Belgian Railways Class 18 (Siemens)

The SNCB/NMBS HLE 18 (Siemens class ES60U3) are a series of four axle Bo′Bo′ multivoltage electric Siemens EuroSprinter locomotives ordered in two batches of sixty in 2006 and 2008.

HLE 18, HLE 19 EuroSprinter ES60U3
1857 at Brugge-Sint-Pieters railway station.
Type and origin Power type Electric Builder Siemens Model EuroSprinter ES60U3 Build date first 60 : 2008-2010[1] second 60 : 2010-2011[1]
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Bo′Bo′ Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in) Wheel diameter 1,250 mm (49 in) Length 19,580 mm (64 ft 3 in) Loco weight 88 t Electric system/s 3,000 V DC 1,500 V DC 25 kV 50 Hz AC Current pickup(s) 2 Pantographs (3 kV or 25 kV 50 Hz) Loco brake disc brakes, rheostatic/regenerative electrical braking Train brakes pneumatic Safety systems ETCS 1 and 2, Memor, KVB, TBL1, TBL1+, TBL2[2]
Performance figures Maximum speed 200 km/h (124 mph) Power output 25 kV AC, or 3 kV continuous 5 MW[2] peak 6 MW for 20min.[2] 1.5 kV 2.4[2]/2.5[3]/3 MW[4] Tractive effort 300 kN @ 0 km/h[2] 250 kN @ 72 km/h[2] Brakeforce 150 kN max[3] regenerative braking power 2.4 MW under 3 kV, 5 MW under 25 kV AC and 3 kV DC.[2] rheostatic braking power 2.6 MW under 3 kV or 1.5 kV DC.[2]
Career Operators SNCB/NMBS Class HLE 18 & 19[2][5] Number in class 120[6] Numbers 1801-1896, 1901-1924 [6] Delivered 2009-2012
Technical information :[3][4] except where noted

For the original Class 18 built in 1973/4 by Alsthom see SNCB Class 18 (Alsthom)

The locomotives were supplied for use by SNCB/NMBS (Belgian national railways) on passenger services.

96 of the class form the HLE 18 class, 24 units fitted with an automatic central coupler form the SNCB HLE 19 class.[5]

History

An order for 60 units, value €211 million, was placed in December 2006 for delivery between January 2009 and June 2010.[7][8][9] In December 2008, an option to order 60 more locomotives was exercised for an amount of € 222M, for delivery between June 2010 and April 2012.[10]

The locomotives were ordered to replace Belgian Railways Class 13, Class 21 and Class 27 locomotives on passenger intercity services.[11] The Class 13 were mostly displaced on freight trains while the Class 21 and 27 took over slower passenger trains; this allowed the withdrawal of outdated Belgian Railways Class 23 and 26 locomotives as well as the younger but troublesome class 20.

Locomotive number 1860 was officially presented at InnoTrans in 2008.[3] The first unit, number 1801 was transferred to the Velim railway test circuit for testing in December 2008.[12]

On March 3, 2009, the first unit (roadnumber 1802) was officially delivered to SNCB/NMBS for test and homologation purpose.[13] Homologation issues delayed commercial introduction (originally planned for the summer timeschedule - May 2011),[14] as a result Siemens was obliged to pay the maximum amount of penalties (€ 21.12 million).[15]

In July 2011 the first revenue earning Intercity services ran, under temporary approval.[5] The type received homologation certification for use in Belgium in late 2011.[16]

References

1. SNCB HLE 18-19 www.railcolor.net, "order details"
2. Locomotieven type 18 goed onthaald, SNCB (2011), Type 18-19: technische fiche
3. "SNCB dual-system loco to be unveiled". Railway Gazette. 23 September 2008.
4. Locomotives - Reference List (PDF), Siemens, Three-System Universal Locomotive HLE 18, p.6
5. SNBC HLE 18-19 (www.railcolor.net), milesstones
6. SNCB HLE 18-19 www.railcolor.net, "fleet list"
7. "La SNCB commande 60 locomotives électriques chez Siemens" (in French). SNCB Presse. 16 January 2007. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011.
8. "Belgian National Railway Company places €211M order with Siemens for 60 locomotives". Siemens Transportation Systems. 18 January 2007.
9. "SNCB orders 60 locomotives with Siemens". Infrasite News. 18 January 2007. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011.
10. "NMBS koopt nieuwe treinen en locomotieven" (in Dutch). De Standaard. 5 December 2008.
11. SNBC HLE 18-19 (www.railcolor.net), purpose
12. ""Taurus" pro belgické dráhy bude testován ve Velimi" (in Czech). ŽelPage. Retrieved 2008-12-16.
13. "Nieuwe locomotieven NMBS klaar voor testfase" (in Dutch). De Morgen. 4 March 2009.
14. "45 nouvelles locomotives de la SNCB inutilisables" (in French). La Dernière Heure. 12 March 2010.
15. Amende salée pour Siemens (in French), La Libre, 2 April 2011
16. "Locomotives passed homologation", www.europeanrailwayreview.com, 7 November 2011

Sources

• "SNCB HLE 18-19", www.railcolor.net
• "Locomotieven type 18 goed onthaald" (PDF), Time to B (in Dutch), SNCB: 18, 14 December 2011

External links

• De Neef, David (1 April 2007), "Locomotives de la série 18", www.belrail.be (in French)