History
In the 1970s PKP tended to increase speed of Polish passenger trains, what resulted mainly in building CMK line (Trunk Line) and modernisation of EU05 locomotives into EP05 series. Meanwihile a project was opened to introduce new electric locomotive able to pull trains with speed exceeding 125 km/h, based on British EU06 and local EU07 machines.
In 1972 the first prototype left Pafawag works and until 1976 a total number of 15 units had been produced. Further production was ceased due to huge orders of freight locomotives and insufficient funds for importing foreign parts for the machine.
EP08 were the first locomotives in Poland to exceed the top speed limit of 125 km/h and contributed (alongside with EP05 class) into fast development of high speed passenger connections. All machines of this class station in Warsaw but as top speed on Warsaw-Poznań line had been increased to 160 km/h they are no longer used on regular basis and serve as auxiliary machines, mostly pulling trains from Warsaw to Zakopane.
Read more about this topic: PKP Class EP08
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