ČSD Class E 499.3 electric locomotive

Electric locomotive

An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...

s were used primarily for passenger trains in Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...

. Locomotives which passed to České dráhy

Ceské dráhy

České dráhy or Czech Railways is the main railway operator of the Czech Republic. In 2010 its consolidated revenues reached CZK 41.0 bn...

, rail operator in the Czech republic

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

 are now classified as Class 163, those which passed to ZSSK

Železnicná spolocnost Slovensko

Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko a.s. is Slovak state-owned passenger trains operated company, based in Bratislava.In 2002 a company Železničná spoločnosť was established as a successor of personal and cargo transport part of the Železnice Slovenskej republiky. In 2005 this new company was further...

, rail operator in Slovakia, are also Class 163.

E 499.3 locomotives operate on the 3,000 V DC system

Railway electrification system

A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...

 and are essentially a DC only version of the ES 499.1

CSD Class ES 499.1

ČSD Class ES 499.1 is a class of electric locomotives used primarily for passenger trains in Czechoslovakia. Now classified as Class 363, these locomotives passed to České dráhy, rail operator in the Czech republic, and to ŽSR, rail operator in Slovakia...

.

ČD Class 163.2 and some ZSSK Class 163 locomotives were rebuilt from ČD and ZSSK Class 162. This was caused by lack of fast dual system locomotives as only one Class 362 locomotive was built. This situation solved ČD by switching the bogies between locomotives of ČD Class 363 (same as ŽSR/ZSSK Class 363) and Class 162, ŽSR by switching only the speed-change box and axletrees between Class 363 and Class 162. After that procedure, the locomotives were classified ČD and ŽSR/ZSSK Class 362 and ČD Class 163.2 and ŽSR/ZSSK Class 163.

History

The locomotive was produced in the years 1984-1992 in four series of 20, 40 (2nd and 3rd serie) and 60 engines.

Because it was a slightly modified version of ČSD Class ES 499.1, there weren't any prototypes built. The first series of locomotives were sent to Ústí nad Labem

Ústí nad Labem

Ústí nad Labem is a city of the Czech Republic, in the Ústí nad Labem Region. The city is the 7th-most populous in the country.Ústí is situated in a mountainous district at the confluence of the Bílina and the Elbe Rivers, and, besides being an active river port, is an important railway junction...

, next two series were sent to Olomouc

Olomouc

Olomouc is a city in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic. The city is located on the Morava river and is the ecclesiastical metropolis and historical capital city of Moravia. Nowadays, it is an administrative centre of the Olomouc Region and sixth largest city in the Czech Republic...

, Košice

Košice

Košice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...

 and Česká Třebová

Ceská Trebová

Česká Třebová is city in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic.-External links:* *...

. Currently, the ČD Cargo units are located in Ostrava

Ostrava

Ostrava is the third largest city in the Czech Republic and the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague. Located close to the Polish border, it is also the administrative center of the Moravian-Silesian Region and of the Municipality with Extended Competence. Ostrava was candidate for the...

 and Ústí nad Labem

Ústí nad Labem

Ústí nad Labem is a city of the Czech Republic, in the Ústí nad Labem Region. The city is the 7th-most populous in the country.Ústí is situated in a mountainous district at the confluence of the Bílina and the Elbe Rivers, and, besides being an active river port, is an important railway junction...

, ČD units in Česká Třebová

Ceská Trebová

Česká Třebová is city in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic.-External links:* *...

, Děčín

Decín

Děčín is a town in the Ústí nad Labem Region in the north of the Czech Republic. It is the largest town and administrative seat of the Děčín District.-Geography:...

 and Bohumín

Bohumín

Bohumín is a town in Karviná District, Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic on the border with Poland. The confluence of the Oder and Olza Rivers is situated just north of the town. The town lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia....

 and ZSSK units in Košice

Košice

Košice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...

 and Žilina

Žilina

Žilina is a city in north-western Slovakia, around from the capital Bratislava, close to both the Czech and Polish borders. It is the fourth largest city of Slovakia with a population of approximately 85,000, an important industrial center, the largest city on the Váh river, and the seat of a...

.

Modernisation

All 30 locomotives owned by ČD Cargo are to be rebuilt to class 363.5 (dual voltage) by Škoda. ZSSK announced tender for rebuilding 15 locomotives class 163/162 to class 361 (dual voltage, max. speed 160 km/h). The tender won ŽOS Vrútky, as of january, 2011, first locomotive is being rebuilt.

E.630

Because of the financial problems of ČSD (and then ČD and ŽSR) after the Velvet revolution

Velvet Revolution

The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...

, Škoda rebuilt 9 pieces of the fourth series and sold them to FNM

Ferrovie Nord Milano

450px|thumb|Map of the main branch of the FNM lines. FNM operates also the [[Brescia]]-[[Edolo]] railway in eastern [[Lombardy]], not shown in map.Ferrovie Nord Milano is an Italian public transport company: the second largest railway company in Italy. It operates primarily in the northern Italian...

, Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

. These were classified as FNM Class E.630. In 2010, all E630 locomotives were sold to Czech private operator RegioJet

RegioJet

RegioJet is a private railway operator in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It is a subsidiary of Student Agency partnered with Keolis.-Routes:In the Czech Republic, RegioJet operates trains between Prague and Havířov...

and will be rebuilt to class 162.

Disposition

163.001 - 163.020	ČD Cargo
163.021 - 163.022	ČD
163.023 - 163.024	ČD Cargo
163.025 - 163.026	ČD
163.027 - 163.028	ČD Cargo
163.029 - 163.030	ČD
163.031 - 163.033	ČD Cargo
163.034 - 163.035	ČD
163.036 - 163.038	ČD Cargo
163.039 - 163.048	ČD
163.049 - 163.060	ZSSK
163.061 - 163.100	ČD
163.101 - 163.111	ZSSK
163.112 - 163.125	ZSSK (rebuilt from Class 162)
163.215 - 163.217	ČD (rebuilt from Class 162)
163.233 - 163.234	ČD (rebuilt from Class 162)
163.241 - 163.245	ČD (rebuilt from Class 162)
163.247 - 163.252	ČD (rebuilt from Class 162)
163.255 - 163.260	ČD (rebuilt from Class 162)
E630-01 - E630-09	FNM (Italy, withdrawn)

As of 2008-06-19, 38 163s remained in service with ZSSK, 30 with ČD Cargo and 78 with ČD, as at 2008-03-02.

See also

• Czech and Slovak Railway Group in English