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Belgian Railways Class 54
Series 54, (originally Type 204) were diesel locomotives used by the National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS/SNCB). Along with Series 52, 53 and 59, they were the first generation of Belgian diesel locomotives, built in the 1950s. All three types were ultimately derived from the earlier Series 52 locos, representing a faster version of the design, allowing for 140 km/h usage instead of 120 km/h.
The Series 54 (along with the similar Series 52 and 53 locos) were known as the "Big Noses", given their silhouette. An American design from General Motors - Electro-Motive Diesel, they also have several cousins built in Sweden by Nohab for the Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) as Serie M61, for the Danish Railways (DSB) as Series MX and MY and for the Norwegian Railways (NSB) as Serie Di 3. Their design was largely derived from Victorian Railways B class diesels in Australia.
After the Second World War, the National Railway Company of Belgium resumed railway operations using mostly steam locomotives that had survived the conflict as their primary means of transport, mostly locomotives built during the war (Types 25 and 26, based on the German "kriegslok") or others that were built in Canada (Type 29). However, it was quickly becoming apparent that diesel traction offered serious savings and the railway then decided to purchase units from where such locomotives were at their most mature: in the United States and specifically units from General Motors - EMD (Electro-Motive Division).
After a series of tests (most notably with an MRS-1 locomotive number 1818 borrowed from the US Army) an order for 40 units was placed in the mid 1950s, split into two sub-series : 22 Serie 52 locomotives (known at the time as Type 202), fitted with steam heating for passenger coaches and 18 Serie 53 locomotives (known as Type 203 at the time), without steam heating apparatus.
The units used diesel engines from the USA, generators and electric motors coming from the Netherlands. These diesel engines had a power output of 1265 kW (1700 hp).
A few years later, the order was completed using a lighter locomotive design which was a product of local industry: the Series 59 locomotives with a Bo'Bo' wheel arrangement. Also, an improved series of "Big Nose" units were built: Serie 55 locomotives which incorporated the trucks and the General Motors engine placed in a different locomotive body.
Delivery of the last four motive power units was amended to include a different set of gears; upon delivery in 1957, they allowed for speeds of 140 km/h for the Trans-Europ-Express trains between Paris and Cologne, pending electrification of the Belgian railway line 125 between Namur and Liège. These units were placed and numbered in the Type 204 series, becoming the future Series 54 after a general renumbering on January 1, 1971.
Simultaneously, the NMBS/SNCB ceded 4 Series 52 locomotives to the CFL. In return, an additional order for four Series 54 locomotives was placed, bringing the total number to 8 units.
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Belgian Railways Class 54
Series 54, (originally Type 204) were diesel locomotives used by the National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS/SNCB). Along with Series 52, 53 and 59, they were the first generation of Belgian diesel locomotives, built in the 1950s. All three types were ultimately derived from the earlier Series 52 locos, representing a faster version of the design, allowing for 140 km/h usage instead of 120 km/h.
The Series 54 (along with the similar Series 52 and 53 locos) were known as the "Big Noses", given their silhouette. An American design from General Motors - Electro-Motive Diesel, they also have several cousins built in Sweden by Nohab for the Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) as Serie M61, for the Danish Railways (DSB) as Series MX and MY and for the Norwegian Railways (NSB) as Serie Di 3. Their design was largely derived from Victorian Railways B class diesels in Australia.
After the Second World War, the National Railway Company of Belgium resumed railway operations using mostly steam locomotives that had survived the conflict as their primary means of transport, mostly locomotives built during the war (Types 25 and 26, based on the German "kriegslok") or others that were built in Canada (Type 29). However, it was quickly becoming apparent that diesel traction offered serious savings and the railway then decided to purchase units from where such locomotives were at their most mature: in the United States and specifically units from General Motors - EMD (Electro-Motive Division).
After a series of tests (most notably with an MRS-1 locomotive number 1818 borrowed from the US Army) an order for 40 units was placed in the mid 1950s, split into two sub-series : 22 Serie 52 locomotives (known at the time as Type 202), fitted with steam heating for passenger coaches and 18 Serie 53 locomotives (known as Type 203 at the time), without steam heating apparatus.
The units used diesel engines from the USA, generators and electric motors coming from the Netherlands. These diesel engines had a power output of 1265 kW (1700 hp).
A few years later, the order was completed using a lighter locomotive design which was a product of local industry: the Series 59 locomotives with a Bo'Bo' wheel arrangement. Also, an improved series of "Big Nose" units were built: Serie 55 locomotives which incorporated the trucks and the General Motors engine placed in a different locomotive body.
Delivery of the last four motive power units was amended to include a different set of gears; upon delivery in 1957, they allowed for speeds of 140 km/h for the Trans-Europ-Express trains between Paris and Cologne, pending electrification of the Belgian railway line 125 between Namur and Liège. These units were placed and numbered in the Type 204 series, becoming the future Series 54 after a general renumbering on January 1, 1971.
Simultaneously, the NMBS/SNCB ceded 4 Series 52 locomotives to the CFL. In return, an additional order for four Series 54 locomotives was placed, bringing the total number to 8 units.