The FS Class E.491 and E.492 were an
Italian electric 25 kV 50
Hz AC locomotives built during the 1980s by the ''TEAM'' (Trazione Electrica Alternata Monofase) consortium, formed by
FIAT
Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiary ...
ferroviaria,
Ansaldo
Ansaldo Energia S.p.A. is an Italian power engineering company. It is based in Genoa, Italy. The absorbed parent company, Gio. Ansaldo & C., started in 1853. It was taken over by Leonardo S.p.A. In 2011, Leonardo S.p.A. sold 45% stake in An ...
and other companies. The lines of the locomotive were designed by Italian designer
Giorgetto Giugiaro. Group E.491 was designed to be used on freight trains (max speed ) while E.492 was designed for fast passenger trains (max speed ).
Intended use
They were intended to be used on the rail lines of
Sardinia, at the time subject of future electrification. The project was later abandoned, but a lot of units had already been ordered and built, and since the
catenary on the mainland is mostly 3 kV DC (except for high speed lines), and the locomotive was only able to run on 25 kV AC, the group never entered into active service.
Disposal
FS have tried to sell them to foreign railways (
France and
Bulgaria), but never succeeded. In 2008, the whole batch of 25 locomotives were sold to Fruilexport, a company established in
Niš (Serbia).
It seems thenceforth likely that they will be used on the Serbian 25 kV network.
References
External links
Photo gallery of the group
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fs Class E.491 2
E.491
Bo′Bo′ locomotives
25 kV AC locomotives
Railway locomotives introduced in 1986
Gio. Ansaldo & C. locomotives
Standard gauge locomotives of Italy
Passenger locomotives
Bo′Bo′ electric locomotives of Europe