Specialty Equipment
Schalke Locomotives for Special Purposes
The ultimate specialists and uniquely developed to suit exacting customer requirements, these locomotives offer a high power density under extreme conditions and can be custom-built for demanding traction tasks in industry or ports. Here too, the ModuTrac designconcept featuring exchangeable traction modules plays a key role.
GMF 4/4 287
Diesel-Electric Locomotive
Schalke developed the four-axle GMF 4/4 287 diesel-electric locomotive especially for the needs of the “Infrastructure” department of Switzerland’s Rhaetian Railway. Its design fulfils a broad range of basic requirements for special circumstances, as the railway has a narrow loading gauge (tunnel gauge) and a low axle load of 16 tonnes. The narrow, metre-gauge track gauge includes small curve radii as tight as 40 metres. The locomotive is particularly suitable for highaltitude areas with steep slopes of 70‰ as an adhesion railway. Moreover, it is reliable under extreme climatic conditions: its application range stretches from temperatures of -35 °C to +40 °C and it even runs on fine, crystalline snow.
The implementation of these technical challenges has been combined with the integration of numerous specific components. For example, the locomotive is fitted with four different types of brake system, possess-es the ability to run in multiple unit operation of up to three locomotives and is capable of a maximum speed of 100 km/h.
The official operating authorisation granted by the Swiss Federal Office of Transport (Schweizer Bundesamt für Verkehr – BAV) also makes this diesel locomotive unique on the market.
Its main duties comprise the transportation of heavy construction trains or specialpurpose trains, even if the catenary wire is switched off, the operation of snow blowers in the winter, the rescue of trains that have broken down and shunting in various districts.
In use by Rhaetian Railway Rhaetian Railway operates locomo-tives on spectacular routes, some of which are under UNESCO World Heritage protection. The routes feature very tight curve radii and extremely steep ascents and descents.
- High power density with 1,800 kW, low axle load and small loading gauge
- Designed to withstand extreme conditions such as cold and steep gradients
- Newly developed bogie for maximum speed of 100 km/h and small curve radio as tight as 40 metres
- Integration of four different brake systems
Technical data
Power Module
Diesel Engine
Power Transmission
AC
Weight
64 t
Axle Arrangement
Bo’Bo’
Track Gauge
1,000 mm
Power
1,800 kW
Length
16,690 mm
Width
2,650 mm
Height
3,885 mm
Maximum Speed
100 km/h
Tractive Effort
210 kN (at μ=0.33)
1 Versatile for the mountains: universal locomotive in use by Rhaetian Railway in Switzerland
2 Tractive Effort Diagram and Resistance Curve for Hauling capacity: 1,000 t
Curve radius: 100 m
Power Module
Diesel Engine
Power Transmission
AC
Weight
64 t
Axle Arrangement
Bo’Bo’
Track Gauge
1,000 mm
Power
1,800 kW
Length
16,690 mm
Width
2,650 mm
Height
3,885 mm
Maximum Speed
100 km/h
Tractive Effort
210 kN (at μ=0.33)
Power Module
Diesel Engine
Weight
64 t
Track Gauge
1,000 mm
Length
16,690 mm
Height
3,885 mm
Tractive Effort
210 kN (at μ=0.33)
Power Transmission
AC
Axle Arrangement
Bo’Bo’
Power
1,800 kW
Width
2,650 mm
Maximum Speed
100 km/h
1 Versatile for the mountains: universal locomotive in use by Rhaetian Railway in Switzerland
2 Tractive Effort Diagram and Resistance Curve for Hauling capacity: 1,000 t
Curve radius: 100 m
ST-S-1380-D
The World’s Heaviest Four-Axle Locomotive
For a Japanese steel plant, Schalke developed and built the world’s heaviest four-axle locomotive. With 140 tonnes total weight and thus 35 tonnes axle load the locomotive is designed to haul torpedo cars containing molten steel weighing up to 1400 tonnes up slopes with more than 9‰ gradient. Equipped with one traction inverter per axle providing individual slip and slide control the locomotive brings maximum traction to the track with only 1,067mm gauge. The electro dynamic brake ensures wear free braking and the associated brake resistors combined with the fans to cool the 1,380kW Diesel engine provide performance at a low noise level. To reduce the noise level even further the complete underbody with the bogies and axles is additionally shielded with insulated hatches.
Technical data
Power Module
Diesel Engine
Power Transmission
AC
Weight
140 t
Axle Arrangement
Bo’Bo’
Track Gauge
1,067 mm
Power
1,380 kW
Length
16,067 mm
Width
2,900 mm
Height
4,090 mm
Maximum Speed
20 km/h
Tractive Effort
345 kN (at μ=0.25)
1 Specialized for heavy haul in steel plants: locomotive in use by Nippon Steel in Japan
2 Tractive Effort Diagram and Resistance Curve for Hauling capacity: 1,400 t
Curve radius: 100 m
Power Module
Diesel Engine
Power Transmission
AC
Weight
140 t
Axle Arrangement
Bo’Bo’
Track Gauge
1,067 mm
Power
1,380 kW
Length
16,067 mm
Width
2,900 mm
Height
4,090 mm
Maximum Speed
20 km/h
Tractive Effort
345 kN (at μ=0.25)
Power Module
Diesel Engine
Weight
140 t
Track Gauge
1,067 mm
Length
16,067 mm
Height
4,090 mm
Tractive Effort
345 kN (at μ=0.25)
Power Transmission
AC
Axle Arrangement
Bo’Bo’
Power
1,380 kW
Width
2,900 mm
Maximum Speed
20 km/h
1 Specialized for heavy haul in steel plants: locomotive in use by Nippon Steel in Japan
2 Tractive Effort Diagram and Resistance Curve for Hauling capacity: 1,400 t
Curve radius: 100 m