Portal:Trains/Selected article/Week 20, 2010

NSB El 17 is a class of twelve electric locomotives built by Thyssen-Henschel and Norsk Elektrisk & Brown Boveri (NEBB) for the Norwegian State Railways (NSB). The class was built in two series, the first delivered in 1982 and numbered 2221–2226, and the second delivered in 1987 and numbered 2227–2232. They were based on DB Class 120 of Germany and were among the first in the world to feature three-phase asynchronous motors. The units were ordered to be used on the intercity Bergen, Dovre and Sørland Lines, but were plagued with technical faults. The unreliability and lack of sufficient power forced NSB to instead take the locomotives into use on the regional Vestfold and Gjøvik Lines. With the delivery of the El 18, the first series was retired or used as shunter. The second series has since 1998 been used on the Flåm Line. The locomotives have a 3000 kW power output and a 240 kN tractive effort, allowing the locomotive to haul a six-car train. They run on a power supply and are capable of operating at 150 km/h. The units have a Bo'Bo' wheel arrangement, have regenerative brakes and weigh 64 t. The series was delivered at the same time as the Di 4 and have some similarities with the class.