VL80

VL80

VL80t-784 passing through the Sharya Kostromskaya region

Type and origin Power type Electric Builder NEVZ  SUN  RUS Build date 1961 - 1995 Total produced 4,921

Specifications UIC class Bo'Bo'+Bo'Bo' Gauge 1,524 mm (5 ft) 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 27⁄32 in) Russian gauge Length 32.48 m (106 ft 7 in) Height 5.1 m (16 ft 9 in) Electric system(s) 25 kV 50 Hz AC Catenary Current collection Pantograph Traction motors 8×НБ-418К6 (en: NB-418K6) Loco brake ? Train brakes ?

Performance figures Maximum speed 110 km/h (68 mph) Power output 4,880 or 6,400 kW (6,540 or 8,580 hp) (depending on model)

Career Operators РЖД, БЧ, КТЗ, УЗ, OTY Locale Russia Soviet Union Belarus Kazakhstan Ukraine Uzbekistan

Type and origin
Power type	Electric
Builder	NEVZ  SUN  RUS
Build date	1961 - 1995
Total produced	4,921

Career
Operators	РЖД, БЧ, КТЗ, УЗ, OTY
Locale	Russia Soviet Union Belarus Kazakhstan Ukraine Uzbekistan

The VL80 (ru: ВЛ80) is a Soviet (and later Russian) built electric AC mainline freight locomotive. The initials VL are those of Vladimir Lenin (ru: Владимир Ленин), after whom the class is named.

Designed by the Всероссийский научно-исследовательский и проектно-конструкторский институт электровозостроения (en: All-Russian scientific research and design-engineering institute of electric locomotive construction) – usually abbreviated to ВЭлНИИ – the VL80 enjoys the accolade of having the longest production span of any Soviet electric locomotive: 33 years. All variants of the series were built at the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant (NEVZ; ru: НЭВЗ) between the years 1961 and 1994. All the mechanical parts, traction engines, and auxiliary electric machinery were manufactured at the Novocherkassk plant. Some of the important components, such as the tractive transformer, were sourced from other factories.

The first VL80s were characterised by their mercury arc rectifiers. Later, they were replaced with silicon ones, thus giving birth to the ВЛ80^К (en: VL80^K) series. The К stands for кремний, the Russian word for silicon. Between the years 1961 and 1973, a total of 695 VL80^Ks had been produced.

Currently, the VL80 series is used on all electrified routes in Russia, as well as in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, and Ukraine.

The VL80 is a dual-section (or articulated) locomotive composed of two identical units, each resting on two two-axle bogies, powered by eight НБ-418К6 (en: NB-4186K6) electric tractive motors equipped with axle-support suspension. In order to pick up the current from overhead lines, the VL80 is fitted with two pantographs; one above the driver's cab on each section. Similarly, each section of the locomotive is equipped with one ОДЦЭ-5000/25Б (en: ODCE-5000/25B) tractive transformer. The VL80^T and ВЛ80^С (en: VL80^S) models are furnished with dynamic brakes.