China Railways HXD3

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The HXD3 is a 6-axle AC electric locomotive designed by CNR Dalian (China) and Tōshiba (Japan) for fast freight services in the People's Republic of China. It is technologically based on the cape gauge (1,067 mm or 3 ft 6 in) Tōshiba EH500 locomotive used by the Japan Freight Railway Company (JRF). The majority of HXD3 locomotives are built in China with core components (e.g. bogies, inverters) provided by Tōshiba. In the initial batch, 4 units were built in Japan by Tōshiba and parts for 12 units were shipped to China from Japan for final assembly. According to requirement set by the China Ministry of Railways, a single unit of HXD3 is able to maintain a speed of 120 km/h (75 mph) while handling a 5,000 tonne train. Production of the HXD3 began in 2006 and to date 1,040 units were ordered.


Just like other modern AC electric locomotives, the HXD3 is regenerative breaking capable. It has a total output of 7,200 kW (9,660 hp). With a maximum of 25 tonne (31 tonne for ES44AC) axle load, the HXD3 is able to provide a maximum of 570 kN (881 kN for ES44AC) starting tractive effort and 400 kN (740 kN for ES44AC) continuous tractive effort. To revise what these terms and numbers mean, please refer to my blog entry on the GE ES44AC.

Comments

Dinesh said…
Powerful 7200kW locomotives. Any problems in traction motors and converters from such high torque?
Apr 5, 2011, 11:49:00 AM
Train of the Week said…
Good question... I haven't found any published information about the reliability of these units, maybe there are but they just aren't in English?

However the traction motors themselves are quite standard, since these are 6-axle units and the Eurosprinter (4-axle, 6,400 kW) series from Siemens have been using more powerful traction motors since 1996.
Apr 7, 2011, 8:47:00 PM
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