Pesa Gama

Pesa Gama

Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Pesa SA Build date 2012–

Specifications UIC class Bo Bo Length 19.8 metres (65 ft 0 in) Width 3.0 metres (9 ft 10 in) Prime mover ' Engine type diesel, electric

Career Disposition 16 in service

Pesa Gama is a family of diesel and electric locomotives built from 2012 by Pesa SA company. Initially, only two units have been built - the first was a universal electric locomotive with an additional diesel engine, the second was built with only a diesel powered engine. There are currently 16 locomotives in service, in 3 different versions.^[1]

History

Origin

After the Second World War in Poland there were three main locomotive building companies. Fablok produced steam and diesel locomotives, Ciegielski built steam locomotives, diesel and electric locomotives, and Pafawag built only electric locomotives. All of the three companies had stopped building locomotives in Poland in the 1990s. Pafawag had been building for PKP Intercity between 1997 and 2002, after being taken over by Adtranz, which built the electric locomotives EU11 and EU43, but never reached the Polish railway tracks due to a financial problem by the client.^[2]

The next Polish locomotive was only presented in 2009, when the electric cargo locomotive Dragon debuted. The locomotive was built by Newag. The next of these types of Polish locomotives were shown in 2012 at InnoTrans Trade Fair in Berlin. There Newag presented their locomotive Griffin, and Pesa showed the Gama. Both of the firms showed that those locomotives were just a small part of what they can offer for locomotives. Additionally in 2012 another locomotive was built, the ZPS LM-400.00 for the Warsaw Metro.^[3]

In 2001, Pesa had announced that they would change their main focus from repairing locomotives to building their own locomotives. Since then in Bydgoszcz a variety of diesel and electric passenger powered locomotives, tracks and trams have been built, including modern passenger and cargo wagons.

The Gama Marathon

The first model of the family was the 111Ed Marathon locomotive. Its construction began in early 2012, and premiered on September 18 at the InnoTrans Trade Fair 2012 in Berlin. The first test drive took place in October 2012 in Bydgoszcz Wschód Station, and later on the railway lines to Inowrocław, Poznań^[4] and Zduńska Wola Karsznice. The behavior of the locomotive was tested working goods trains with different loads until 25 November 2012. From 27 November 2012 to 3 December 2012 the locomotive had been tested on the track in Żmigród. When trying to reach the speed of 173 km/h,^[5] the locomotive had been temporarily allowed to carry passenger trains at speeds up to the 140 km/h mark to 160 km/h. To become a long-term locomotive the locomotive had to be tested by railway operators. On 11 January 2013 the locomotive began been driven by Lotos Kolej, and later also by PKP Intercity, Pol-Miedz Trans and Orlen KolTrans. Eventually, the RTO has issued perpetual type of release to allow the service of the 111Ed (with variations 111E, 111Eb, 111Ec) on 10 July 2014.^[6]

Diesel powered Gama

In July 2014, the company built the first copy of the diesel powered Gama. The locomotive specification is compatible with the specifications of locomotives, and PKP Intercity had ordered therefore 10 units.^[7] The locomotive was presented in September at InnoTrans. In mid-October the locomotive began to be tested in the second half of the month, by IPS Tabor, tests have been performed on the Rokietnica – Szamotuły railway line.^[8]

PKP Intercity

Polish long distance passenger transport company PKP Intercity has taken delivery of 10 locomotives, although there have been a number of breakdowns.

References