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 HGKDE 64 atGodorf Hafen open day. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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TheElectro-Motive Diesel (EMD)Class 66 (EMD JT42CWR) areCo-Codiesel locomotives built by EMD for the European heavy freight market. Designed for use inGreat Britain as theBritish Rail Class 66, a development of theClass 59, they have been adapted and certified for use in other European countries.[3] Outside Europe, 40 locomotives have been sold to Egyptian Railways for passenger operation.[4]
A number of locomotives built forEuro Cargo Rail in France with roof-mounted air conditioning are classedClass 77. In Germany ECR units operated forDB Schenker were numbered as class 247, re-classified as class 266 by theEisenbahn-Bundesamt to match other Class 66 locomotives operating in Germany.[5]
The class was designed by General Motors-Electro Motive Division[note 2] for use in the UK, and 250 were sold toEnglish Welsh & Scottish, with orders fromDirect Rail Services,Fastline,Freightliner andGB Railfreight.
With the locomotives proving successful in the UK, interest came from railway operators in continental Europe. General Motors locomotives in mainland Europe had historically been produced under license by local manufacturers. The high haulage capacity and reliability of theClass 59 (JT26-CW-SS) had led to its use by the German companyHäfen und Güterverkehr Köln (HGK). The first mainland Europe order also came from HGK, for two locomotives, followed by TGOJ Trafik (Trafikaktiebolaget Grängesberg-Oxelösunds Järnvägar) in Sweden. Subsequently, many European railway operators bought locomotives.[6]
With a high number of orders, EMD modified the locomotive for European ECR operations, including:[7]
Designated JT42CWRM-100 by EMD and registered in France as Class 77,[7] over 100 locomotives have been purchased including 60 byDB Schenker subsidiaryEuro Cargo Rail.
In 2008 EMD announced plans to develop a new variant 'Class 66EU' designed for continental European operations, built within the UIC 505-1 loading gauge as opposed to the restrictive UKloading gauge. A range of European safety systems would be supported includingERTMS, and locomotives would be fitted with adynamic brake and previous issues with driver comfort were to be addressed.[8] The project was confirmed to be cancelled in 2011.[9] A similar locomotive concept using EMD technology is theVossloh Euro 4000 and has been delivered to operators in several countries including Norway, France, Spain, Portugal and Israel.
The locomotive uses standard EMD components - anEMD 710prime mover, D43 traction motors, radial[note 3] (self-steering) bogies of patented design, which reduce wheel surface and flange wear[10] and are said to improve adhesion[11] and reduce track load.[12]
The class has undergone updates; other than the lower-geared class 66/6 produced for Freightliner, most of the updates have been in relation to conforming to specifications for exhaust particulate emissions.
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Despite being popular with rail operators, especially due to its high reliability, the class has not been universally successful: one recurring problem has been driver comfort. In particular, noise levels (including noise from the cab horn), vibration, and excessive cab-temperatures in hot weather have brought serious complaints. The cab is not isolated from the main frame, causing engine noise to be the dominant background noise;[13] notwithstanding the implications for safety (audibility of warning signals etc.), and the potential for hearing damage in the long term, the conditions drivers face led to threats of industrial action in the UK in 2007,[14] and an agreement for increased pay for drivers using this type of locomotive[15] (in Norway). By modifying using noise absorbing materials EMD succeeded in meeting TSI Noise Certification standards in 2008.[16] Tests on retrofitted cooling systems and improved seating have been carried out on some UK locomotives.[17][18]
Between 2006 and 2010, 12 locomotives belonging to Mitsui Capital Rail Europe (MRCE), operating in the Netherlands and Germany, were equipped withETCS, principally to allow them to work on the equippedBetuweroute, comprising the ETCS Level 1 "Havenspoorlijn" in the Rotterdam harbour area and the ETCS Level 2 "A15" route linking Rotterdam to the German border.[citation needed][note 4]. The MRCE locomotives were sold to Beacon Rail in 2015. Commencing in 2015, 15 locomotives owned by Ascendos Rail Leasing and 10 locomotives owned and operated by Crossrail Benelux were equipped withETCS.
As a fuel-saving and wear-reduction measure operatorDB Schenker Rail UK is to fit ninety of its fleet withautomatic engine stop start technology by the end of 2015. The modification is provided by ZTR Control Systems of London, Ontario and is expected to reduce engine running hours by about one-third.[19]
Certification (homologation) is needed for each country of operation.The locos were initially given a temporary certificate for use in France,[note 5] and full certification came in 2009[21] (they had previously operated in France on some routes), Romanian certification came in 2007[22] The class is certified for operation in Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Poland and Denmark. As of 1 January 2009, certification for use in the Czech Republic and Slovakia was pending.
They are operated inEgypt by theEgyptian National Railways.They are operated on theTrans-Gabon Railway.
| Owner | Operator | Countries | Designation | Total | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beacon Rail (15) Halifax Asset Finance (33) Eversholt Rail Group (85) Porterbrook (60) Lloyds Bank (4)[23] | Colas Rail DB Cargo UK Direct Rail Services Freightliner GB Railfreight | Great Britain | Class 66 | 455 | See details in theBritish Rail Class 66 article |
| Euro Cargo Rail[citation needed] | France | Class 66 Class 77 | 120 | 65 from parent company DB Cargo UK. 60 further locomotives during 2009 designated Class 77. | |
| Alpha Trains | Freightliner PL (FPL)[24] | Poland | Class 66[25] | 7[26] | Part ofFreightliner |
| CB Rail[27] formerlyPorterbrook | Rail4Chem Benelux (R4CB) | Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands & Luxembourg) | 26 | ||
| Heavy Haul Power International (HHPI) | Germany | ||||
| Crossrail Benelux | Belgium | ||||
| Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln (HGK) | Germany | Class 266 | |||
| ERS Railways (ERSR) | Netherlands | ||||
| Railion Nederland (RN) | |||||
| Deutsche Leasing[27] | Rail4Chem Benelux (R4CB) | Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands & Luxembourg) | 1 | ||
| Egyptian National Railways (ENR) | Egypt[4][28] | 2120[citation needed] | 40[28] | First non-European customer, for passenger use. | |
| GM/Opel leasing[27] | Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln (HGK) | Germany | Class 266 | 2 | |
| GM/GMAC leasing[27] | Heavy Haul Power International (HHPI) | 1 | |||
| Eversholt Rail Group[27] | TGOJ Trafik (TGOJ)[29] | Sweden | T66 713[citation needed] | 1[citation needed] | Leased toIKEA rail AB, from 2012–07 to Rush Railsource |
| CFL Cargo DK[30] | Denmark | T66K 714 "Krudthornet" | 1 | Transferred to CFL Cargo DK in Padborg in 2010 (SE, DK ATC) | |
| CargoNet (CN) | Norway | CD66[31] | 6[32] | Problems with driver cabin conditions(see above) Named Di9 as per Di series in procurement documents,[33] in practice also calledCD 66 To be replaced byVossloh Euro 4000s on theNordland Line[citation needed] | |
| Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln (HGK) | Germany | Class 266 | 5 | ||
| ERS Railways (ERSR) | Netherlands | 5 | |||
| KBC lease group[27] | Crossrail Benelux | Belgium | 4 | ||
| MRCE[27] | ~5 | ||||
| ERS Railways (ERSR) | Netherlands | ~6 | |||
| Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln (HGK) | Germany | Class 266 | ~2 | ||
| Afzet Container Transport System (ACTS) | Netherlands | 1 | |||
| Dortmunder Eisenbahn (DE) | Germany | ||||
| Veolia Cargo /Connex (VC) | Netherlands & France | ||||
| Trainsport AG (TS) | Belgium | ||||
| Rail4Chem (R4C) | Germany | ||||
| NedTrain | Netherlands | ||||
| Setrag | Gabon | 6 | Two units built 2008, shipped July 2011.[34] Four further units built and exported by 2012. | ||
Meanwhile, EMD confirms that it has dropped plans for the 66EU, which was to have been an updated version of its popular Class 66 freight locomotive specifically adapted for the Continental European market
Classes of German diesel locomotives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Deutsche Bundesbahn(pre-1968) see alsoDB locomotives |  | |
| Deutsche Reichsbahn (GDR)(pre-1970) see alsoDR locomotives | ||
| Deutsche Bundesbahn(1968–1994) see alsoDB locomotives | ||
| Deutsche Reichsbahn (GDR)(1970–1994) see alsoDR locomotives | ||
| Deutsche Bahn AG(post-1994) see alsoDBAG locomotives | ||
Rolling stock of Sweden | |||||||||||||||||
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