VR Class Dm7

The series Dm7 the Finnish State Railways Valtionrautatiet (VR ) was a diesel railcar for routes with low passenger traffic. With a total of 197 specimens and 15 pre-production vehicles designated as Class Dm6 the railbuses this type of vehicle was the largest ever built for the VR series of diesel railcars. The vehicles produced in several series from 1955 to 1963 were used until 1988 by the VR in passenger transport.

History

As with most other European state railways there were in the PR after the Second World War large demand for new railcars to finish the elaborate use of steam locomotives in front of passenger trains on branch lines. First, the VR was planning the purchase of Uerdinger rail buses, which should be referred to as series DM5. Due to shortage of foreign exchange, the VR had but eventually withdraw from the scheduled import. Finally, geared to the neighboring country of Sweden, where extensive experience with diesel railcars had been made already and took a draft of the Swedish company Hilding Carlsson Mekaniska Verkstad, which was created for the Swedish private railway TGOJ, under license.

The Finnish manufacturer Valmet delivered after the type designed by Carlsson 1954 first 15 vehicles with the series designation Dm6 whose wheels with the small diameter of 613 mm but not satisfied. From 1955, therefore, the vehicles were delivered with slightly larger wheels. By 1963, originated at Valmet 197 railcars of Dm7 series. In addition, a total of 202 matching trailers were delivered. Part of the sidecar was also compartments for mail and express.

With the setting of the passenger traffic on smaller routes and begun since the early 70s electrification of the Finnish rail network rail buses gradually lost their fields of application. The pre-production vehicles were Dm6 in 1974, after 20 years of use, fully retired. From the same year, the first Dm7 been rectified. The railcars were able to hold on to their last mission routes until 1988. This year, the passenger was on the last four lines use the Dm7, the routes by Kemi VR with the summer schedule May 29 - set Äänekoski - Haparanda, Huutokoski - Savonlinna, Rauma - Peipohja and Jyväskylä. With the exception of two sets for special trips all remaining railcars were scrapped.

Conversions

Three railcars Dm7 series received in 1971 a compartment for postal and express and were designated as Series DmG7. They were used until 1981.

Use

With the rail buses VR replaced at first mainly steam locomotive hauled passenger trains on branch lines. However, they were soon used for suburban services from Helsinki. Until the electrification of the routes to Kirkkonummi and Riihimäki from 1969 there the Dm7 were used in up to eight-part sets of engines and sidecar. Also on the main routes they took over the local transport. From the early 80s the area of ​​operation was reduced again to weaker demanded branch lines. With the gradual shutdown of the rail buses VR also finished mostly the local traffic on the main routes and put the passenger completely.

Both VR and various heritage railways put some sets of railcars as a historical vehicles for special trips.