Class 27 | TrainsDepot.org

Class 27

Also known as: HLE 27 / Série / Reeks 13

Registration country: Belgium

Railway companies: SNCB NMBS (B) - Société nationale des chemins de fer belges / Nationale Maatschappij der Belgische Spoorwegen

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In service:

from 1981

Era:

IV - VI

Built by:

Gauge:

Standard gauge (1'435 mm)

Wheel arrangement:

Bo'Bo'

Electric systems:

3 kV DC

Current collectors:

Pantograph - Asymmetrical

Length over buffers (mm):

18'650 mm

Width (mm):

2'910 mm

Height (mm | over lowered pantograph):

4'220 mm

Tare weight (t):

85 t

Power output (x'xxx kW / x'xxx hp):

4'190 kW
5'619 hp

Tractive effort (kN / lbf | starting / continuous):

234 kN
53'000 lbf

Maximum speed (km/h):

160 km/h

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Vehicle's history

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1981

Class 27 is part of a large family of 144 electric locomotives built in the 1980s for Belgian Railways, alongside Class 11, Class 12 and Class 21. Class 27 stands out as the most powerful in the family, boasting more than twice the power of earlier 1950s locomotives like Class 22, Class 23, and Class 25. Known for their reliability, these locomotives benefited from design improvements based on earlier models.

Class 27 locomotives have been a cornerstone of NMBS/SNCB operations, hauling both passenger and freight trains across the 3,000-volt electrified lines. They frequently handle heavy freight routes from Flemish ports to Montzen, near the German border, and have also been active in pulling peak-hour passenger services, including those with M5 and M6 double-deck coaches.

A subset of Class 27 locomotives, numbered 2742 to 2760, were modified for push-pull operation with MUX and automatic couplers, allowing them to work in pairs with M6 coaches. However, this type of service led to frame wear, requiring close monitoring.

Class 27 also holds a world record: locomotive 2711 pulled the longest passenger train ever, with 70 carriages, from Gent to Oostende in 1991.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_Railways_Class_27

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