FS Class E.656
locomotive class
The Class E.656 is an Italian articulated rheostatic-type electric locomotive built from 1975 to 1989. An evolution of the E.646, they are mixed traffic locomotives, and have been used on every kind of train, ranging from freight to intercity passenger transport.
The E.656 is nicknamed "Caimano" (Caiman).
Technical details
The hull is divided in two parts, each one with its own twin axle bogie, plus a central bogie in the middle.
Each bogie mounts four DC motors, each providing 400 kW (540 hp), for a total of 12.
The initial project speed was 160 km/h (99 mph), but later it was reduced to 150 due to stability problems; further, the heavy mass of the locomotive did not allow the use of rheostatic braking.
Recently, many E.656s have been transferred to the Cargo Division of Trenitalia to haul freight trains. The gear ratio has been reduced from 28/61 to 23/66, and the speed limit to 120 km/h (75 mph). The modified units form the Class E.655.
Series
The E.656 class is officially subdivided by FS into three series:
1st series (001 - 307)
2nd series (401 - 550)
3rd series (551 - 608)
The differences between series regard electrical and mechanical equipment.
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This entry incorporates text from “FS Class E.656” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.