ČSD Class E 499.3 electric locomotives were used primarily for passenger trains in Czechoslovakia. Locomotives which passed to České dráhy, rail operator in the Czech Republic are now classified as Class 163, those which passed to ZSSK, rail operator in Slovakia, are also Class 163.
E 499.3 locomotives operate on the 3,000 V DC system and are essentially a DC only version of the ES 499.1.
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, next two series were sent to Olomouc, Košice and Česká Třebová. Currently, the ČD are units in Česká Třebová, Děčín and Bohumín and ZSSK units in Košice and Žilina.
Modernisation All 30 locomotives owned by ČD Cargo were rebuilt to class 363.5 (dual voltage) by Škoda. ZSSK announced tender for rebuilding 15 locomotives class 163/162 to class 361, which was won by ŽOS Vrútky. As of January, 2014, 5 locomotives of class 361 (dual voltage, max. speed 140 km/h) and 4 locomotives of class 361.1 (dual voltage, max. speed 160 km/h) were built.
Since 2013, they were used for operation in push-pull sets with driving trailers and they were used mostly operate services in various commuter trains.
Service in other countries
Italy
E.630 Because of the financial problems of ČSD (and then ČD and ŽSR) after the Velvet revolution, Škoda rebuilt 9 pieces of the fourth series and sold them to FNM, Italy. These were classified as FNM Class E.630. In 2010, all E630 locomotives were sold to Czech private operator RegioJet and were rebuilt to class 162.
Disposition Source: 163.021 - 163.022 ČD163.025 - 163.026 ČD163.029 - 163.030 ČD163.034 - 163.035 ČD163.039 - 163.048 ČD163.050 ZSSK163.052 ZSSK163.054 - 163.055 ZSSK163.057 ZSSK163.061 - 163.100 ČD163.101 ZSSK163.104 - 163.111 ZSSK163.112 - 163.119 ZSSK (rebuilt from Class 162)163.121 - 163.124 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)
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 List of České dráhy locomotive classes
References
External links
Czech and Slovak Railway Group in English