Newag Dragon

The Newag Dragon is a Polish six-axle electric locomotive, designed for working freight trains up to 4500 tons. The locomotive is built by Newag, between 2009–2016 at its Gliwice plant, since 2017 at the Nowy Sącz plant. By April 2020, 42 units had been built and delivered to 12 different train operating companies in Poland.

Newag Dragon
E6ACT-008
Type and origin Power type Electric Bi-mode Builder Newag Build date 2009–present Total produced 59 Website www.newag.pl/en/offer/griffin-2/
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Co'Co' Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge Wheel diameter 1,250 mm (49 in) Length 20,330 mm (66.70 ft) Width 3,000 mm (9.8 ft) Height 4,325 mm (14.190 ft) Loco weight 119 t (117 long tons; 131 short tons) Electric system/s DC 3 kV AC dual mode 15 kV & 25 kV MS triple mode 3 kV DC, 15 kV & 25 kV AC
Performance figures Maximum speed 120 km/h (75 mph) Power output DC: 5 MW AC & MS: 7.2 MW Tractive effort: ​  • Starting 410 kN (92,000 lbf) (450 kN (100,000 lbf) with MAX LOAD option)
Career Operators PKP Cargo, Lotos Kolej, Industrial Division, Freightliner PL, Rail Capital Partners and others Class PKP Cargo: ET25, ET26

History

 

The prototype on railway tracks at the Trako Trade Fair in 2009.

Origin

Newag Dragon's project is the first Polish electric locomotive project for 19 years, since the hitherto last Polish-designed locomotive, EM10, was unveiled.^[1] The idea to design and offer a six-axle goods locomotive came around as the company was engaged in refurbishing old ET22 six-axle goods locomotives and decided that it would make more sense to offer a new locomotive rather than a wide-ranging refurbishment.^[2]

Prototype production

From 2002 no electric locomotives were produced in Poland until September 2006,^[3] when an agreement was signed with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education for funding a project to build a new locomotive. It was decided to produce a heavy goods locomotive. The company also decided to produce a six-axle locomotive^[2] so that it could operate on a wider variety of tracks. The project for the locomotive was prepared in cooperation with EC Engineering and the Institute of Electrical Engineering. The traction engines were designed by the Research and Development Centre of Electrical Machines Komel^[4] and built by the Department of Electrical Machines Emit.^[5]

Presentations and tests

 

E6ACT-008 produced for Lotos Kolej at the InnoTrans Trade Fair, 2014

From 13 January to 30 December 2011 the supervised operation prototype unit, was led by STK, PKP Cargo, Pol-Miedz Trans and Lotos Kolej, under which E6ACT-001 had been in service for a combined 77 866 km with a maximum train weight of 4 021 t. In October, the locomotive was re-launched at the Trako Trade Fair in Gdańsk. On 23 December the Railway Transport Office issued a perpetual license for the service of the locomotive. In February 2012 promotional operation was taken by DB Schenker Rail Poland.^[6] At the InnoTrans Trade Fair in September 2014 the locomotive of the E6ACT-008 series belonging to Lotos Kolej was shown.^[7]

In July 2018 the Dragon 2 was introduced by Newag, a slightly revised design that carried the designation E6ACTa.^[8] Three units were immediately purchased by PKP Cargo^[9] and delivered in October 2018. They bear PKP-style designations ET25-001 through -003.

Deliveries

State	Operator	Type	Side numbers	Count
Poland	Industrial Division	E6ACT	001 ÷ 004	4
		E6ACTa	004 ÷ 006, 016	4
	Lotos Kolej	E6ACT	005 ÷ 009	5
		E6ACTa	009, 011 ÷ 012	3
		E6ACTab	010, 025, 028, 032, 034, 040	6
	Freightliner PL	E6ACTd	101 ÷ 105	5
	Railpolonia	E6ACTd	106	1
		E6ACTadb	029	1
	PKP Cargo^[9]	E6ACTa/ET25	001 ÷ 003	3
		E6ACTad/ET26	001 ÷ 007	7
		E6MST/ET43	001 ÷ 024	12 out of 24
	Newag	E6ACTadb	030	1
		E6ACTa	007 ÷ 008, 013 ÷ 014	4
	Logistics & Transport Company	E6ACTa	015	1
	ZPK Szumowo	E6ACTad	017, 026	2
	Cemet [pl]	E6ACTadb	027, 044	2
	Laude Smart Intermodal	E6ACTab	031, 033	2
		E6ACTadb	035 ÷ 036	2
	Rail Capital Partners	E6ACTab	037 ÷ 039, 041 ÷ 042	5
	Rail STM	E6ACTadb	043	1

d – subtype designates a dual-power option (auxiliary 540 kilowatt diesel engine primarily for shunting)
a – subtype designates a revised design marketed as "Dragon 2"

Construction

 

Driver's cab.

Available versions

The locomotives are available in the following versions:

• 3 kV DC (type E6ACT, previously E6DCU).
• 15 kV 16.7 Hz and/or 25 kV 50 Hz (type E6ACU).
• 3 kV DC, and 15 and/or 25 kV AC (type E6MSU).
• Diesel (version with lower power and lower maximum speed at full load).^[10]

The manufacturer also provides 2 options:

• Max load – increasing the tractive effort to 450 kN.
• Dual power – an auxiliary diesel engine.^[11]

E6ACT

 

The engine compartment. To the left are motor fan ducts, to the right is pneumatic gear rack.

Power supply

The E6ACT locomotive is designed to operate at a supply voltage of 3 kV DC. The locomotive's power electronics is based on IGBT technology. The first unit is powered by 6 STX500-4A electric motors, developing 834 kW each, powered by traction converters developed by the Institute of Electrical Engineering. The gear axle SET 553 is supplied by Voith. The locomotives are equipped with disc brakes.^[12] There are also multisystem models on offer.

Capabilities

The E6ACT/E6ACU locomotive has a continuous power output of 5,004 MW and a starting tractive effort of 375 kN, enabling it to pull 4,000 tonnes of cargo – or 4,500 with Max Load option.^[13]

References

1. [E6ACT – first Polish locomotive in 19 years]. Inforail (in Polish). 20 October 2009. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
2. [Birth of Dragon – how E6ACT was created?]. Kurier Kolejowy (in Polish). 4 February 2011. Archived from the original on 16 December 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
3. [E6ACT 'Dragon' CoCo 5MW 3000V Locomotive] (PDF). Nowa Elektrotechnika (in Polish). Instytut Elektrotechniki: 1–6. December 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 April 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
4. "KOMEL Katowice Locomotive by Newag". KOMEL. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
5. [Poland again is manufacturing locomotives]. Gazeta Wyborcza (in Polish). 12 October 2011. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
6. [E6ACT tested]. Rynek Kolejowy (in Polish). Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
7. "Three work stage on the engine" (PDF). Cantoni Group. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
8. "Newag presents first Dragon 2 electric locomotive". International Railway Journal. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
9. "PKP Cargo purchases Dragon 2 locomotives". Railway Gazette International. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
10. "Progress With Dragon Orders". Railvolution. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
11. [Operators' investments: Locomotives or flat wagons?]. Kurier Kolejowy (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2 April 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
12. [InnoTrans: Five Dragons for Lotos Kolej]. Kurier Kolejowy (in Polish). Archived from the original on 21 September 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
13. [Successful tests of Dragon for Lotos Kolej]. Inforail (in Polish). 17 February 2014. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.