VR Class Sr2

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Since I've written about the Lok 2000 last week, it's probably a nice followup to write about the very similar, equally handsome, VR (Finnish Railways) Class Sr2 locomotive. To start with, the immediate difference a traveller notices (well, other than the livery, of course), is that the Sr2 is built to VR's board gage of 5 ft. Also designed by companies later bought by Bombardier Transportation, the Sr2 was assembled in Finland by Transtech Oy. According to Wikipedia, the design top speed of the Sr2 is slightly higher than that of the Re 460, at 140 mph, and also the VR has then capped her top speed at 130 mph.



The Sr2 was built between the mid 1990s and early 2000s, but trucks had to be redesigned and refitted due to hunting at speeds above 100 mph. The 4 traction motors of the Sr2 pump out a continuous maximum of 6,700 hp and a short-term maximum of 8,050 hp. Like the Re 460, the Vr2 is also assigned in fast intercity services at up to 125 mph.

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