Ganz railcar (Ferrocarriles Vascongados, long version)

The long Ganz railcar is a railcar train type formerly operated by Ferrocarriles Vascongados in the Basque Country, Spain from 1928 to 1981.

Ganz railcar (long version)
A Ganz railcar during the first day of electric service to Elorrio
In service1928–1981[1]
ManufacturerGanz
Built atBudapest, Hungary
Constructed1928–1930
Number built9
Number preserved1
Number scrapped8
Fleet numbersMCD 1–9
Capacity44 (seated)
Operator(s)
Specifications
Train length16.5 m (54 ft 2 in)
Power output
  • 412 hp (307 kW) (original)
  • 640 hp (480 kW) (reengined)
Electric system(s)1,500 V DC overhead line
Current collector(s)Pantograph
Track gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)

History

Due to an increase in traffic, Ferrocarriles Vascongados decided in the 1920s to electrify its main line between Bilbao and San Sebastián. Thus, the company ordered six railcars to be used for hauling passenger trains with up to seven cars. They were built by Ganz in its Budapest factory in 1928, and numbered MCD 1–6.[1] As the six railcars were not enough to satisfy the growing demand, three identical railcars were built in 1930, numbered MCD 7–9.[2] Unlike most railcars of the time, they were constructed in metal.[3]

In 1941, the company decided to reengine some of the railcars. The new engines were built by CENEMESA in Reinosa. However, due to problems with their design, the first batch wasn't delivered until 1944, and the first reengined railcars entered service in 1948. The reengined railcars were those numbered MCD 3–9. With the new engines, the maximum load that could be hailed increased from 90 t (198,416 lb) to 125 t (275,578 lb).[1]

The long Ganz railcars were in regular service until the mid-1970s. By 1979, the only remaining train was MCD 1, used at the time to operate services between Bilbao-Atxuri and Usansolo. Until 1981, it operated cross-border shuttle services between Irun and Hendaye. It was stored in Durango and later Gernika until 1989, when it was sent to Azpeitia for preservation at the Basque Railway Museum. However, it hasn't been restored yet and remains under storage.[4][5]

See also

References
  1. Olaizola, Juanjo (2001). Bilbo eta Donostia arteko trenaren material motorea / Material motor del ferrocarril de Bilbao a San Sebastián (in Spanish and Basque). Bilbao: Eusko Trenbideak Ferrocarriles Vascos , S.A. pp. 99–101. ISBN 84-920629-3-2.
  2. Olaizola, Juanjo (2001). Bilbo eta Donostia arteko trenaren material motorea / Material motor del ferrocarril de Bilbao a San Sebastián (in Spanish and Basque). Bilbao: Eusko Trenbideak Ferrocarriles Vascos , S.A. p. 107. ISBN 84-920629-3-2.
  3. González Márquez, Manuel (2003). "Historia y evolución de los vehículos de viajeros utilizados en los ferrocarriles de vía estrecha españoles" (PDF). Docutren (in Spanish). Fundación de los Ferrocarriles Españoles. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 July 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  4. "Material móvil pendiente de restauración". Amigos del Museo Vasco del Ferrocarril (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 10 February 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  5. "Museo Vasco del Ferrocarril" (PDF). Tren Correo (in Spanish). No. 20. Asociación de Amigos del Ferrocarril de Gipuzkoa. October 1995. p. 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 July 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
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