CIE 001 Class
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Irish Rail 001 Class | |
 |
|
| Also called: | Metro-Vick “A” Class |
|---|---|
| Builder: | Metropolitan Vickers at Dukinfield Works, Manchester |
| Years Built: | 1955-56 |
| Number Built: | 60 |
| Replaced By: | GM 201 |
| Engine: | Crossley HST V8 Re-engined '68-'71 with EMD 12 cylinder 645E (bore-stroke:9 1/16"x12") |
| Transmission: | Electric. 6 Metropolitan Vickers MV137CW/K traction motors. |
| Wheel Arrangement: | Co-Co |
| Brakes: | Westinghouse air brake system for the locomotive vacuum for the train brakes |
| Length: | 51'0" |
| Width: | 9' 6" |
| Height: | 14' |
| Weight: | 63 tons |
| Maximum Speed: | 75 mph |
| Engine Horsepower: | Crossley - 1200hp (896kw) @ 625rpm EMD - 1325hp (989kw) @ 800 rpm 1030hp at dry rail |
| Tractive Effort: | 18000lbf (82kN) |
| Operators: | CIE/IR |
The Córas Iompair Éireann 001 Class locomotive was the mainstay of mainline passenger and freight train services on the Irish railway network for forty years from 1955 until the mid-1990s when they were replaced by the new 201 Class locomotives.
Initially they were fitted with eight cylinder two-stroke, port controlled Crossley engines. These were loop scavange type, which utilised a patented principle that recycled the normally wasted exhaust-pressure pulse to boost charge air in the cylinder. These produced 1200 bhp at 625 rpm and could do 75 mph. They were originally fitted with sandboxes which were utilised to improve traction with the rail, these were however removed after a few years.
Their Crossley engines proved to be notoriously unreliable from the start [1]. Amongst a plethora of problems were:
- Unbalanced engines resulting in vibration induced fuel and water pipe fractures
- cylinder defects
- generator and motor flashovers
- excessive water temperature causing shutdowns
This problem was tackled between 1968 and 1971 through the progressive conversion of the entire class with a 12 Cylinder, 1325 hp General Motors engine (a similar process was implemented for the original 201 Class). When built, these locomotives were originally numbered A1-A60, and as locomotives were re-engined, they had the suffix 'r' added to their number. From 1972 the prefix letters were dropped and the locomotives were renumbered 001 to 060.
[edit] Preservation
The first locomotive to be withdrawn was 008 following bomb damage in 1973. The last withdrawal was in 1995, four locomotives of this class have since been preserved as follows:
- 003: Irish Traction Group, Inchicore [2]. Jan'06 News-sheet [3]
- 015: Iarnród Éireann
- 039: Irish Traction Group, Inchicore
- 055: Hell's Kitchen public house, Castlerea, County Roscommon [4]
[edit] Model
The A Class has been made as a 00 gauge kit by Silver Fox Models[[5]].
| Diesel Locomotives of Ireland |
|---|
| Republic of Ireland |
| 001, 071, 101, 113, 121, 141, 181, 201 (1st), 201 (2nd) |
| 301, 401, 421, 501, 601, 611, 801 |
| Northern Ireland |
| 1, 101, 104, 111, 208 |
