The BDŽ class 75 is a series of Bulgarian narrow-gauge diesel-hydraulic locomotives.
The first 760 mm track-side diesel locomotives of the BDŽ were built by the German company Henschel & Sohn of Kassel, and were put into operation in Bulgaria in the beginning of 1966. As soon as they arrived, they became the main narrow-gauge locomotive series at the Septemvri depot, took the passenger (from the series 81 and 82) and the freight (from the 600.76 series locomotives) service on the railway lines Septemvri - Dobrinishte and - Pazardzhik. Moreover, due to the higher power of the locomotives, the trip from Septemvri to Dobrinishte was shortened by more than 1 hour.
The locomotives were constructed under the technical conditions of BDŽ and consisted mainly of: a diesel engine with a power of 1100 hp, a hydraulic gear and the wheelset formula is B'B'. When built in the 1960s, they were the most powerful 760 mm gauge diesel locomotives in the world. They were also the first time Bulgarian locomotives used the cavities in the main locomotive frame for fuel storage.
The first locomotive to be scrapped was 75 007.5, which derailed on January 16, 1991 due to a broken track on the open line to "Dryanov Dol". The damage could have been repaired, but due to a locomotive surplus it was made into a spare parts "donor" for the other locomotives and was eventually scrapped in 1994.
Factory data and status
In Operation Withdrawn; written off or scrapped In repair Sold Operational number Factory №/year Notes Delivered as Since 1988 Since 2012 75 – 01 75 001.8 31133/1965 75 – 02 75 002.6 31134/1965 Withdrawn 75 – 03 75 003.4 – 31135/1965 Written off in 2004 75 – 04 75 004.2 92 52 0675 004-2 31136/1965 75 – 05 75 005.9 92 52 0675 005-9 31137/1965 75 – 06 75 006.7 92 52 0675 006-7 31138/1965 75 – 07 75 007.5 – 31139/1965 Written off in 1994 75 – 08 75 008.3 92 52 0675 008-3 31140/1965 75 – 09 75 009.1 92 52 0675 009-1 31141/1965 75 – 10 75 010.9 31142/1965
References