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 German Blue Tiger in Vacha, Germany (1997) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Blue Tiger (manufacturer designation: DE-AC33C) is a type of high powered diesel-electric locomotive developed by ADtranz in association with General Electric.
History and design
The prototype was unveiled in 1996.
Initially the axle load was expected to be a light 18 tonnes (17.7 long tons; 19.8 short tons) and the power at ~2,500 kW (3,400 hp). In practice, the German locomotives had an axle load of 21 tonnes (20.7 long tons; 23.1 short tons) (which is normal for this type of diesel locomotive).
General Electric supplied diesel engines and electrical transmission system (which used IGBT-based inverters driving AC traction motors). The rest of the locomotive was built by AdTranz in Kassel.
For the Pakistani export models a 16-cylinder engine was used.
Bombardier took over AdTranz in 2001, subsequently the Blue Tiger locomotive was shown at InnoTrans in 2002 with a view to European orders. The German production models had a mass of 126 tonnes (124.0 long tons; 138.9 short tons) (axle load 21 tonnes or 20.7 long tons or 23.1 short tons) and an engine power of 2,430 kW (3,260 hp).
As of 2009, the class is no longer listed as a production model by Bombardier; GE also lists the family as a former production type. For the European market, Bombardier produces the less powerful diesel variants of the TRAXX family, whilst GE offers variants of its Evolution series for export.
Operators
Pakistan
The first orders for the locomotives came from Pakistan Railways in the late 1990s. The locomotives were being built to a gauge of 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) and powered by a 16-cylinder engine of 3,300 horsepower (2,500 kW) instead of the 12-cylinder engine used in the prototype and other production models. The first ten were shipped out, the remainder assembled under license in Pakistan. Pakistan Locomotive Series Start From 6001 to 6030.
Malaysia
Twenty locomotives were built to 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) gauge in 2003–2004 for KTM. They were designated as "Class 26" (Numbers: 26101 – 26120).
All the locomotives were named after capes in Malaysia. In the first decade of operations the locomotives proved more reliable than the Malaysian Class 29 locomotives bought at around the same time.
Germany
10 Locomotives were built to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) gauge with a view to leasing or orders.
Various companies have used the locomotives. Initially Karsdorfer Eisenbahngesellschaft GmbH (KEG) was to use 8 units, but went bankrupt in 2005. In 2006, the distribution was:
- Osthannoversche Eisenbahnen (5 units including the prototype)
- ITL Eisenbahngesellschaft (Import Transport Logistik) (2 units)
- Havelländische Eisenbahnen AG (4 units)
Models
A working scale model of this locomotive has been produced by the Slovenian company Mehano in N, TT and HO scale.
References
- ^ Blue Tiger privat-bahn.de
- ^ 26 Class / Blue Tiger Archived 24 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine keratapi.com
- ^ Technische Daten des Blue Tiger Blue tiger technical data. privat-bahn.de
- Europe/Mid East – 'Blue Tiger' unveiled, Rail janes.com
- InnoTrans 2002 in Berlin railfan.de
- Earlier locomotive models getransportation.com
- "Adtranz and GE Transportation Systems.(receives 30-locomotive Blue Tiger order, expect $1 billion in future orders)", Railway Age, January 1997, archived from the original on 11 June 2014
- GE Locomotives in Asia & Middle East subsection 'Pakistan' locopage.net
- "KTM focuses on beefing up rail freight transport capacity", Business Times (Malaysia), 6 January 2003, archived from the original on 25 October 2012
- "Readymade Train Wreck". www.mmail.com.my. The Malay Mail. 10 October 2008. Archived from the original on 13 October 2008.
- Bombardier: Eight Blue Tiger Locomotives Soon To Be In Service For Karsdorfer Eisenbahn (Bombardier press release) Archived 19 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine canadair.ca
- Blue Tiger Lieferliste 'Blue Tiger' operator list privat-bahn.de
External links
- Blue Tiger images (Europe) railfaneurope.net
- Bombardier FLEXXX Bogies FLEXX Power 120 type used in Blue Tiger locomotives
| Classes of German diesel locomotives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Deutsche Bundesbahn (pre-1968) see also DB locomotives |  | |
| Deutsche Reichsbahn (GDR) (pre-1970) see also DR locomotives | ||
| Deutsche Bundesbahn (1968–1994) see also DB locomotives | ||
| Deutsche Reichsbahn (GDR) (1970–1994) see also DR locomotives | ||
| Deutsche Bahn AG (post-1994) see also DBAG locomotives | ||