Afternoon all!

 

Our subject today will be another of those locomotives which Renfe obtained from Japan, at a time when Spain as a whole was still faced with varying levels of political reservations due to the authoritarian Franco regime.

 

First procured in 1973 and indeed produced until 1985, well after democratic rule had been restored to the country, the Series 269 electric locomotives have been one of the most versatile types to have been procured by Renfe, and put to use for various types of passenger and freight services alike. Unlike the Series 289 from which it was developed and of which forty examples had been procured from 1969 till 1972, the 269s were, however, assembled entirely in Spain, while the first two 289s had been built in Japan proper.

 

In total, 265 of these locomotives were built. The following photo shows 269-851 in the appearance typical for many 269s today:

 

Mercancías 269-851 Renfe by The Reeler, on Flickr

 

Note this also being one of those 269s refitted with cab air conditioning, as evidenced by the pod just behind the upper headlight.

 

As delivered, the 269s were grouped into four different subtypes, designated as follows:

 

269.0 – Mixed traffic variant, with power regulation through resistors and DC powered auxiliary system, and switchable bogie transmission ratios for 140 kph and 80 kph. 108 built from 1973 till 1978.

 

269.2 – Mixed traffic variant optimised for faster operating speeds of 160 kph and 100 kph through switchable transmission ratios. Power regulation resistors, auxiliary systems partially three phase AC and DC powered. 131 built from 1980 till 1985.

 

269.5 – Mixed traffic variant with switchable transmission ratios for 160 kph and 90 kph. Power regulation resistors, DC auxiliary systems from 1974 till 1979.

 

269.6 – Testbeds for power regulation by thyristor choppers to be used in the Series 251 locomotives procured from 1982 till 1984. Mixed three phase AC and DC auxiliary systems. Built in 1981 and 1982.

 

On 24 April 1991, 269-601 set a new national speed record of 241.6 kph. However, no additional Series 269.6 locomotives were ever procured on top of the four original examples. Of these four, 269-604 stood out in particular because it was rebuilt with a unique, aerodynamic body, which refit originally was planned to be applied to the other three 269.6s as well. Nicknamed „Gato Montés“ (Wildcat), this locomotive was put in preservation by the Madrid Railway Enthusiasts Association (Asociación de Amigos del Ferrocarril de Madrid, AAFM) and remains in working condition.

 

RENFE 269-604 AAFM OLSWANG LAS INFANTAS by Londeras, on Flickr

 

 

Due to later refurbishments, other subtypes were created, with numerous individual locomotives indeed changing from one type to another several times during their careers and this process actually appearing to be ongoing. As of 2015, the following subtypes exist, with allocations still being subject to change:

 

269.350 – Six permanently coupled tandem locomotives formed by ex-269.2 and 269.9 locomotives. Single gear ratio for 100 kph, allocated to general freight services. Formations began in March 2008.

 

269.4 – 20 ex-269.2 locomotives geared for 160 kph, allocated to passenger service. Refurbishment began approximately September 1995.

 

269.5 – 21 locomotives which remained largely unrefurbished, but some regrouped "down" into Series 269.0. Mostly inactive or withdrawn at present.

 

269.7 – Originally, 18 locomotives geared for 120 kph in 1999 and 2000 and allocated to intermodal freight services, created from 269.2. Grouped into permanent pairs designated as subtype 269.750 from March 2002 till spring 2005, then split. Reformed as tandem locomotives in 2009.

 

269.850 – Seven tandem locomotives formed of 269.8 locomotives, which in turn had been rebuilt from 269.0s between 2000 and 2002. Single gear ratio for 100 kph, allocated to general freight service.

 

269.950 – 21 locomotives originally rebuilt from 269.2, single gear ratio for 100 kph. Allocated to general freight service. Remaining locomotives were formed into semi-permanent pairs in autumn 2014.

 

 

Technical description

 

As a design evolved from the 289 which predated it by just a few years, the 269’s design is fundamentally derived from contemporary Japanese electric locomotives of the period such as the JNR classes EF81 or ED75, to which they are most similar externally. The Spanish derivatives could, of course, be built to match the larger European loading gauge, and are broader in particular. Their general appearance is characterised mainly by the rectangular body with clean, sharp lines, and the narrow, horizontally stretched windscreens which are the most obvious visual cue taken from their Japanese sisters.

 

With an all-welded body and running frame mainly made of steel, the body sides comprise four ventilation grilles and three engine room windows. The cabs occupy the spaces above the outermost wheelsets, and, as is common on Spanish motive power, configured with control desks on the right side. The 269’s cabs are also equipped with wheel power controllers. Numerous 269s retained in service till this day were outfitted with cab air conditioning devices, and as part of their refurbishments also received general cab instrument upgrades, so that various configurations exist for the cabs as of present.

 

Cabina reformada 269.287 by fiskia, on Flickr

 

It is also worth noting that while the 269s were – like the preceding Series 289, originally known as Series 8900 prior to the introduction of computerised running numbers – built with wraparound windscreens reaching into the pillars between the windscreens and cab side windows, they were later rebuilt with non-wraparound windscreens made of armoured glass for greater safety against impacting objects.

The cab faces are further characterised by the large central headlight, set atop and in the middle of the split windscreens, and four lower marker and tail lights. As on many other post-war Renfe locomotives, the central high intensity light was a single lens light originally, but replaced by an even more powerful double lens light later. The cab faces also comprise the socket and jumper cable for MU control, both prominently located between the lower headlights and windscreens. Generally, the 269s are capable of forming triple MU formations, with the exception of the now-retired 269.6s which allowed only pairs.

 

The four-wheel bogies are fundamentally identical to those used on the Series 251 locomotives, and are, in fact, designed to be interchangeable with those of the latter if required. Utilising traction bars which, in an unusual arrangement, are offset diagonally and connect to the lower corners of the bogie frames on one end and to four discrete attachment consoles on the running frame for force transmission, helical springs are provided for primary and secondary suspension. With no other bearings of any kind being provided, the prominent secondary suspension spring packages allow the bogies to rotate while carrying the totality of the body weight. In addition, there is one pair of hydraulic vertical and rotational motion dampers per bogie, and sanding units facing the wheelsets located in each of the four corners of each bogie.

 

Likewise mirroring the principle implemented on the 289 and 251, the bogies were designed with distribution gears with two switchable transmission ratios and one large traction motor, technically configured as two demi-motors with one shaft for both rotors. The gear change capability, which could only be operated while the locomotive was not in motion, was but disabled as part of the refurbishments as per the outline in the previous section, which generally saw the various batches of 269s specialised for either passenger or freight traffic and outfitted with single ratio gears matching their intended purpose.

Brakes are provided with two-sided brake tread pads acting on all wheels. On the 269.4s, the mechanical handbrakes were replaced with spring-loaded pneumatic holding brakes.

 

As indicated in the subtype listing, the 269s were, generally, configured with resistor-based power regulation, with auxiliary systems – mainly comprising equipment ventilation, air brake compressors and, originally, vacuum brake pumps – being powered either by direct current or by three phase AC, depending on individual subtypes. The 269.4s in particular were outfitted with semiconductor-based static inverters for auxiliary power supply.

 

With the locomotives also having been outfitted with rheostatic brakes which are blended with the air brake, the rooftop equipment on the 269 comprises the semi-cylindrical rheostat fairings with sideward-facing exhausts towards Cab 1, a centrally located rectangular fairing for further traction control equipment, and a pair of Faiveley AM series single arm pantographs. As on the 289, these were initially fitted with the knee joints facing outwards, but later rotated to face inwards which had been found to allow for more balanced exertion of vertical pressure to the overhead wire.

 

There has been a variety of liveries to have been applied to the 269s during their careers which in the case of the oldest locomotives are now approaching 40 years of service. Originally, the class was painted dark green with yellow trim and lettering, and black chassis.

The 269.2s were initially delivered in a somewhat unusual livery called the "Mazinger“ scheme, based on a zigzagged pattern of dark blue and yellow, which was said to have been inspired by a Japanese animated comic series titled "Mazinger Z.“ This livery was also applied to the 269.6 subtype originally, and has been retained on 269.601, which, like 269.604 with its streamlined body, has been kept in preservation.

Also introduced in the 1980s and looking very typical of the era indeed, numerous 269s also received the "Estrella“ livery which was a reference to an upgraded category of express services to have been introduced in 1984, utilising then-new Series 10000 coaching stock. This livery consisted of cream white, caramel and brown, with grey chassis.

Another 1980s era livery was known as "Mil Rayas“ ("Thousand Lines“), which did, indeed, comprise a pattern of dark blue and yellow horizontally and diagonally arranged stripes, with dark grey chassis.

The 1990s saw the introduction of the "Taxi" livery of yellow and dark grey which eventually turned out to be the most frequently used scheme, as well as the "Grandes Líneas“ (roughly, "Long Distance“) livery – sometimes nicknamed the "Danone" livery – of white, light grey chassis, roof and windscreen "mask“, and blue solebar; and the similar-looking „Talgo 200“ livery of white, darker grey for the chassis, roof and windscreen mask, and a blue and yellow solebar trim stripe.

In the first decade of the 21st century, the class then began appearing in the "Operadora“ livery, which for the 269 exists in two variants – with dark grey body sides for freight locomotives, and white body sides with full length purple trim stripe for those allocated to passenger service. These liveries are also nicknamed the "Pantone" livery due to it using colours from this range.

 

At present, two 269s are in preservation – interestingly, both from the "testbed" subtype 269.6 with chopper controls. As mentioned further up, 269-604 is under ownership by the Madrid Railway Enthusiasts Association, while 269-601 – one of the three 269.6s with conventional body – is owned by the Galician Railway Museum in Monforte de Lemos.

 

In addition, four ex-269.9s and a number of Series 10000 coaches were sold to Chile to be operated on Santiago de Chile–Temuco and Santiago de Chile–Chillán "TerraSur" express services by state railway company EFE, alongside ex-Renfe Series 444 EMUs also sold to Chile earlier.

 

It is also worth noting that a significant number of the 269s remaining in Spain proper have been formed into de-facto tandem locomotives. This mirrors the concept originally pursued for a total of eighteen Series 289 locomotives, which had likewise been permanently paired. These locomotives, designated as Series 289.100 after pairing, had been modified extensively, with the facing cabs having been physically removed and replaced with a gangway and the remaining interior installations having been rearranged to yield more space in the remaining cabs. However, Renfe later determined that while the idea of forming permanent pairs had merit, such extensive rebuilds as those performed for the 289.100s should no longer be pursued due to being too costly.

The permanent pairs of 269s therefore technically retained the facing cabs, though on several of the paired locomotives, they are no longer usable due to removal of instruments and other components for obtaining spares.

 

 

Specifications

 

Length, width and height – 17.27 m, 3.13 and 4.28 m

Service weight – 88 tonnes

 

Configuration – B'B'

 

Power output – 3,100 kW

Maximum speed – 100, 120 or 160 kph at present depending on subtype

 

The model which we will be looking at today is, again, an Electrotren product, which was first released in 1999. That first release was followed up with various others in the following years, so far covering the 269.0, 269.2, 269.3, 269.4, 269.5, 269.6, 269.7, 269.9 and 269.950 subtypes. Electrotren also marketed a model of 269-604 with its streamlined body.

 

 

 

 

The model at hand was marketed as a limited edition which was released in December 2012 with reference 2636. It represents 269-708, one of those locomotives optimised for intermodal freight operations and geared for a maximum speed of 120 kph. Like several other 269s, the locomotive was given a kind of "hybrid" livery, combining the yellow and dark grey "Taxi" colours with a horizontal, purple trim stripe, taken from the "Operadora" livery, on the cab sides. Also, the current company lettering in the present typeface was applied. This hybrid livery is also referred to by the nickname "Taxitone."

 

Originally registered as 269-302, the locomotive was built and delivered by Macosa in 1984 with works number 732. At present, it is actually paired with former 269-707 in 2009, forming the tandem pair known as 269-754. Former 269-707 had been repainted in "Operadora" colours previously, so the tandem pair is, in fact, quite colourful!

 

For the moment, I could run the locomotive only singly, but I’d claim that as artistic licence. Given the still-wide spread of 269s in freight service in particular, 269-708 but may well receive the company of another 269 yet.

 

 

 

 

The 269 model is compact enough to easily fit into one broadside photo. To better understand the unusual traction bar arrangement on this class, turn your attention to the attachment consoles below the solebar on either end of the underslung equipment containers. The opposing traction bar attachment consoles are located below the bufferbeams on – viewed from Cab 1 – the locomotive's right hand side.

 

As this photo also proves, the model is painted and lettered cleanly and crisply. I may yet try readjusting the cab door grab rails, though!

 

The lettering on the solebar mainly comprises the braking data in the field left of the running number:

 

CH-GPR – Charmilles brake controller valve with settings G, P and R

 

Braking weights: G 49 tonnes, P 77 tonnes, R 97 tonnes.

 

No mention is made of the dynamic brake which is disregarded for braking force calculations.

 

In the box towards Cab 2, the locomotive's weight is indicated as being 88 tonnes and the handbrake weight as 25 tonnes.

 

 

 

 

As mentioned before, the head-on perspective is where the 269's Japanese heritage is most readily visible. Note the arrangement of four lower lamps (with retainers for plug-on signal tables in case of lighting failure) and the large high intensity light atop the windscreens. Also note the traction bar attachment console below the driver's side buffer.

 

 

 

 

 

The rooftop is relatively "tidy" with only the pair of pantographs and associated actuators and the busbar being readily visible. Note that the busbar is split into two unconnected sections with separate pass-throughs, each associated with one of the pantographs.

 

 

And for a closing note, a few Youtube videos with Series 269 locomotives. Thank you for reading!