Newag Dragon Explained

Newag Dragon
Builder:Newag
Uicclass:Co'Co'
Totalproduction:59
Builddate:2009–present
Locoweight:119t
Maxspeed:120km/h
T/E Starting: (with MAX LOAD option)
Operator:PKP Cargo, Lotos Kolej, Industrial Division, Freightliner PL, Rail Capital Partners and others
Operatorclass:PKP Cargo: ET25, ET26

The Newag Dragon is a Polish six-axle electric locomotive, designed for working freight trains up to 4500 tons. The locomotive is built by Newag, between 2009–2016 at its Gliwice plant, since 2017 at the Nowy Sącz plant. By April 2020, 42 units had been built and delivered to 12 different train operating companies in Poland.

History

Origin

Newag Dragon's project is the first Polish electric locomotive project for 19 years, since the hitherto last Polish-designed locomotive, EM10, was unveiled.[1] The idea to design and offer a six-axle goods locomotive came around as the company was engaged in refurbishing old ET22 six-axle goods locomotives and decided that it would make more sense to offer a new locomotive rather than a wide-ranging refurbishment.

Prototype production

From 2002 no electric locomotives were produced in Poland until September 2006,[2] when an agreement was signed with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education for funding a project to build a new locomotive. It was decided to produce a heavy goods locomotive. The company also decided to produce a six-axle locomotive[3] so that it could operate on a wider variety of tracks. The project for the locomotive was prepared in cooperation with EC Engineering and the Institute of Electrical Engineering. The traction engines were designed by the Research and Development Centre of Electrical Machines Komel[4] and built by the Department of Electrical Machines Emit.[5]

Presentations and tests

From 13 January to 30 December 2011 the supervised operation prototype unit, was led by STK, PKP Cargo, Pol-Miedz Trans and Lotos Kolej, under which E6ACT-001 had been in service for a combined 77 866 km with a maximum train weight of 4 021 t. In October, the locomotive was re-launched at the Trako Trade Fair in Gdańsk. On 23 December the Railway Transport Office issued a perpetual license for the service of the locomotive. In February 2012 promotional operation was taken by DB Schenker Rail Poland.[6] At the InnoTrans Trade Fair in September 2014 the locomotive of the E6ACT-008 series belonging to Lotos Kolej was shown.[7]

In July 2018 the Dragon 2 was introduced by Newag, a slightly revised design that carried the designation E6ACTa.[8] Three units were immediately purchased by PKP Cargo[9] and delivered in October 2018. They bear PKP-style designations ET25-001 through -003.

Deliveries

StateOperatorTypeSide numbersCount
PolandIndustrial DivisionE6ACT001 ÷ 0044
E6ACTa004 ÷ 006, 0164
Lotos KolejE6ACT005 ÷ 0095
E6ACTa009, 011 ÷ 0123
E6ACTab010, 025, 028, 032, 034, 0406
Freightliner PLE6ACTd101 ÷ 1055
Railpolonia <-- subsidiary of Budokrusz, est. 2018-->E6ACTd1061
E6ACTadb0291
PKP CargoE6ACTa/ET25001 ÷ 0033
E6ACTad/ET26001 ÷ 0077
E6MST/ET43001 ÷ 02412 out of 24
NewagE6ACTadb0301
E6ACTa007 ÷ 008, 013 <--leased to PUK Kolprem Sp. z.o.o.--> ÷ 014 4
Logistics & Transport CompanyE6ACTa0151
ZPK SzumowoE6ACTad017, 0262
E6ACTadb027, 0442
Laude Smart IntermodalE6ACTab031, 0332
E6ACTadb035 ÷ 0362
Rail Capital PartnersE6ACTab037 ÷ 039, 041 ÷ 0425
Rail STME6ACTadb0431

d – subtype designates a dual-power option (auxiliary 540 kilowatt diesel engine primarily for shunting)
a – subtype designates a revised design marketed as "Dragon 2"

Construction

Available versions

The locomotives are available in the following versions:

The manufacturer also provides 2 options:

E6ACT

Power supply

The E6ACT locomotive is designed to operate at a supply voltage of 3 kV DC. The locomotive's power electronics is based on IGBT technology. The first unit is powered by 6 STX500-4A electric motors, developing 834 kW each, powered by traction converters developed by the Institute of Electrical Engineering. The gear axle SET 553 is supplied by Voith. The locomotives are equipped with disc brakes.[12] There are also multisystem models on offer.

Capabilities

The E6ACT/E6ACU locomotive has a continuous power output of 5,004 MW and a starting tractive effort of 375 kN, enabling it to pull 4,000 tonnes of cargo – or 4,500 with Max Load option.[13]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: E6ACT – pierwsza polska lokomotywa elektryczna od 19 lat. E6ACT – first Polish locomotive in 19 years. https://web.archive.org/web/20091028155727/http://inforail.pl/text.php?id=27901. 2009-10-20. 2009-10-28. Inforail. 16 December 2014. pl. dmy-all.
  2. LOKOMOTYWA E6ACT "DRAGON" CoCo 5MW 3000V. E6ACT 'Dragon' CoCo 5MW 3000V Locomotive. Nowa Elektrotechnika. December 2010. 1–6. Instytut Elektrotechniki. 16 December 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140420054946/http://bambus.iel.waw.pl/pliki/aktualnosci/2011/NE_12_2010.pdf. 20 April 2014. pl. dmy-all.
  3. Web site: Narodziny smoka - jak powstała E6ACT?. Birth of Dragon – how E6ACT was created?. 4 February 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20141216232917/http://kurierkolejowy.eu/aktualnosci/3201/Narodziny-smoka-jak-powstala-E6ACT.html. 16 December 2014. Kurier Kolejowy. 16 December 2014. pl.
  4. Web site: KOMEL Katowice Locomotive by Newag. KOMEL. 16 December 2014.
  5. Web site: Polska znowu produkuje lokomotywy. Poland again is manufacturing locomotives. 12 October 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20140726050057/https://wyborcza.pl/1,76842,10459527,Polska_znowu_produkuje_lokomotywy.html. 26 July 2014. Gazeta Wyborcza. 16 December 2014. pl.
  6. Web site: E6ACT przetestowana. E6ACT tested. https://web.archive.org/web/20120317095644/https://www.rynek-kolejowy.pl/31521/E6ACT_przetestowana.htm. 17 March 2012. Rynek Kolejowy. 16 December 2014. pl.
  7. Web site: Three work stage on the engine. Cantoni Group. 16 December 2014.
  8. Web site: Newag presents first Dragon 2 electric locomotive . . 17 July 2018 . 30 October 2018.
  9. Web site: PKP Cargo purchases Dragon 2 locomotives . . 29 October 2018 . 30 October 2018.
  10. Web site: Progress With Dragon Orders. Railvolution. 16 December 2014.
  11. Web site: Inwestycje przewoźników: lokomotywy czy platformy?. Operators' investments: Locomotives or flat wagons?. https://web.archive.org/web/20130402110735/http://kurierkolejowy.eu/aktualnosci/13367/Inwestycje-przewoznikow-lokomotywy-czy-platformy.html. 2013-04-02. Kurier Kolejowy. 16 December 2014. pl. dmy-all.
  12. Web site: InnoTrans 2012: 5 Dragonów dla Lotos Kolej. InnoTrans: Five Dragons for Lotos Kolej. https://web.archive.org/web/20120921000029/http://www.kurierkolejowy.eu/aktualnosci/10039/InnoTrans-2012-5-Dragonow-dla-Lotos-Kolej.html. 2012-09-21. Kurier Kolejowy. 16 December 2014. pl. dmy-all.
  13. Web site: Udane testy Dragona dla Lotos Kolej. Successful tests of Dragon for Lotos Kolej. 2014-02-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20140221114523/http://inforail.pl/text.php?id=62161. 2014-02-21. Inforail. 16 December 2014. pl. dmy-all.