SU42 is a Polish

diesel-electric locomotive A diesel locomotive is a type of railway locomotive in which the prime mover (locomotive), prime mover is a diesel engine. Several types of diesel locomotives have been developed, differing mainly in the means by which mechanical power is conv ...

used for light freight and passenger traffic purposes.

History

The SU42 is in fact the same locomotive as

SM42 SM42 is the PKP classification system, PKP class for a Polish switcher, shunter diesel locomotive for shunting and light freight traffic, built by Fablok in Chrzanów (manufacturer's designation is Ls800E, designer's designation 6D). History Th ...

and SP42. The original class SU42 were modifications of class SM42 done during the 1970s. This modification involved the installation of a 500 volt

electric train supply In rail transport, head-end power (HEP), also known as electric train supply (ETS), is the electrical power distribution system on a passenger train. The power source, usually a locomotive (or a generator car) at the front or 'head' of a train, p ...

for carriage heating, supplied directly by locomotive's generator. The class retained the original SM42 serial number, however most of those converted have now been converted back to SM42 or withdrawn as the carriages using 500 V supply have been withdrawn. The second phase of modification was carried out between 1999 and 2000 from class SP42. The modification centered on the addition of 3 kV electric train supply. The modified locomotives were classified as class SU42-5xx. 40 of the class were eventually modified and they are based at various depots across the network. Unlike previous iteration, SU42-5xx has electric train heating powered by a separate Caterpillar diesel engine, thus not creating additional load on the locomotive's main engine while heating the train. Built for shunting purposes, SM42, together with its version SU42, are widely used in passenger traffic on non-electrified lines.

Later modifications

In the 2000s, a number of companies started offering comprehensive rebuilds of the locomotive, involving the replacement of the

prime mover Prime mover may refer to: Philosophy *Unmoved mover, a concept in Aristotle's writings Engineering * Prime mover (engine), motor, a machine that converts various other forms of energy (chemical, electrical, fluid pressure/flow, etc) into energy o ...

generator Generator may refer to: * Signal generator, electronic devices that generate repeating or non-repeating electronic signals * Electric generator, a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. * Generator (circuit theory), an eleme ...

and air compressors, upgraded driver's cab (that better isolates against the engine vibrations the original locomotive was famous for) and various changes to the body.

Newag Newag S.A. ronounced: nevagis a Polish company, based in Nowy Sącz, specialising in the production, maintenance, and modernisation of railway rolling stock. The company's products include the 14WE, 19WE, 35WE types electric multiple units; it ...

offers modification to type 6Dl that is equipped with 3 kV electric train heating. Other modifications do not offer the electric train heating, making the modified locomotive a member of the SM42 class. Some of the companies that offer these modifications are: * Newag – 6Dg, 18D *

Pesa The Pesa is a river in Tuscany, central Italy. It has a length of 53 km, and, after crossing the provinces of Siena and Florence, flows into the Arno River near Montelupo Fiorentino Montelupo Fiorentino is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the ...

– 6Dk * – 6Dh-1

Nicknames

The described loco used to be called by the following names: *Zebra or stonka (''

Colorado beetle The Colorado potato beetle (''Leptinotarsa decemlineata''), also known as the Colorado beetle, the ten-striped spearman, the ten-lined potato beetle, or the potato bug, is a major pest of potato crops. It is about long, with a bright yellow/o ...

'') – from the original livery *Wibrator ('' Vibrator'') – from the vibrations the engine produced *Eleska – from the factory designation: Ls800 *Fablok – from the producer *Polsat – from the livery similar to one of Polish popular TV operators' colours

References

External links

SP42 at the Chabówka Rail Museum
– article with photos and technical data

Diesel-electric locomotives of Poland Bo′Bo′ locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1967 Standard gauge locomotives of Poland {{poland-rail-transport-stub

History

Later modifications

Nicknames

See also

References

External links