Locomotives
To cope with the heavy ore transports this line was first equipped with the most powerful steam locomotives in Sweden and later powerful electric locomotives, the most famous being the Dm+Dm3+Dm that today are being replaced with modern Iore locomotives after serving on the line for over 40 years.
Apart from special locomotives, the iron ore trains have some special equipment to allow the high train weights, higher than anywhere else in Scandinavia, and probably anywhere in the European Union. They use special brakes and SA3 couplers instead of the screw couplings otherwise standard in Sweden. After extension of passing loops to 750 m in 2008 and 2009, the trains will have 68 cars, weighing 8600 tonnes including the locomotive, with 6800 tonnes of iron ore.
| Name | Service | Power | Number | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SJ Ma/Mb (steam) | 1902-? | 34 | ||
| SJ R (steam) | 1908-? | 18 ton force | 8 | |
| SJ O | 1914-? | |||
| NSB El 3 | 1925-67 | 2x 2,134 kW | 10 | |
| NSB El 4 | 1925-63 | 2x 2,088 kW | 5 | |
| SJ Dm3 | 1953- | 3x 2,400 kW | 97 | |
| NSB El 12 | 1954-92 | 2x 2,398 kW | 8 | |
| NSB El 15 | 1967–2004 | 2x 5,400 kW | 6 | |
| SJ Rm | 1977-85 | 3x 3,600 kW | 6 | |
| IORE | 2000- | 2x 5,400 kW | 18 |
The railway also has passenger trains (traditional railcars) and normal freight trains, for example with consumer goods to northern Norway or fish export from there. These trains use normal locomotives like the SJ Rc.
Read more about this topic: Iron Ore Line
Famous quotes containing the word locomotives:
“The flower-fed buffaloes of the spring
In the days of long ago,
Ranged where the locomotives sing
And the prairie flowers lie low:—”
—Vachel Lindsay (1879–1931)