OSE - A-554

Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE): Class A-551 "Craiova" diesel locomotives built by Electroputere Craiova (Romania) powered by V16 diesel engines built by UCM Resita (Romania) under licence from the American Locomotive Company (USA)

In this video: unit A-554

Original YouTube description:
The first clip shows one of these boiler vans behind A.554 as it leaves Thessaloniki with train 503 18:27 Thessaloniki - Athens on April 30th, 1997.

The second clip shows A.554 and one of the ex-DB 221 locomotives 420 leaving Tithoria with train 501 08:02 Thessaloniki - Athens on May 5th, 1997.

This is followed by A.554 working train 500 0748 Pireas - Thessaloniki on May 6th, 1997. A.554 is viewed and heard at several different locations such as Inoi, Tithoria, Amfiklia and finally leaving Lianokladi. Just behind the locomotive can be seen one of the train heating vehicles and at the rear is a 1930s vintage BRC&W restaurant car and road vehicle carrier. As the train heads off into the distance the locomotive sound changes so that it almost sounds like a steam engine!

Finally a year later on May 15th, 1998, A.554 is heard leaving a station between Leptokaria and Plati and then seen at Thessaloniki heading off to the depot for fuel. As it moves off you should be able to see that the driver is operating in reverse as he remains in what was the leading cab when hauling the train. This is because the other cab is adjacent the radiators and the fans create an incredible draught which was unpopular with the locomotive crew. These cabs were also covered in exhaust soot and the locomotives were turned at each end of the journey to keep the draughty cab at the rear!