PKP class SU45
 |
| SU45 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 SU45-079 locomotive at Wrocław Główny railway station | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SU45 is a Polish diesel locomotive. It had been made for universal use: heavy transport or passenger transport alike.
History
[edit]_(SIK_03-036073).jpg)
This locomotive is in fact a SP45 with a modified heating system – a steam boiler was replaced by an electric heating system. During 2010 4 locomotives were rebuilt to class ST45.
Currently, there are three SU45 locomotives in operation. Vehicles number 143 and 194 operate freight depots, and vehicle number 079 was repaired in 2022 and returned to service. It is stationed in Wrocław and runs tourist passenger trains. Currently, it is planned to restore vehicle number 228 purchased by the Association of Railway Enthusiasts in Chojnice from PKP Cargo to traffic. The vehicle is to be renovated and used to operate tourist passenger trains.
Production
[edit]The Polish HCP SP45 series locomotives (type 303D) were designed with a V12 unit - HCP 12C22W. This engine had a displacement of 122000 cm³, and reached a power of 1800 bhp at 1100 rpm. Two prototypes with this engine were produced, but in serial production it was decided to use an engine with lower power, built under a license from Fiat - a high-speed turbocharged diesel V12 developing a power of 1700 bhp at 1500 rpm.
After the transformation of the SP45 series locomotives, to SU45 (change from the designation "passenger" to "universal"), this engine showed a certain weakness - in the modernization of SP45 locomotives, electric heating was used, which significantly reduced the performance of the driving unit. During autumn and winter, passenger trains were often pulled by two locomotives - one powered the train, and the other served as a heat generator. In many cases, when there was no second locomotive available, drivers were forced to run at scheduled speed without heating, or to run with heating at the cost of train delays. The SU46 series locomotives have the same engine built under Fiat license, but reinforced - it has more powerful turbochargers, which increased the power of this unit to 2250bhp at 1500rpm.
The 2112SSF and W2112SSF (SU46) engines had one manufacturing defect - and it is a fault in the crankshaft. Some units during regular service, suffered an irreversible critical failure of a cracked crankshaft, which resulted in a cracked engine block in the worst case.
| Locomotives numbers | Producer | Production years | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 001 - 268 | modification of SP45 | 1987–1998 | 191 |
Nicknames
[edit]These locos used to be called by the following names:
- Fiat - because of the diesel engine licensed by Fiat
- Suka (eng. bitch) - from the two first letters of the code name (the SU46 series locomotive was more often called a "bitch" due to the greater engine power and the greater number of power shunting stages. SU45 is a locomotive with the same engine, but less power, which is why most drivers and railway enthusiasts pay attention to the gentler character of the SU45, which is why "Fiat" or "Fiacik" fits better)
- Brzydula (eng. Ugly) - it is a modernized version of the SU45 locomotive by PESA Bydgoszcz (ST45)
See also
[edit]External links
[edit]
 | This diesel locomotive-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This Polish rail-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |