VL10

The VL10 (Russian: ВЛ10)^[1][2] is an electric two-unit mainline DC freight locomotive used in the Soviet Union and is still operated today by the state owned Russian rail company RZhD, Ukrainian Railways and Georgian Railway. The initials VL are those of Vladimir Lenin (Russian: Владимир Ленин), after whom the class is named.

VL10
VL10-582, Tomsk
Type and origin Power type Electric Builder  Soviet Union Tbilisi Electric Locomotive Works, Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant Build date 1961–2005 Total produced 2,881
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR B-B + B-B  • UIC Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′ Gauge 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in) Russian gauge Wheel diameter 1,250 mm (49.21 in) Length 2×16,420 mm (53 ft 10+1⁄2 in) Width 3,160 mm (10 ft 4+3⁄8 in) Height 5,121 mm (16 ft 9+5⁄8 in) Loco weight VL10: 184 tonnes (181 long tons; 203 short tons) VL10U: 200 tonnes (200 long tons; 220 short tons) Electric system/s 3 kV DC Catenary Current pickup(s) Pantograph Traction motors 8×TED TL-2 Transmission Electirc Loco brake Regenerative, Railway air brake Train brakes Railway air brake
Performance figures Maximum speed 100 km/h (62 mph) Power output 6,165 hp (4,597 kW)
Career Operators РЖД (RZhD), Ukrainian Railways, Georgian Railway Locale  SUN Soviet Union  RUS Russia  Ukraine  Armenia  Georgia  Azerbaijan

History

The VL10 series was built as a replacement for the ageing VL8 which, by 1960, no longer met Soviet rail requirements. The VL10s were manufactured at the Tbilisi Electric Locomotive Works (ТЭВЗ) between 1961–1977, as well as the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant (НЭВЗ) during 1969 and 1976. It was also there that all the mechanical components for the series were produced. The first prototype of the VL10 series was built in the Tbilisi works under the designation Т8-001. It was built in 1961 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Soviet rule in Georgia.^[3]

In popular culture

The electric locomotive VL10-792 was introduced in the Trainz computer game in 2012. In 2020, the Polish developer PlayWay presented a computer simulation game Trans-Siberian Railway Simulator. The protagonist of the story is a train VL10-792. The action unfolds on the section of the Trans-Siberian Railway from Novosibirsk to Krasnoyarsk.^[4]

See also

• Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant
• Russian Railway Museum
• Museum of the Moscow Railway (Moscow Rizhsky station)
• History of rail transport in Russia

References

1. Johnston, Howard & Harris, Ken (2005). Jane's Train Recognition Guide. Harper Collins Publishers. p. 327. ISBN 0-06-081895-6.
2. "RZD DC electric locomotives at www.railfaneurope.net". Archived from the original on 2012-04-02. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
3. А.Б, Вульфов (2016). История железных дорог России (in Russian). Рипол Классик. ISBN 978-5-386-08589-6.
4. "Trans-Siberian Railway Simulator on Steam". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved 2023-06-27.