DE1 is a Ukrainian series ofDC electriclocomotives. It is the first electric locomotive developed by Ukraine since the end of theSoviet Union.[1] The DE1 was produced for service in theNear-Dnieper and theDonets Basin regional divisions of theUkrainian Railways. All of them were produced by theDnipropetrovsk research-and-production association for electric locomotive engineering.[2]
By the middle of the 1990s there was a need to replace the ageingVL8 locomotives, which had stopped operating in Russia were only being used by that point on the Near-Dnieper and Donets territorial railways in southeastern Ukraine. The Dnipropetrovsk electric locomotive factory was tasked with developing a new electric locomotive.[2]
The first two units produced, numbered DE1-001 (made in 1995) and DE1-002 (in 1997), became test prototypes that were used to further develop the design. They were both retired in 2007 and 2013, respectively. By 2008, a total of 40 units of the DE1 were produced.[2]
At least two of them may have been captured by theDonetsk People's Republic since theWar in Donbas. The original two prototype units have been completely taken out of service, while several others appear to be currently out of order but still in service. All of them were based out of theLyman orDnipro depots. Their status since theRussian invasion of Ukraine is unknown.[3]
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