Korail Class 8000
| Company type | Electric locomotive |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Headquarters | South Korea |
| Products | Electric locomotives |
Number of employees | 94 (units built) |
The Korail Class 8000 represents a fleet of electric locomotives from South Korea, operated by Korail. These locomotives were introduced over the period from 1972 to 1990, coinciding with the electrification of major industrial railway lines. Initially, they served both passenger and freight operations; however, following the deployment of the more modern 8200 series, their use was confined exclusively to freight transport. A total of 94 units, numbered 8001 through 8094, were manufactured, with many being phased out as newer locomotives became operational.
Technical details
The Class 8000 was engineered by the 50-Hertz Group, a coalition of European manufacturers led by Alstom, which also included Siemens, MTE, Brown, Boveri & Cie, ACEC, and AEG. This locomotive employs a Bo-Bo-Bo bogie configuration and is equipped with six DC traction motors that collectively produce . Featuring a gear ratio of 15:96 and capable of reaching a top speed of , it was specifically designed to handle challenging mountainous terrain characterized by steep gradients and sharp curves. The design is influenced by French models such as the SNCF Class BB 15000 and SNCF Class CC 6500.
Accidents
On November 3, 1975, locomotives numbered 8056 and 8058 derailed near the Seonam bridge along the Taebaek Line. Following the incident, unit 8056 underwent refurbishment at the KNR Seoul Factory in January 1977, while unit 8058 was reconstructed by Hanjin Heavy Industry in January 1979.
Retirement
Approaching the conclusion of their three-decade operational lifespan, Korail began replacing the Class 8000 locomotives with the newer Korail 8500 series, which have been gradually introduced since 2012. The majority of the original units (numbers 8001 through 8094) have been withdrawn from service in favor of these advanced Class 8500 locomotives.
Currently, units 8001 and 8091 are preserved and kept out of active use.