Very beautiful locomotive!

Great video Howard :)

Good😊

Slight correction, FGC hauls potash, not phosphate. It's interesting to know that when FGC was still private, one of its main shareholders was Solvay.

I believe FGC decided to purchase 5 locomotives like these in order to have more efficient traction (SALi-derivated locomotives are electric and diesel, so in the main line between Sant Boi and Manresa it's not necessary to have diesel traction especially on some underground stations). The original 3 GM locomotives -designated as class 254, Stadler locomotives are class 257- had to push freight trains of 200-400 meters-long, which would be one of the longest narrow-gauge freight trains in Europe (I don't know longer and heavier trains in the continent). Just to know: now there are two type of freight trains running on working days, Seat cars from Martorell factory to Barcelona Port and potash trains from Súria mine -north of Manresa- to Barcelona Port (so you get 3 trains per day of each one running between regular passenger trains).

@HSTHoward

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@jurassicrailfan

10 ай бұрын

FGC purchased them because the 254s were almost 29 years old when the order was placed and they needed more rolling stock since they had plans to increase their freight traffic and 3 locomotives from 1990 and +70 hopper wagons weren't enough to meet the predicted demand. also the length isn't entirely correct, FGC usually runs 20-21 wagons on their trains, 25 at most if they're empty, which is around 350 m, locomotive included. they're ATM the longest narrow gauge freight trains (in Europe), but FEVE used to run also 20-25 car long freighters back in the day