Spanish diesel locomotive class
Renfe 334/Vossloh Euro 3000
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![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/SERIE334ALC.JPG/300px-SERIE334ALC.JPG) |
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Performance figures
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Maximum speed
| 200 km/h (125 mph)
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Tractive effort
| continuous:
92 kN (21,000 lb
f
) at 75 km/h (47 mph)
starting:
178 kN (40,000 lb
f
)
[1]
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Career
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Operators
| Renfe
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Nicknames
| Caracoles, Caracoles de carreras (
Snails
,
Racing snails
)
[2]
[3]
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Locale
| Spain
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Sources:
[4]
except where noted
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The
Renfe 334
is a high speed, 4 axle
diesel-electric locomotive
built to haul passenger trains on
Renfe
's
Talgo
service on non electrified lines.
Background
[
edit
]
With the well known
Renfe Class 333
locomotives having served for over 30 years the Spanish rail operator faced decisions as to their future. Different options for action were available - rebuild/repair/upgrade the locomotives or replace them with new models; at the time the company was undergoing a major modernisation project - with about 6 billion Euros being invested in rolling stock as part of a 120 billion Euro transport plan.
[5]
In the event, acting pragmatically, Renfe chose to do both. The 333 series were extensively rebuilt forming the 333.3 and 333.4 subclasses, and 28 new locomotives were ordered - these were the new build Class 334. A few components were used from old Class 333s,
[6]
so technically the Class could be considered a rebuild, but the amount of material reused was small so a new class was created.
Technical details and manufacture
[
edit
]
Renfe worked with Alstom, who then owned the locomotive manufacturing plant in Valencia, to come up with a design for the new locomotives; Alstom Valencia already had produced diesel powered passenger locomotives for the UK and Israel as well as modernising the Renfe class 333.
The design was similar to the modernised 333s but with a General Motors
EMD 710
engine instead of the
EMD 645
used in the Class 333.4. Additionally 2-axle trucks were used instead of the 3-axle type that were re-used from the original 333 class in the rebuilt 333.4 and 333.3 models.
Curiously the twenty eight Class 334 locomotives inherit the main generator, alternator and heating equipment from Renfe Class 319.3 locomotives - which in turn have inherited the generators and alternators from scrapped Class 333 locomotives.
[7]
In summary, the engine, electronics and power transmission system are from General Motors, the other components are typical of an Alstom locomotive.
Despite a change of ownership in 2004, with the factory being bought by
Vossloh
, the production was not affected.
Operation
[
edit
]
![[icon]](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg/20px-Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg.png) | This section
needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
January 2009
)
|
Talgo
and 334 locomotive in
Ourense railway station
.
The Class 334 locomotives were originally intended for operations between
Madrid
,
Murcia
and
Cartagena
.
Six units are used to provide an
Altaria
service between Madrid and Murcia, the regional capital of the
region of Murcia
. They are also used on the daily Talgo service from Lorca (Murcia) to Montpellier (France) as far as Barcelona.
Four further units provide a
Talgo
service between Madrid and
Almeria
. Their use also means that it is not necessary to change engines at the Linares-Baeza station in
Baeza
.
[8]
[9]
Additionally since 5 units of the
Renfe Class 354
are out of action (two destroyed in a head end collision in Linarejos, three others had accidents in
Hellin
,
Tobarra
and
Chinchilla
and another caught fire) the Class 334 have been used to replace them (being the 354 and the 334 the only diesel locomotives capable of 200 km/h in Spain). However the lower
power-to-weight ratio
compared to the Class 354 units leads to the typical conclusion of lower technical performance for locomotive hauled trains.
[6]
Three locomotives are used to replace the Class 354s destroyed at Linarejos (one used as a reserve) and will operate between
A Coruna
and Madrid. The replacement service began in March 2007 and ends when the construction of a true high speed line is completed.
[10]
Servicing
[
edit
]
In 2006 a joint venture between Renfe and Vossloh,
Erion
, was created, dedicated to servicing and manufacture of rail equipment. Renfe owns 51%, Vossoh 49%. The primary business of the company will be to service the Class 334 locomotives as well as the
Renfe Class 333s
and Class 335 (Euro 4000).
[11]
[12]
This action has met with criticism from unions as it is part of the process of privatising the Spanish Railways.
[13]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Vossloh Euro series : Railcolor.net (also refers to RENFE 334)
- ^
Locomotora 334: Caracoles
www.vialibre-ffe
- ^
Categoria:Motes
Ferropedia
- ^
"Diesel-Electric Locomotives : Serie 334"
(PDF)
,
www.vossloh-espana.com
, archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 7 April 2009
- ^
"The most modern fleet in Europe"
,
www.railwaygazette.com
, 12 January 2009, archived from
the original
on 16 December 2014
, retrieved
16 March
2012
- ^
a
b
Comparativa entre las locomotoras series 334, 354, y 333-400 de Renfe Comparison between Renfe locomotives of series 334, 354 and 333.4 (spanish)
- ^
Comienza la construccion de la nueva serie 334, similares a las 333 The construction of a new 334 series - similar to the Class 333 (spanish)
- ^
"Renfe acorta desde manana minutos el tiempo de viaje entre la capital y Madrid Renfe cuts time by minutes for travek from the capital (of Almeria) and Madrid (spanish)"
. Archived from
the original
on 2012-07-10
. Retrieved
2009-01-20
.
- ^
"Renfe shortens train times by 31minutes between Almeria and Madrid (spanish)"
. Archived from
the original
on 2009-07-14
. Retrieved
2009-01-20
.
- ^
Las locomotoras que Renfe estrena hoy no serviran para el futuro AVE Locomotives Renfe introduces today will not be used for the future AVE, March 2007 (spanish)
- ^
"ERION Mantenimiento ferroviarro, S.A., Presentation"
(PDF)
. www.erion.es. February 2008. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 2010-03-20.
- ^
Vossloh teaming up with Spanish rail company
, 14 December 2006,
www.vosloh-espana.com
- ^
SINDICATO FEDERAL FERROVIARIO (Publication of
Federal Rail Union
) (spanish)
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