LOCOMOTIVES, electric locomotive series HŽ 1141/JŽ 441

LOCOMOTIVE (electric) series HŽ 1141/JŽ 441 With the introduction of 25 kV voltage and 50 Hz alternating current at the end of the 1960s, electric traction vehicles for the specified voltage were introduced on Croatian railways, and the locomotives of the JŽ 441 and HŽ 1141 series, in operation for over a half a century, have left the deepest mark. The first locomotives of this series ran on the route Metković - Ploče opened in 1969 and Dobova - Zagreb - Belgrade, electrified in 1970, and then Zagreb - Sisak - Novska in 1972 and Zagreb - Koprivnica in 1981. With the changes in voltage from 3 kV to 25 kV and 50 Hz, they were also introduced on the lines Zagreb - Karlovac in 1986, Karlovac - Moravice in 1987, and finally Moravice - Rijeka in 2012 and Rijeka - Šapjane in 2013. Thus, the entire network of electrified railways in Croatia received the same voltage. The HŽ 1141/JŽ 441 locomotives were first built in 1967. They were built by the company Traktion-Union, created by the cooperation of the Swedish factory ASEA, the Swiss Secheron and the Austrian Elin-Union. A year later and under license, the Rade Končar factory in Zagreb continued to manufacture them with its subcontractors. In a total of 7 subseries from 1967 to 1985, 285 units were produced, 96 of which were for the Croatian Railway Administration, while the rest were distributed to other Yugoslav Republics, with the exception of Slovenia, and sold to Romania and Turkey. The main characteristics of this locomotive were two drive axles of the BoʾBoʾ layout with 4 traction motors of 34,080 kW per hour and 3,860 kW of continuous engine power, which could reach a speed of 120 km/h, while for the post-1976 subseries it was up to 140 km/h. The mass of the locomotives ranged from 78 t to 82 t, while their length was 18.4 m. Traction and heating capacity was up to 35 two-axle or 17 four-axle cars. With the independence of Croatia, 93 locomotives were renamed to HŽ 1161 under Croatian Railways management. In the original design, the locomotives were painted orange, and later blue and red, and are known as "ASEA". dr. sc. Josip Kajinić, Research Associate, Curator Croatian Railway Museum