NSB El 18
| Company type | Electric locomotive |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway transport |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Headquarters | Strømmen , Norway |
| Products | Electric locomotives |
| Parent | Norwegian State Railways (NSB) |
NSB El 18 represents a fleet of 22 electric locomotives manufactured by Adtranz in collaboration with Swiss Locomotive & Machine Works (SLM) specifically for the Norwegian State Railways (NSB). These units are derived from the Swiss Federal Railways Re 460 platform and were assembled at Adtranz Strømmen between 1996 and 1997. The El 18 serves as NSB’s exclusive mainline electric locomotive class, predominantly deployed on intercity and overnight services along the Bergen Line, Dovre Line, and Sørland Line, as well as select regional routes.
Each locomotive spans and has a weight of . Equipped with three-phase asynchronous motors producing , these locomotives exert a tractive force of and can reach speeds up to . Featuring a Bo'Bo' wheel configuration and regenerative braking technology, their design was crafted by Pininfarina and includes pressurized driver compartments. The fleet is numbered consecutively from 2241 to 2262.
History
During the early 1990s, NSB aimed to phase out the aging El 11 and El 13 classes, along with the less dependable El 17 locomotives. Trials conducted in 1993 involving the Re 460 and EuroSprinter models demonstrated potential by enabling heavier intercity trains from . To manage increased traffic during the 1994 Winter Olympics, NSB temporarily leased two Re 460 units.
By May 1994, NSB had received five formal proposals, including submissions from Alstom, AEG, and Siemens Mobility. Siemens put forward two variants: the EuroSprinter (marketed as Dovresprinter) and a customized Austrian design. ABB together with SLM submitted their bid featuring "Lok 2000," an adapted version of the Swiss Re 460.
Train drivers’ unions expressed a clear preference for Lok 2000, cautioning against labor disputes if an alternative model was selected and prioritizing proven reliability over experimental designs. NSB emphasized domestic manufacturing wherever feasible. Following discussions with ABB/SLM and AEG, NSB finalized a contract on 27 September 1994 for 22 locomotives valued at roughly NOK 700 million.
Initially, NSB contemplated equipping the locomotives with dual-voltage capabilities to accommodate Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish electrification systems, facilitating operations across the Øresund Bridge. This feature was ultimately omitted but provisions were made for future upgrades. Constructed at Adtranz Strømmen near Oslo, deliveries took place from September 1996 through June 1997. The El 18 replaced older El 13 units, lowering NSB’s average locomotive age from about 31 years to approximately 18.5 years.
In its early service phase in 1997, interference issues arose due to NSB’s Nordic Mobile Telephone system causing unintended emergency brake activations; these problems were resolved by repositioning transmitters. The El 18 commenced operations on the Bergen Line in January of that year before expanding service coverage to include the Dovre and Sørland Lines as well as regional lines near Oslo such as the Vestfold Line.
By August 1998, certain substations along some routes were unable to meet the El 18’s power demands fully because a motor shutdown mechanism activated during wheel slip events restricted maximum power output on parts of the network.
Since December 2019, three locomotives have been operated by Go-Ahead Norge.
Specifications
The locomotives provide a peak power output of , with continuous power rated at , allowing maximum speeds of up to , alongside a tractive effort of . Electricity is drawn via pantograph at , then converted into direct current before being transformed into three-phase alternating current using gate turn-off thyristors. Each bogie contains three rectifiers connected to transformers and inverters. The three-phase asynchronous motors incorporate regenerative braking capabilities. Auxiliary systems such as compressors, pumps, and ventilators receive three-phase power through four dedicated inverters. Control is managed by a 16-bit microprocessor communicating over optical fiber networks. The rectifier technology and diagnostic systems are consistent with those employed on NSB Class 70 multiple units.
Individual units have a mass of , measuring in length , width , and height . The distance between bogie centers is , while each bogie has a wheelbase of . Wheel diameter measures , slightly exceeding that of the Re 460 model. Braking utilizes Knorr HSM mechanical systems but does not include rail brakes found on Swiss counterparts. Italian firm Pininfarina designed the locomotive’s exterior styling. Internally, the machine room features a central aisle; driver cabins are pressurized for tunnel environments and equipped with air conditioning.
The El 18 is an adaptation of the Swiss Re 460 series, originally produced in a total of 119 units between 1992 and 1995 for Swiss Federal Railways under the Lok 2000 project aimed at developing new intercity locomotives and rolling stock. Other operators using related designs include Bern–Lötschberg–Simplon-Bahn (eight units designated Re 465), Finnish State Railways (46 units labeled Sr2 produced between 1995 and 2003), and Kowloon–Canton Railway Corporation (two units delivered in 1997). Engineered for fast passenger service on winding tracks with heavy loads, it also functions effectively as a multipurpose freight locomotive.