The class Rc locomotive is the most common locomotive in Sweden. It is driven by electric motors. Rc is a universal locomotive used both in freight trains and passenger trains. Both SJ AB and Green Cargo uses the locomotive, as well as Connex, Tågab and the track operator Banverket.
Versions
Althogether there have been 8 versions of the Rc-locomotive in Sweden including the freight locomotive Rm designed to pull iron ore trains. Rc1, Rc2, Rc4, and Rc5 have a maximum allowed speed of 135 km/h. Rc3 and Rc6 have a maximum allowed speed of 160 km/h. Rc7 was a rebuild of Rc6 meant to haul replacement trains needed when the X2000 trains were cancelled or delayed. Rc7 had a maximum allowed speed of 180 km/h. However, the maximum speed permitted without emergency electromagnetic track brakes is 160 km/h, and converting the carriages proved too expensive. For that reason all Rc7 were subsequently converted back to Rc6. Rc1-Rc7 all weigh around 75-80 tons but the Rm weigh around 90 tons. The Rm's top speed is only 100 km/h but they are more powerful. The Rc and Rc-based locomotives have been exported to a lot of other countries. The Austrian Railways bought 10 Rc2, class 1043 in Austria. One of the locos were badly damaged in an accident but the remaining nine have been bought by the Swedish company Tågåkeriet i Bergslagen AB, and returned to Sweden. A slightly altered Rc4 has been sold to Norway, there known as El16. The AEM-7 used by Amtrak is also based on the Rc4.
History
The Rc-locomotive first appeared in 1967 to replace the 1950s Ra-locomotive, the 1940s F-locomotive and the older D- and Da-locomotives.
