| FS class E464 | |
|---|---|
| An E464 at Venice S.Lucia | |
| Power type | Electric |
| Builder | Bombardier |
| Build date | 1996-2012 |
| UIC classification | Bo-Bo |
| Wheel diameter | 1.250 m (4 ft 1 in) |
| Wheelbase | 7.540 m (24 ft 9 in) between bogies 2.650 m (8 ft 8 in) between axles in each bogie |
| Length | 15.750 m (51 ft 8 in) |
| Width | 3.000 m (9 ft 10 in) |
| Height | 4.100 m (13 ft 5 in) |
| Locomotive weight | 72 t |
| Electric system | 3,000 V DC |
| Traction motors | 3-phase asynchronous |
| Transmission | 27/55 and 26/64 gear ratios |
| Top speed | 160 km/h (99 mph) |
| Power output | 3.5 MW |
| Tractive effort | 200 kN |
| Career | FS Trenitalia, TiLo, Ferrovie Emilia Romagna |
| Number in class | 688[1] |
| First run | 1996 |
| Disposition | in service |
The E464 is a class of Italian railways electric locomotives. They were introduced in the course of the 1990s for hauling light trains, especially for commuter service. They were acquired by FS Trenitalia to replace the old E424 and E646, dating from the 1940s and 1950s. The class was originally designed by ABB Trazione, later ADTranz (now part of the Bombardier group), and produced in the Italian plant of Vado Ligure.
Cost per unit is 2.6 million Euro. With 570 locomotives currently in service, the E464 is the largest class in use in Italy.[1]
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The E464 derives from a project launched by the Italian Ferrovie dello Stato in the 1980s for a "modular" class of locomotives which would be easily adapted to commuter, inter-regional and cargo services. Initially, types with 4-axle (Bo-Bo, E453/E454) and 6-axle (Bo-Bo-Bo, E665/E666) were devised, the latter for cargo services. However, the E666 class was cancelled due to availability of the new E652 Tigre class, capable of hauling massive cargo trains. Moreover, the new inverter technology was developed in those years, and the E454 became suddenly obsolete.
In 1994 FS requested ABB to design a new class which, to save money, was to be based on already built prototypes and using parts from the new E412 from the same producer. The first batch of 50 E464 was issued to the Lazio regional government in 1999-2000, and proved immediately successful. Further orders for 90, 100 and 48 units followed in 2001-2005, plus another 100 in 2006-2007, another 100 in 2009, and finally another 50 in 2011: a total of 688 locomotives, and an investment of over one billion Euro.[1]
6 units are also used by Ferrovie Emilia Romagna.
The E464 were the first Italian locomotives provided with an automatic Scharfenberg coupling system, capable of forming trains rapidly. The hull is steel with aluminium ceiling, in the white-green standard livery of FS Trenitalia.
The locomotive uses simplified on-board electronics, with two GTO thyristor choppers which provide a variable voltage to the two inverters, that are used to feed the 4 three-phase asynchronous motors.
The motors employ a double-star type connection; if a traction inverter is inoperative (i.e. due to a failure) the motors use a delta-type connection and are fed by only one inverter. During braking the motors can be used as generators in order to recover electric energy (regenerative braking). However, since Italian railway power substations are not able to receive energy (they are not reversible), this method only works if there are other trains nearby absorbing current and the line voltage is lower than 4000 V. Otherwise the power is dissipated through a braking rheostat. The vehicle braking logic checks if these conditions are met and then decides to send the current to the line or to the rheostat.
Two static inverters (often referred to as BUR) output a voltage of 450 V, 60 Hz AC that feeds the auxiliary systems which include the compressors, 24 V battery charger, rheostat ventilation fans, motors fans etc.
Usually BUR n.1 feeds only the motor cooling devices with a voltage down to 352 V at 58 Hz, while BUR n.2 feeds the rest; in case of failure of one BUR, one of the three motor fans is deactivated automatically and the system is fed at 450 V 60 Hz by the remaining one.
Braking systems include, other than the regenerative/rheostat braking, disc-type brakes activated by compressed air to completely immobilize the locomotive when stationary. If this condition lasts for a prolonged time air may run out thereby releasing the brakes, in which case the spring brake is activated.
The coupling system allows, in case of emergency, coupling of up to 4 locomotives for hauling heavy trains, for a total of 14,000 kW (more than one TGV The E464 can be coupled with other modern types like the E402.
The locomotive is provided with a secondary driving cabin with reduced instrumentation in the rear area, for short range manoeuvres in stations (maximum speed allowed: 30 km/h).
Bombardier is currently producing 60 units especially adapted for use with the new Vivalto two-floor coaches
Apart from FS-Trenitalia (whose engines are often possessed by regional authorities), E464 is used in Lombardy by the Italo-Swiss company TiLo which operates services between Italy and Canton Ticino.
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