NSB Di 6

NSB Di 6

Di 6 in service with Nord-Ostsee-Bahn of Germany

Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Siemens Schienenfahrzeugtechnik at Maschinenbau Kiel Build date 1997 Total produced 12

Specifications UIC class Co'Co' Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge Wheel diameter 1,060 mm (41.73 in) Minimum curve 100 m (328 ft) Wheelbase 3.94 m (12 ft 11 in) (bogie outer axle distance) 11.75 m (38 ft 7 in) (bogie center distance) Length 20.96 m (68 ft 9 in) Width 3.00 m (9 ft 10 in) Height 4.39 m (14 ft 5 in) Axle load 20.6 t (20.3 long tons; 22.7 short tons) Loco weight 122 t (120 long tons; 134 short tons) Fuel capacity 5,000 L (1,100 imp gal; 1,300 US gal) Prime mover MaK 12M282 Engine type V12 Cylinders 12 Transmission Electric

Performance figures Maximum speed 160 km/h (99 mph) Power output 2,650 kW (3,550 hp) @ 1000 RPM Tractive effort 400 kN (90,000 lbf)

Career Operators Norwegian State Railways Number in class 12 Numbers 6.661 – 6.672 Current owner Vossloh Disposition Returned to Siemens (Dispolok) and sold to Vossloh

Sources: except where noted

NSB Di 6, later designated ME 26 and DE 2700, is a class of twelve diesel-electric locomotives built by Siemens for the Norwegian State Railways (NSB). The prime mover provides a power output of 2,650 kilowatts (3,550 hp), a starting traction effort of 400 kilonewtons (90,000 lb_f) and a maximum speed of 160 kilometres per hour (99 mph). They have a Co'Co' wheel arrangement. The bidirectional locomotives were designed for use with both passenger and freight trains.

The units were ordered by NSB in 1992 as replacements for the aging Di 3, and were particularly intended for use on the Nordland Line and to a lesser extent on the Røros Line. Construction was done by Maschinenbau Kiel (MaK) in Kiel, Germany, which was then part of Siemens Schienenfahrzeugtechnik. The class is largely based on the MaK-built DB Class 240, with each unit costing 32 million Norwegian krone (NOK). The first units were delivered in March 1996, one year after schedule, but were plagued with faults. By 1999, the entire order was terminated and the locomotives returned to Germany. They were taken over by locomotive lessor Dispolok and were used by various Germany railway companies. Ownership was taken over by Vossloh in 2003, after which most of the class were leased to German passenger train operator Nord-Ostsee-Bahn. In 2008, three units returned to Norway and are used by Cargolink for freight trains.

During the late 1980s, the Norwegian State Railways sought a new locomotive type to replace its aging fleet of Di 3 diesel-electric locomotives, which made up the back-bone of the dieselized operations. The new locomotives were planned for use as freight and passenger trains on the Nordland Line, and to a lesser extent on the Røros Line. In 1980, NSB had taken delivery of five Di 4 from Henschel. Originally there were plans to order additional Di 4 units, but this was discarded and instead a new class was pursued, as NSB wanted similar, but slightly more modern, locomotives.