FS Class E.491 and E.492

The E.492 series is an Italian electric locomotive.

History

In the 1980s, it was planned in Sardinia standard gauge routes Cagliari - Golfo Aranci ( and branch line to Porto Torres) to electrify, with 25 kV 50 Hz AC power instead of the 3 kV DC system used in the FS on the mainland. Between 1986 and 1990, 25 locomotives were of FIAT - Ansaldo for the subject to be electrified routes built, 19 piece series E.491 and E.492 series of six pieces.

Because there was no electrification, the locomotives were parked for more than ten years, since they can not be used on the electrified with 3 kV DC lines. Apart from a few test drives the vehicles are never driven.

A locomotive that E.492.004, was in 2001 for test drives in Hungary. The Hungarian State Railways ( MÁV ) intention - assuming successful test drives - every 25 copies of the two series to buy, as this was deemed more cost effective than repairs of electric locomotives class V 43. The locomotives were driven on the line Budapest - Székesfehérvár - Szombathely and Budapest - Hegyeshalom. Therefore, the tests were also made on these routes. After a trial period of three months, the MÁV decided that locomotives not to buy.