VL10 - a direct current electric locomotive manufactured in the USSR, designed for both freight and passenger transport. It was produced at the Tbilisi and Novocherkassk electric locomotive factories from 1961 to 1977. The name “VL” was received by an electric locomotive in honor of Vladimir Lenin, and the index “10” meant its type. From the mid-70s, centuries passed, VL10 became the main freight electric locomotive of the USSR railways. In addition, he was the most popular model in his class and became the basis for subsequent versions of VL11 and VL12. In this article, we will consider the device of the VL10 electric locomotive and its history.
Background
By the beginning of the 1970s, electric locomotives of the VL8 model ceased to meet the ever-growing requirements of the railway industry of the USSR. They had weak engines (only 525 kW of power), hard spring suspension, heavy carts and too noisy cabs.
On February 9, 1960, the terms of reference for the design of a new electric locomotive were approved. The project was developed by the designers of a special design bureau at the Tbilisi Electric Locomotive Plant. At the end of 1960, the draft was submitted to the Ministry of Railways. The release of the first model was dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the establishment of socialist power in Georgia. It's time to consider the device of the VL10 electric locomotive.
Mechanical part
The electric locomotive had a two-section body, each section of which rested on a pair of two-tailed bogies by means of four lateral ball bearings. The body frame was used to transmit traction and braking forces. In each section, all kinds of electric machines and electric devices were installed. From the driver’s cab side, the body received an automatic coupling SA-3, and a permanent coupling of type TE2 was used to couple the sections to each other.
Dimensions of an electric locomotive:
- Length - 32.04 m.
- The height of the automatic coupler axis from the rail head is 1060 mm (plus or minus 20 mm depending on the condition of the brace).
- The diameter of the wheel is 1260 mm.
- The smallest turning radius at a speed of 10 km / h is 125 m.
The total statistical deflection of the spring suspension is 111 mm. 63 of them fall on cylindrical spring side supports, and 48 - on cylindrical spring springs of bogies. Traction from the frames of the cart to the body is transmitted through the pivot nodes. The axle boxes are equipped with roller bearings. Traction or braking force enters the frame of the trolley through leashes equipped with rubber-metal blocks.
In order to level the body vibrations and vibrations between the trolley frame and the axle boxes, friction ones were installed, and between the trolley frame and the body - hydraulic vibration dampers. The design of the VL10 electric locomotive also presupposes the presence of an anti-unloading device that prevents the unloading of the first wheelsets from the occurring moment.
Power point
Current collection from the contact network is carried out by means of a T-5M1 current collector, which is located at the end of each of the two sections. Inside the section is divided into three parts. In its head part there is a cabin. It is followed by the VVK (high-voltage chamber), which is fenced off from the passage by mesh fences. When the current collector is lifted, they are pneumatically locked in the closed position. At the tail of the electric locomotive is the engine room.
In VVK practically all switching and protective devices of the section are located: brake switch, reverser, contactors (linear, rheostatic, high-speed and shunt), boxing relays and so on.
The first and second sections have differences between high-voltage cameras. In the IHC of the first section, there is a quick- action switch BV-1, which protects traction motors, as well as a switch that varies the types of connection sections. In the IHC of the second section, the BV-2 protects the auxiliary machines, and the switch varies the speed of the motor fans. In addition, there are some differences in the sections as a whole. For example, a radio station and a recording speedometer are located in only one part of VL10.
The electric locomotive has three auxiliary machines in the engine room. The main one is the fan motor. The unit consists of a high-voltage collector motor, a centrifugal fan (cools the IHC and traction motors) and a collector generator (generates a direct current supply for lighting devices and the electric circuit of the VL 10 electric locomotive). Motor-fan motors in low speed mode are connected in series, and in high speed mode - in parallel.
To provide the machine with compressed air, it is equipped with a motor compressor. It consists of an engine similar to a motor-fan engine, and a three-cylinder compressor KT-6. Compressed air is necessary for: the braking system of the locomotive and the train as a whole, pneumatic contactors, locking the high-voltage chamber, wipers and sound signals. The compressor of the electric locomotive VL 10 is connected to the engine directly, without a gearbox. Therefore, the engine cannot be independently ventilated. To cool it, air is supplied from the motor fan.
The excitation windings of traction motors in regenerative braking mode are powered by a converter consisting of a high-voltage motor and a collector generator. The maximum current of the generator is 800 amperes. A speed relay is located on the exciter shaft, which turns off the engine in case of an increase in speed. The excitation of the generator comes from the battery through the resistor. By moving the brake lever on the controller, the driver can reduce the resistance of the resistor. In this case, the voltage generated by the converter increases, as does the voltage of the traction motors, and the braking force.
Operation of an electric locomotive is allowed at an altitude of up to 1200 meters above sea level. Regenerative braking can be performed on all three connections. Work on the SMET system (the system of many telemechanical units) became available only in 1983, with the modernization of the electric locomotive.
Traction electric motors (TEDs) of the TL-2 model with axial-axial suspension had a power of 650 kW each. The engine of the VL10 electric locomotive was made with 6 main and 6 additional poles. Elements of the power plant, such as the skeleton of the engine, the shield of bearings, the armature shaft, the brush apparatus and the small gear, were unified with the TED of the VL60 electric locomotive.
The power circuitry, similar in design to the circuit of the VL8 electric locomotive, allowed three options for connecting traction motors:
- Sequential.
- Serial-parallel.
- Parallel.
VL10U
Since 1976, instead of the VL10 model, it began to produce its weighted version, to the name of which the “U” index was added. Due to the installation of cargo under the body floor, the load from the wheelset on the rails increased from 23 to 25 tf. Thus, the wheels of the electric locomotive received greater traction on rails, which allowed transporting heavier loads. On the mechanical side, the electric locomotive, as well as its basic version, was unified with the models of the VL80 family. As for the body, the crew, as well as the main and pneumatic equipment, they were unified with the basic version of VL10. The VL10U electric locomotive rolled off the assembly line in the amount of 979 copies. The locomotive was developed by the Tbilisi plant, but was also produced at the facilities of the Novocherkassk plant. It should be noted that this model is still in the model range of TEVZ and is made to order. The last two VL10U locomotives were produced in 2005 by order of the Azerbaijani railway.
VL10N
The model is an electric locomotive without the function of regenerative braking, which was built specifically for the Norilsk industrial railway, as indicated by the index "N" in the name. It was produced by the Tbilisi plant in the period from 1984 to 1985. During this time, 10 electric locomotives left the assembly line. To date, they have all been decommissioned.
VL10P
In 2001, the Chelyabinsk Electric Locomotive Repair Plant upgraded one section of the VL10-523 and VL10-1867 electric locomotive, converting them into VL10P single-section double-cab locomotives for driving passenger trains. In this case, the model VL10P-523-1 left the original cabin of the base electric locomotive VL10. A Model VL10P-1867-1 received an updated cab used on versions of VL10K. One of the models was decommissioned in 2012, and the second a year later.
VL10K
In 2010, the Chelyabinsk Electric Locomotive Repair Plant modernized VL10 locomotives. Changes affected the cockpit and power circuit. The driver’s controller was replaced by an electronic traction control system based on the telemechanical system of many units. And the group switches were replaced by individual contactors. Contactors worked on the principle of valve transition from connection to connection of traction motors VL10. The electric locomotive got the opportunity to work in sections 2, 3 and 4, with a flexible change in the connection of traction engines. As for the mechanical part, auxiliary machines and traction engines, they practically did not change.
Service electric locomotive VL10
In the early 2010s, the same Chelyabinsk plant modernized one section of the VL10-777 locomotive and made it an electric railcar. The equipment of the engine room was dismantled, and the vacant room was converted into a passenger compartment. Wide windows were installed in the side walls of the locomotive, and the front door was moved to the rear of the electric locomotive. Inside the section, in the center of the new ceiling, there were lamps for lighting, and tables with chairs were installed on the sides of the aisle. The second section of the locomotive continued to perform its electric locomotive functions. The model was used to transport the leadership of the South Ural Railway. She could work both independently and with trailed cars. In 2013, a fire occurred in the passenger section directly during movement, as a result of which it was decommissioned.
4E10
This was the name of the cargo-passenger single-section double-cab locomotive that the Tbilisi plant made from the crew sections of the VL10 model for the Georgian railway. In total, from 2000 to 2008, 15 such electric locomotives were built. Of these, 14 models worked in Georgia, one was ordered by the Russians. Despite the fact that the manufacturer positions the 4E10 as a freight electric locomotive, in Georgia it was often used to drive passenger trains. The fact is that the use of such locomotives allowed the release of heavy electric locomotives for transporting freight trains.
Application
Today VL10 is the main DC electric locomotive used for cargo transportation in the CIS countries. Like many other freight locomotives, it is also used to drive passenger trains. Almost all models of the VL10 electric locomotive are painted green. However, passenger versions are sometimes repainted in the colors of branded trains. Photo of the VL10 electric locomotive is probably familiar to many, because it is very common on domestic railways. By the way, at one time VL10 sections were even tried to be used as part of suburban electric trains.
Successor
Since 1975, the production of the VL11 locomotive was launched, which was built on the basis of the VL10 model and received a number of improved characteristics. The main reason for designing a new model was not the failure of the VL10 electric locomotive and its obsolescence, but a banal lack of power. Initially, the designers simply wanted to adapt the two-section locomotive to work in three sections. Then they tried to equip the basic version of VL10 with a new power plant. However, both options were unpromising, and the Tbilisi Electric Locomotive Plant set about creating a new locomotive VL11, which could work on a system of many units. From 1975 to 2015, 1346 locomotives of this series were built. To this day they can be found in different railway directions of the countries of the former CIS. On some of them, VL11 electric locomotives also work with passenger trains.
Conclusion
Having examined the description of the VL10 electric locomotive, we can conclude that it was certainly a successful project of Soviet electric locomotives. This is confirmed by the fact that the model is still found on domestic railways. For more than five decades, the operation and repair of VL10 electric locomotives have been so well mastered that they are in no hurry to write them off.