TCDD E68000

TCDD E68000 (stylised as E 68 000 on painted registration numbers) is a series of electric locomotives used by the Turkish State Railways. The locomotives have a power output of 5,000 kW and are capable of 140 km/h (87 mph) speed.

TCDD E68000
TCDDT E68030 at Basmane station.
Type and origin Power type Electric Designer Hyundai Rotem Builder Hyundai Rotem, TÜLOMSAŞ Build date 2013–2015 Total produced 80
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR B-B  • UIC Bo'Bo' Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) Length 20 m (65 ft 7 in) Loco weight 86 tonnes (85 long tons; 95 short tons) Electric system/s 25 kV 50 Hz AC Catenary Current pickup(s) Pantograph, 1,600 millimetres (63 in) wide single-pole collector
Performance figures Maximum speed 140 km/h (90 mph)[a] Power output 5 MW (6,705 hp)
Career Operators TCDD Taşımacılık Numbers E68001 – E68080

History

The first 8 locomotives were built by Hyundai Rotem in South Korea and the later 72 by TÜLOMSAŞ in Eskişehir, Turkey.^[1]

The order has a total cost of $330 million, with 220 million being provided by Islamic Development Bank.^[2] These locomotives have a quite simple and unusual livery for TCDD with two flashy yellow stripes on a gray background. The livery of the E68009 is also a bit different from the rest of the series with a big TCDD's corporate logo standing alone on each side.^[3] Revised locos have yellow TCDD lettering replaced by blue TCDD Taşımacılık lettering.

Accidents and incidents

Locomotive 68 041 was involved in the Ankara train collision on 13 December 2018.^[4]

Notes

1. In practice, all 25 kV/50 Hz overhead lines in Turkey are overvolted to 27500 V, enabling 175 km/h (109 mph).

Traction motors are AC asynchronous traction motors. Power comes to traction motors from converter-inverter blocks.