CIE 001 Class
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 001 Class locomotive no. 011 |
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| Power type | Diesel-electric |
|---|---|
| Builder | Metropolitan Vickers, Dukinfield Works, Manchester |
| Build date | 1955–1956 |
| Total production | 60 |
| AAR wheel arr. | C-C |
| UIC classification | Co'Co' |
| Gauge | 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) |
| Length | 15.50 m (50 ft 10 in) |
| Width | 2.90 m (9 ft 6 in) |
| Height | 4.30 m (14 ft 1 in) |
| Locomotive weight | 83 tonnes (180,000 lb) |
| Prime mover | Crossley HSTV8 Re-engined 1968–1971 with EMD 12-645E |
| Traction motors | Metropolitan Vickers MV137CW/K, 6 off |
| Transmission | DC generator, DC traction motors |
| Top speed | 120 km/h (75 mph) |
| Power output | Crossley HSTV8: 1,200 hp (890 kW) at 625 rpm EMD 12-645E: 1,325 hp (988 kW) at 800 rpm EMD 12-645E: 1,650 hp (1,230 kW) at 900 rpm (Nos. 027, 036, 046, 054 & 059. All later de-rated to 1325 hp) |
| Tractive effort | 205 kN (46,000 lbf) starting, 80 kN (18,000 lbf) continuous at 35 km/h (22 mph) |
| Locomotive brakes | Westinghouse air |
| Train brakes | Vacuum |
| Career | Córas Iompair Éireann Iarnród Éireann |
| Class | A, later 001 |
| Number | A1–A60, later 001–060 |
| Retired | 1973–1995 |
| Disposition | Four preserved, 56 scrapped |
The Córas Iompair Éireann 001 Class locomotive was manufactured by Metropolitan Vickers at their Dukinfield Works in Manchester.
The 001 Class locomotive was the backbone of mainline passenger and freight train services on the Irish railway network for forty years from 1955 until the mid-1990s when they were replaced by the new 201 Class.
Initially they were fitted with eight cylinder two-stroke, port controlled Crossley engines. These were a loop scavenge type, which utilised a patented principle that recycled the normally wasted exhaust-pressure pulse to boost charge air in the cylinder. They produced 896 kW (1200 hp) at 625 rpm and could do 120km/h (75 mph). The original sandboxes, which were utilised to improve traction with the rail, were removed after a few years.
Their Crossley engines proved to be notoriously unreliable from the start. Amongst a plethora of problems were:
- Unbalanced engines resulting in vibration induced fuel and water pipe fractures
- Cylinder defects
- Generator and motor flash-overs
- Excessive water temperature causing shutdowns
These problems were tackled between 1968 and 1971 through the progressive re-engining of the entire class with a 1,650 horsepower (1,230 kW) 12-cylinder EMD 645E engine (a similar process was implemented for the original 201 Class) However, this power output stressed the ability of the original cooling & transmission systems and the engine output was reduced to 1,325 horsepower (988 kW) for improved reliability. When built, these locomotives were originally numbered A1 to A60, and as locomotives were re-engined, they had the suffix 'r' added to their number. From 1972, the prefix letters were dropped and the locomotives were renumbered 001 to 060.
[edit] Preservation
The first locomotive to be withdrawn was 008 following bomb damage in 1973. The last withdrawal was in 1995; four locomotives of this class have since been preserved as follows:
- 003: Irish Traction Group, Inchicore [1]. Jan'06 News-sheet [2]
- 015: Iarnród Éireann
- 039: Irish Traction Group, Inchicore
- 055: Hell's Kitchen public house, Castlerea, County Roscommon [3]
[edit] Model
The A Class has been made as a 00 gauge kit by Silver Fox Models[4].
[edit] External links
- Irish Railway Technology and Information -reporting on all aspects of irish railways
- Irish Traction Group webpage for preserved 001 Class No.A3r
- Irish Traction Group webpage for preserved 001 Class No.A39
- Hells Kitchen Museum, Home of preserved 001 Class No.A55
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