartagena
Cartagena, Spain
Cartagena is a Spanish city and a major naval station located in the Region of Murcia, by the Mediterranean coast, south-eastern Spain. As of January 2011, it has a population of 218,210 inhabitants being the Region’s second largest municipality and the country’s 6th non-Province capital...
.
Six units are used to provide an Altaria
Altaria (rail service)
Altaria is the brand name of a group of fast long-distance passenger railway services operated by Spanish national railway company Renfe Operadora and connecting Madrid to Algeciras, Alicante, Barcelona, Cádiz, Cartagena, Granada, Irún, Logroño, Murcia, Pamplona, and San Sebastián.Altaria trains...
service between Madrid and Murcia, the regional capital of the region of Murcia
Region of Murcia
The Region of Murcia is an autonomous community of Spain located in the southeast of the country, between Andalusia and Valencian Community, on the Mediterranean coast....
. They are also used on the daily Talgo service from Lorca (Murcia) to Montpellier (France) as far as Barcelona.
Four further units provide a Talgo
Talgo
Talgo is a Spanish manufacturer of railway vehicles. It is best known for a design of articulated railway passenger cars in which the wheels are mounted in pairs, but not joined by an axle, and being between rather than underneath the individual coaches...
service between Madrid and Almería
Almería
Almería is a city in Andalusia, Spain, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the province of the same name.-Toponym:Tradition says that the name Almería stems from the Arabic المرية Al-Mariyya: "The Mirror", comparing it to "The Mirror of the Sea"...
. Their use also means that it is not necessary to change engines at the Linares-Baeza station at Baeza
Baeza
Baeza is a town of approximately 16,200 inhabitants in Andalusia, Spain, in the province of Jaén, perched on a cliff in the Loma de Baeza, a mountain range between the river Guadalquivir on the south and its tributary the Guadalimar on the north. It is chiefly known today as having many of the...
.
Additionally since 5 units of the RENFE Class 354
RENFE Class 354
The RENFE Class 354 is a series of eight diesel hydraulic locomotives manufactured by Krauss-Maffei in Germany specifically to pull Talgo pendular coaches which were introduced shortly before the acquisition of these machines....
are out of action (two destroyed in a head end collision in Linarejos, three others had accidents in Hellín
Hellín
Hellín is a town and municipality located in the south of the province of Albacete, in Castile-La Mancha, Spain. , it has a population of 31,109....
, Tobarra
Tobarra
Tobarra is a municipality in the province of Albacete in Spain, with a population of c. 8,000 as of 2009.The area is famous for its "Moniquí" variety of apricots, its drum processions and its Holy Week observances, declared by the government to be of National Tourist Interest...
and 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....
and another caught fire) the Class 334 have been used to replace them (being the 354 and the 334 the only diesel locomotives capable of 200 km/h in Spain). However the lower power-to-weight ratio compared to the Class 354 units leads to the typical conclusion of lower technical performance for locomotive hauled trains.
Three locomotives are used to replace the Class 354s destroyed at Linarejos (one used as a reserve) and will operate between A Coruña
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...
and Madrid. The replacement service began in March 2007 and ends when the construction of a true high speed line is completed.
Servicing
In 2006 a joint venture between RENFE and Vossloh, Erion, was created, dedicated to servicing and manufacture of rail equipment. RENFE owns 51%, Vossoh 49%. The primary business of the company will be to service the Class 334 locomotives as well as the RENFE Class 333RENFE Class 333
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....
s and Class 335 (Euro 4000). This action has met with criticism from unions as it is part of the process of privatising the Spanish Railways.