VR Class Sm1
| VR Class Sm1 | |
|---|---|
 Sm1 units at Helsinki central railway station. | |
 The inside of an Sm1. | |
| Manufacturer | Valmet |
| Constructed | 1968–1973 |
| Entered service | 1969– |
| Refurbished | 1990s |
| Number built | 50 |
| Number in service | 46 |
| Fleet numbers | 6001+6201 – 6050+6250 |
| Capacity | 191 passengers |
| Operators | VR Group |
| Lines served | Helsinki commuter rail |
| Specifications | |
| Train length | 53,250 mm (174 ft 8 in) |
| Car length | 26,625 mm (87 ft 4.2 in) |
| Maximum speed | 120 km/h (75 mph) |
| Weight | 58.6 t (57.7 long tons; 64.6 short tons) (Sm1) 94.2 t (92.7 long tons; 103.8 short tons) (Sm1+Eiob) |
| Axle load | 18.8 t (18.5 long tons; 20.7 short tons) |
| Prime mover(s) | Strömberg GHAU H7226 |
| Power output | 4x215 kW (288 hp) |
The electric multiple unit Sm1 is the oldest type of commuter train equipment still in active use by the VR Group (Finnish Railways). Fifty Sm1 units were built between years 1968 and 1973 at Valmet airplane factory in Tampere.[1] It was put into use on the first electrified Finnish railway line between Helsinki and Kirkkonummi on January 26, 1969[2] with five units in operation. Nowadays all Sm1 units have been thoroughly renovated and they bear the red-and-white VR livery introduced in the 1990s.
Technical information
Each Sm1 unit consists of two cars, Sm1 actually being the class of the motored carriage in the two-car unit. The other car is called a driving trailer and its class is Eio (units 6201 to 6240) or Eiob (6241 to 6250).[2] The two-car unit has 191 seats combined, including fourteen foldable seats. There is a driver's cabin at either end of the unit, which enables the train to be driven in both directions without turning it around. This is a major advantage compared to locomotive-pulled trains in commuter traffic.
Six Sm1 units can be coupled together, but trains in commercial traffic are limited to five units, because of the length of the station platforms.[citation needed] It is possible to see six Sm1 units coupled together during switching duties between the Ilmala depot and the Helsinki railway station. The units use Scharfenberg couplers.
The maximum speed of the unit is 120 km/h (75 mph). They are numbered between 6001/6201 and 6050/6250 (Sm1 car / Eio(b) driving trailer). The electric systems were developed and built by Strömberg at their plant in Pitäjänmäki, Helsinki.
The Sm1 is technically very similar to the newer Sm2 class EMU, although there are also some differences, such as the Sm1 having steel spring suspension and strengthening creases on the sides.
See also
References
- ^ Eonsuu, Honkanen & Pölhö 1995, p. 93.
- ^ a b Eonsuu, Honkanen & Pölhö 1995, p. 92.
- Literature
- Eonsuu, Tapio; Honkanen, Pekka; Pölhö, Eljas (1995). Suomen veturit osa 2. Moottorikalusto. Elokuvan Maailma. pp. 92–93. ISBN 952-5060-02-0.
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External links
Media related to VR Class Sm1 at Wikimedia Commons