NSB Class 69

NSB Class 69
Old (right) and new liveries at Kongsvinger
In service	1971 – present
Manufacturer	Strømmen
Refurbishment	2005 (G-series)
Number built	85 units
Formation	2 or 3 cars
Capacity	189 seats (A-series) 282–306 (3 car 2-series) 180–204 (3 car B-series) 301 (C-series) 300–303 (D-series) 178 (E-series) 270 (G-series)
Operator(s)	Norwegian State Railways NSB Gjøvikbanen (G-series)
Line(s) served	Drammen Line Gjøvik Line Østfold Line Hoved Line Voss Line
Specifications
Car length	End cars: 24.85 m (81 ft 6.3 in) (A, B, C) 25.06 m (82 ft 2.6 in) (D, E, G) Centre cars: 24.25 m (79 ft 6.7 in) (B) 27 m (88 ft 7.0 in) (C, D, E, G)
Maximum speed	130 km/h (81 mph)
Weight	Motor car: 53.9 t (53.0 long tons; 59.4 short tons) (A-series) 54 t (B-series) 53.5 t (52.7 long tons; 59.0 short tons) (C-series) 60.5 t (59.5 long tons; 66.7 short tons) (D-series) 64 t (63 long tons; 71 short tons) (E-series) Centre cars: 28.8 t (28.3 long tons; 31.7 short tons) (B-series) 35 t (34 long tons; 39 short tons) (C-, D-series) 38 t (37 long tons; 42 short tons) (E-series) Steering cars: 29 t (29 long tons; 32 short tons) (A-, C-series) 28.5 t (28.0 long tons; 31.4 short tons) (B-series) 35.5 t (34.9 long tons; 39.1 short tons) (D-series) 37 t (36 long tons; 41 short tons) (E-series)
Power output	1,632 hp (1,217 kW)
Electric system(s)	15 kV  16 2⁄3 Hz AC Catenary
Current collection method	Pantograph
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)

NSB Class 69 (Norwegian: NSB type 69) is an electric multiple unit used by Norwegian State Railways for a variety of commuter trains on the Norwegian railway system, as well as a few medium distance and branch line trains. It is the most common type of trainset in Norway, although the newer NSB Class 72 has also been introduced. All the trains were built by Strømmen.

During the 1960s NSB realized that they would need a new generation of electric multiple units for local traffic. Both the Class 65, 67 and 68 had for thirty years been built with slight modifications, and NSB needed both new and more modern trains for their operations. Among the inspiration was the successful X1 units used in Sweden. NSB decided on a number of rationalizations, first of all a new interior so that two new cars could hold the same capacity as three units from the older models. Secondly NSB wanted quicker trains, and increased the maximum speed from 70 to 130 km/h (81 mph). This increase in speed was sufficient to reduce the number of trains for a given frequency by a third. For instance on the line from Oslo East Station to Ski this allowed NSB to reduce the number of operative car from nine to four. The 69-set was also given new thyristor motors with 1,200 kW, a lot more than the old units.

The first units were delivered on 1 November 1970, and the first series fifteen units (A-series) was put into service from Oslo Ø to Lillestrøm and Ski. The B-series was delivered a few years later, and used for longer lines, soon followed by more C-series units. The D-series was delivered in the 1980s and custom made for longer distances. The last series was delivered in 1993 as part of the stock for the 1994 Winter Olympics. All the original units consisted of twin-car sets, but from 1987 NSB ordered additional middle cars, to make three-car units. This allowed somewhat more flexibility, and NSB kept the A- and B-series as twin-cars so they could combine trains to make any number of cars needed between two and nine. The second two batches of D-series trains delivered in 1990 and 1993 were delivered with three cars.