In 1997 the Swedish iron ore mining company LKAB decided to acquire a fleet of powerfulnew electric locomotives to replace the ageing Classes Dm3 and EI 15 which hauled itsheavy trains originating from the mines near Kiruna and Gällivare to the ports of Luleååon the Gulf of Bothnia and Narvik in Norway. With the railway being upgraded to raisethe maximum permitted axle-load from 25 to 30 tonnes, plans were also drawn up for a newwagon fleet, to increase train capacity.

Kiruna Electric Locomotives

IORE 111/112 with a empty rake of new wagons on 11 June 2010,near Kaisepakte, on the shore of Torneträsk lake, en route fromNarvik to Kiruna. Torneträsk is Sweden’s seventh largest lake,covering 332 km2, 70 km long, at an altitude of 341 m. The line toNarvik reaches its southwest shore at Torneträsk station, 50 kmnorthwest of Kiruna, and follows it as far as Björkliden. The lowestpoint of the line is reached at Abisko (an altitude about 400 m) fromwhere it swings away west, and climbs steadily through the bleak tundralandscape (on a maximum gradient of 11 ‰) through Vassijaure (an altitude 515 m) to Riksgränsen/Riksgrensen, the border stationbetween Sweden and Norway (an altitude 523 m), the summit ofthe line.Border formalities were eliminated many decades ago, but on freighttrains Norwegian and Swedish drivers changed in the past years inBjörkliden. The original station was actually on the border, but in 1923was sold to LKAB, which moved the building to Narvik to use it as a workshop. The present station lies 650 m east of the border. Therefollows the twisting, steeply graded descent to Narvik, 42 km distant,on a maximum gradient of 17.3 ‰, the line clinging to the mountainsidehigh above Rombaksfjorden, an inner arm of Ofotfjorden. There are20 tunnels, none of any great length apart from the 940 m bore nearKatterat, completed in 2002 to create an extended passing loop atthis station. The longest viaduct was Norddalsbrua, 180 m long,replaced by a new, 85 m long one on a cut-off in 1988. Narvik passen-ger station is 47 m above sea level, and here the iron ore trainsbranch off to serve the ore terminal, immediately to the north of the towncentre, high above Malmkaia, served by an underground ore stockpileand a series of conveyor belts. Other types of freight continue southalong the coast for about 3 km to the new Fagernes container ter-minal.

Photo: Jürgen Hörstel

LKAB’s History

LKAB stands for Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara Aktiebolag. The companyis owned by the Swedish Government,and has its head offices in Luleå. It wasfounded, as a private enterprise, in1890, and its first mining activitiesinvolved exploitation of an iron oreopencast on the inhospitable tundraplateau roughly a third of the way fromNarvik to Luleå, at an altitude of around500 m, where the village of Kiruna wasfounded when mining activities started,to accommodate workers.

In 1907 LKAB absorbed Aktiebo-laget Gällivare Malmfält, which in 1884had been granted a concession to ex-ploit iron ore reserves at Malmberget(which literally translates as „Ore Moun-

tain“), near Gällivare, 100 km southeastof Kiruna. That same year the statebought a small stake in the mining con-cern, expanding this over the yearsuntil 1957, when it bought the companyout, acquiring the remaining 4 % of theshares in 1976. Meanwhile, in 1964LKAB opened a new mine near Svappa-vaara, about 50 km east of Kiruna,together with a branch line from thelatter town.

Falling sales during the late 1970sled to closure of this mine in 1983,though iron ore pellets are still produ-ced in the factory here, whilst there areother ore enrichment centres in Kirunaand Malmberget, too. 1974 was the yearwhen the mines recorded their all-time

maximum output - 30.9 million tonnes.There then followed a general drop inoutput as the world market for iron orewent into temporary decline, thoughproduction has stabilised since the turnof the millennium at around 25 milliontonnes per annum. Kiruna is still thehome of the world’s largest under-ground iron ore mine, and this incre-dible working accounts for around 67 %of all LKAB’s output.

Nowadays the ore is extractedfrom a vast warren of underground gal-leries, extending to a depth of around1,045 m, and this lowest level has itsown railway system with trains, hauled

by driverless locomotives, loading toaround 500 t each. A new workinglevel, at a depth of 1,365 m, is to becreated, and this too will have its ownrail system. Moreover, only around a third of the body of ore has so farbeen extracted. In 2010 a new mine inSvappavaara was opened and one ofthe mines which had been closed herein the early 1980s is planned to be re-opened. Over the coming years it isplanned to raise annual output to around37 million tonnes.

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The Malmbana/Ofotbana

474 km in length, excluding theLKAB branch to Svappavaara, this rail-way links Narvik with Luleå via Kirunaand Gällivare. It owes its Swedish nameto the fact that it serves the LKAB ironore mining districts, whilst its Norwegianname reflects the fact that Narvik liesat the head of fjord Ofotfjorden. Con-struction in Sweden, by the London-re-gistered Swedish & Norwegian RailwayCompany, began in 1884, with the36 km linking Luleå with Boden (thejunction with the main line to Stockholmand the south) inaugurated in 1886,and Gällivare, 168 km from Boden,being reached the following year. Thefirst iron ore train ran on 12 March 1888.

However, soon afterwards a majorproblem was discovered - the springthaw caused trackbed subsidence, andsuch was the scale of the damage thatit was not until 23 March 1892 that thetrains started running again. In 1889

the railway company went bankrupt,and the line was acquired by the Statefor 8 million SEK - half the constructioncost. The 100 km from Gällivare toKiruna were inaugurated in autumn1899.

Luleå is ice-bound in winter, so themining companies naturally looked westto the fishing village of Narvik, whoseport is free of ice throughout the year.Construction of the Ofotbana, againunder the auspices of the London-re-gistered Swedish & Norwegian RailwayCompany, began on 3 July 1885,Narvik was renamed Victoriahavn (onlytemporarily) the following year, and bythe time the company went bankruptin 1889, 20 km of trackbed withinNorway had been completed. Therethen followed negotiations betweenLKAB and the Norwegian Government,which eventually agreed to finance com-pletion of the line, work resuming inautumn 1898. Tracklaying was com-pleted on 14 November 1902 and King

Oscar II performed the formal inaugu-ration on 14 July 1903. The Swedishinfrastructure was owned by state ope-rator Statens Järnväger (SJ), and thatin Norway by the latter’s counterpart,Norges Statsbaner (NSB). Although theOfotbana was well and truly isolatedfrom the rest of the Norwegian rail net-work, NSB nevertheless supplied themotive power here.

The whole line was initially workedusing a fleet of steam locomotives, butthese struggled with the loaded oretrains on the steep ascent betweenTorneträsk lake and the Norwegian bor-der at Riksgransen. To improve opera-tion, in 1910 SJ started planning the15 kV 15 Hz electrification of thesection of line between Kiruna andRiksgränsen. This was completed in1915, but its prolongation by NSB toNarvik was not formally inaugurateduntil 10 June 1923, at which time thefrequency was adjusted to 16 2/3 Hz.The same year the catenary was exten-

ded east to Gällivare, Boden and Luleå.It is interesting to note that this was oneof the very first railway electrificationsin Europe to be realised under a turnkeycontract. Moreover, the work had to bedone under very difficult climatic con-ditions.

The first 15 electric locomotiveswere built for SJ by Siemens, thesebeing intended for freight duties anddesignated Class Oa, rated at 1,200 kWand with a 1’C+C’1 axle arrangement.Two more, built by ASEA, were desig-nated Class Pa, had a 2’ B 2’ axlearrangement, were rated at 665 kW,and were used for passenger services.In 1922 SJ acquired a batch of ClassOe electrics, rated at 2,060 kW, toenable an increase in trailing loads onthe short but stiff westbound climbbetween Abisko and Vassijaure. NSBin turn ordered from Thune i Hamar,Siemens and AEG a batch of ten ClassEI 3 two-section articulated locomoti-ves, rated at 2,133 kW. By the 1930s

An aerial view looking south over the town of Kiruna, the railway station (centre foreground)and the opencast part of the iron ore mine. The right-hand photo shows Malmkaia, the oreterminal in Narvik (town centre in background), which can accommodate vessels with a loadingcapacity of up to 350,000 t, and which is ice-free throughout the year.

In January 2006 work started on a new ore discharge facility, SILA, at the site of the shunting yard for ore trains in the actual terminal. There are11 underground silos for ore, and one for additives. They have a diameter of 40 m and a depth of 60 m, and the discharge hall is 600 m long, the trackrunning on a bridge above the silos. Between 1.3 and 1.5 million tonnes of ore can be stored. Conveyors run from the silos to the screening plantand quays. The left-hand photo, taken on 1 September 2006, shows excavation in progress, while by 17 September 2009 (right) the work was nearingcompletion, with the excavations filled in and track laid through the unloading hall with hot-water shower for de-icing to facilitate unloading, on the right.

Photo: Jürgen Hörstel Photo: Jürgen Hörstel

Photo: LKAB Photo: LKAB

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the standard iron ore train consisted of45 wagons, each with a payload of 35 tof ore. Colour light signalling was in-stalled, and the single track route, withits numerous multi-track passing loops,had a capacity of over 12 million tonnesper annum.

In 1953 NSB’s EI 3s were trans-formed into three-section locomotivesby the expedient of joining one sectionto a two-section machine, while the EI 4s were simply coupled permanentlyin pairs, to create six-section leviathans.They were thus compatible in terms ofhauling capability with SJ’s Class Dmelectrics, for which in all 97 sectionswere built by ASEA between 1953 and1971. These originally had a 1’D+D1’axle arrangement. Three such locomo-tives were ordered with an additionalbooster section designated Dm3,giving them a 1’D+D+D1’ configurationand increasing their power rating from3,680 to 5,520 kW. In 1960 the last15 two-section Class Dm 1200s, withmore powerful traction motors rated at4,800 kW, were acquired. A sixteenthDm 1200 was acquired, this one alreadyprovided with a booster section, givingit a power rating of 7,200 kW. Subse-quently the 15 two-section Dm 1200swere also given boosters, thus increa-sing their power rating to 7,200 kW.These Dm3s could haul trains with a weight of 5,200 t. Unofficially all thethree-section locomotives are calledDm3, though only the central section hasthis designation on its number plate.

NSB in turn acquired six similar sin-gle-cab sections from Motala Verkstadin 1954, and two more sections weredelivered in 1957 from Nohab, thus cre-ating a fleet of four two-section ClassEI 12 locomotives in all. Three weresubsequently rebuilt as three-sectionlocomotives. Unlike in the case of theSwedish rebuilds, the centre sectionsof the EI 12s still had cabs. In 1967 sixsingle-section Co’Co’ Class EI 15 loco-motives were ordered from ASEA, these

being rated at 5,400 kW. The maximumweight of iron ore trains hauled by a pairof these Norwegian electrics was also5,200 t - the same as for the three-section Dm3s.

The deterioration of the iron oremarket in the early 1980s promptedLKAB to negotiate with both SJ and NSBto improve efficiency and to reducetransport costs. To retain its level ofcompetitiveness in the world marketfor iron ore, LKAB had to make its trans-port system more efficient, on a par withthose serving Australian, Brazilian andCanadian mines. Some progress wasachieved during this decade, but it trans-pired that both state operators were stillmaking large operational surpluses, with

MTAB/MTAS took over from SJ and NSB a batch of around 900 type Uad andUadp ore wagons, some 600 from SJ and 300 from NSB. These were as anintermediate solution supplemented later by 110 type Uadk wagons, which likethe earlier ones, can carry a payload of 80 t. However, LKAB decided to investin a completely new fleet of vehicles each capable of carrying 100 t of ore. Thefirst 70 of these type UNO wagons were ordered in 1998 from a South Africanmanufacturer (Transwerk), but afterwards LKAB relied on the Malmö-based com-pany Kockums Industrier to supply the remainder, called Fanoo wagons.The underframes and running gear are built in Malmö (see R 5/09, pp. 68 - 70),while Kiruna Wagon, acting as sub-supplier, builds the bodies and the hopperunloading system, and realises the final stages of assembly. The framework contractworth 800 million SEK (at that time around 77 million EUR) specified 760 suchvehicles, and the last of these were outshopped in autumn 2010. Then, on 3 May2010, encouraged by the economic revival and the expansion of mining activitiesin northern Sweden, LKAB ordered 74 more, worth around 10.5 million EUR, andthese will be delivered by summer 2011. Here is the first 100-tonne payloadFanoo wagon after assembly at Kiruna Wagon’s works on 4 October 2005.

104 under construction at Kassel on 18 October 2001. On the right isALP4602, destined for NJT. It was quite a coincidence that while the firstbatch of IOREs was under construction, so was the first batch of ALP46s,while construction of the second batch of IOREs coincided with that ofthe ALP46As and the start of work on the batch of electro-dieselALP45DPs (see R 6/10, pp. 52 - 58).

Photo: Jaromír Pernička

few benefits accruing to the miningconcern. In December 1991 LKABannounced that it wanted to assumeresponsibility for ore train operation, andthis was agreed to in April the followingyear by the Swedish rail infrastructuremanager, Banverket.

Both SJ and NSB subsequentlyannounced plans for a joint venture torun the ore trains, and on 8 June 1995Malmtrafik (MTAB in Sweden, MTASin Norway, reflecting language diffe-rences) was created as LKAB’s railtransport subsidiary, and with sharehol-ding participation by both SJ and NSB(24.5 % each). In autumn 1996, withMTAB owning the fleets of Dm, Dm3and EI 15 locomotives, Malmtrafik be-came the first open access railfreightoperator in Europe to run internationaltrains. With LKAB, like SJ and NSB,

being state-owned, this was not quitethe equivalent of a true private railfreightoperation, though! The same year NSBhived off its infrastructure managementactivities to Jernbaneverket.

Both Jernbaneverket and the 2010successor to Banverket, Trafikverket,which is also responsible for road, seaand air transport issues in Sweden, arecommitted to maintaining and develo-ping the Luleå to Narvik rail corridoraccording to LKAB’s requirements, anda major advance came in 2007 whenthe axle-load limit was raised from25 to 30 t, following a request fromLKAB dating from 1998. During upgra-ding of the line the trackbed foundationwas strengthened and bridges werereinforced or rebuilt to accommodatethe heavier axle-load, and the passingloops were extended in length to 790 m

Following the electrification of the Ofotbana in 1923, NSB relied on Class El 3 and El 4 locomotives, similar to those usedby SJ. By the 1960s these were reaching the end of their useful lives, so in 1967 NSB ordered a batch of six Class El 15single-section Co’Co’ locomotives from ASEA, rated at 5,400 kW, based on the design of CFL’s type 060-EA. Both these lattertypes were built under ASEA licence by Electroputere in Romania. The operator originally thought about having them builtas single-cab locomotives, but in the end opted for a cab at each end, so that they could also be used singly on passengertrains if required. In pairs the EI 15s offered the same tractive effort as a three-section SJ Class Dm3. Although they weremuch more powerful than the latter, and incorporated more modern technology, their tractive characteristics were not as goodas those of the Dm3s. The El 15s were given the numbers from 15 2191 to 15 2196. Here we see El 15 2195 and2192 at Narvik in August 1999, with Dm3 1215/1246/1216 in the background. Once most of the IOREs of the firstbatch had been delivered, the El 15s were sold in 2004 to Hector Rail, having hauled their last iron ore trains betweenKiruna and Narvik on 30 November 2003.

Photo: LKAB

Photo: Tomáš Kuchta

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Track Gauge 1,435 mmOperating Ambient Temperature Range +30 to -40 0CAxle Arrangement Co’Co’ + Co’Co’Power Supply Voltage 15 kV 16.7 HzMaximum Speed 80 km/hContinuous Power 2 x 5,400 kWStarting Tractive Effort 2 x 600 kNBoosting Starting Tractive Effort 2 x 700 kNEDB Power At Wheel Rim 2 x 5,400 kWMaximum Recuperative Braking Force 750 kNLength Over Couplings 2 x 22,905 mmDistance Between Bogie Centres (Within Each Locomotive Section) 12,890 mmBogie Wheelbase 1,920 + 1,920 mmBodyshell Width 2,950 mmMax. Height Over Rail Top 4,465 mmWheel Diameter (New) 1,250 mmMinimum Curve Radius Negotiable 90 mAxle-Load 30 tWeight In Working Order 2 x 180 t

Principal Technical Data

to enable the crossing of longer trains(740 m).

IORE Advent

In February 1995, when negotiationswith LKAB had reached deadlock, SJand NSB announced that they weregoing to issue an invitation to tenderfor a new batch of electric locomotives.The creation of Malmtrafik enabled allthree parties concerned to develop thisproject, which culminated on 12 Sep-tember 1998 in the signing of a con-tract with Adtranz and the latter’sKassel, Oerlikon, Winterthur, Siegenand Hennigsdorf subsidiaries for a batchof nine new machines. The followingyear LKAB bought up the Malmtrafikshares owned by SJ and NSB.

At that time Adtranz offered a familyof locomotives brand-named Octeon,to which belong DB’s Class 145s, andthe machines for the Narvik to Luleåline were based on this, duly adapted

for service under conditions of heavysnow and extremely low temperatures.

I-ORE (standing for Iron Ore) wasused as a working name in LKAB’sinvitation to tender, but by the time theproject really got under way the namechosen for the locomotives was simplyIORE, without the hyphen. They aretwo-section locomotives, with a Co’Co’+Co’Co’ axle arrangement, and eachsection bears its own number. 101 +102 were assembled at Adtranz’sKassel factory, work starting in March2000, and were delivered to Kiruna inAugust that year, being subjected tointensive testing before batch produc-tion started up. Testing on lines inGermany was not possible on accountof the 30-tonne axle-load. The locomo-tive was commissioned in Decemberthat year, driver and maintenance stafftraining was realised, and it enteredcommercial service on 7 March 2001.

In May 2001 Bombardier acquiredAdtranz, and took over responsibility forthe IORE order, the type subsequentlybeing designated TRAXX H80 ACwhen in September 2003 the TRAXXfamily was created. „H“ signifies „Heavy“(freight), 80 is the maximum servicespeed, and AC refers to the voltagesupply type. The remainder of the batchwere delivered between 2002 and2004 (details in the table on p. 41).Three were deployed on Gällivare toLuleå trains, the remainder on serviceslinking Kiruna with Narvik (the „Southern“and „Northern Loops“, respectively).Since 2006 Bombardier’s ServiceDivision has provided spare part supplyfor the locomotives.

A 52 million EUR contract for fourmore IOREs was signed on 13 August2007. The price per locomotive wassomewhat greater than for the initialbatch - over the period since 1998material and labour costs had risen, andwith such a small batch economies of scale were not really possible. Foroperational and authorisation reasons,efforts were made to maintain the samedesign specifications for both series oflocomotives, although naturally in thelater batch minor modifications were

incorporated, reflecting technologicaladvances realised since the firstIOREs were built, and also feedbackfrom LKAB concerning operating expe-riences with these.

Over the intervening years newdesign and safety standards had

come into force, too, and these requiredconsideration. Perhaps the most diffi-cult task for Bombardier was sourcingthe appropriate electrical and electroniccomponents, since these were now inrelatively short supply. Fortunately, onlya few were no longer available on the

On 26 January 2010 Klas Wahlberg(president of Bombardier Transpor-tation AB) officially handed over119 + 120 to LKAB/MTAB, whichwas represented by the company’sHead of Logistics, Goran Heikkilä.

IORE 119 en route to Kiruna, at Freden/Leine on the Göttingen - Hannover line on 21 October 2009. Hauling this unusual train is DB’s 155 033,built by LEW of Hennigsdorf (now Bombardier) for Deutsche Reichsbahn in the late 1970s. This locomotive has an hourly rating of 5,400 kW and a top speedof 125 km/h. 119, on its own, also has a similar power rating and a Co’Co’ axle arrangement, and operates off 15 kV AC, but otherwise these two machines of quitedifferent generations have very little in common. Since each of the IORE’s bogies weighs around 30 t, these were replaced by lighter ones to keep the axle-load toaround 20 t, and to comply with the DB Netz infrastructure limits. The first wagon is carrying the IORE’s snowploughs and around 30 t of ballast including the tractiontransformer’s protective structures.

Photo: Jürgen Hörstel

Photo: Christoph Domay

With snow having already fallen, 119 nears Kiruna on 24 October 2009,headed by Green Cargo’s Rc2 1138.

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market. Moreover, the design and engi-neering teams were faced with the notinconsiderable challenge of convertingall the locomotive diagrams and docu-mentation into the latest computerisedformats.

The final assembly of 119 + 120began at Kassel in July 2009, with119 being outshopped on 20 October2009 and dispatched to Kiruna, arri-ving just three days later. 120 departedon 13 November that year, reaching itsnew home on the 17th of the month.The last fitting-out procedures wererealised at Kiruna, involving the repla-cement of the special bogies used fortransport purposes by ordinary ones,the installation of ballast in the machi-nery room and around the transformerto bring the axle-load up to 30 t, andthe mounting of certain exterior fittings,such as grab-rails, mirrors and snow-ploughs. Then followed testing and com-missioning, and 119 + 120 enteredservice in January 2010. The last ofthe batch, 126, departed from Kasselon 13 August 2010, to be paired upwith 125.

After all the IOREs have enteredservice the remaining Dm3s will bewithdrawn, and it will be possible tolengthen all freight trains from 52 to68 wagons, each with a 100 t payload,raising the total load from 5,200 to8,160 t (payload is increased from4,160 to 6,800 t) and increasing trainlength from 470 to 740 m. The maximumpermitted speed of loaded trains hasalso been lifted from 50 to 60 km/h.As a result, line capacity has beenincreased from 28 to 33 million tonnesper annum, whilst the number of servi-ces per day has dropped, thus freeingup line capacity for both LKAB andother operators, both freight and pas-senger. The annual number of ore trainsfrom the mines to the ports is beingreduced from around 7,000 to 4,000,and this will result for LKAB in a costreduction per tonne km of nearly 50 %.

IORE Anatomy

The following sections describe theIOREs of the first batch, although dif-ferences incorporated in the machinesof the second batch are also noted.The two sections of each locomotiveare identical, so descriptions and dimen-sions refer in general to just one of these.

Bodyshell And Underframe

Each section has a cab at one endand a close-coupled bellows gangwayat the other, allowing locomotive crewsaccess from one section to the other.The inner ends also have tail lights andan automatic coupling, with sockets andcables for electric circuit connectionsbetween the two sections being con-cealed from the elements within thegangway. Under normal circumstancesthe two sections are always coupledtogether, and although they can theo-retically run independently, they are usu-ally only separated for maintenance.

The IORE is designed for tensionand compression drawbar forces ofup to 2,700 kN. Initially the locomotiveswere ordered with Type F Association

of American Railroads (AAR) coup-lings. However, because of delays inthe delivery of the new wagons, theyinitially had to haul the older stock, fittedwith Russian-style type SA3 couplings.101 + 102 were indeed fitted withAAR F couplings, but all subsequentmembers of the fleet from 103 + 104onwards had SA3 couplings at theirfront ends and AAR F couplings at theirinner ends. Another reason for thesubsequent replacement of all AAR Fcouplings was their lack of robustnesscompared with the SA3s.

At the front end of each section ofthe IORE there is a pair of auxiliarybuffers, designed by Adtranz/Bombar-dier. These are retracted when thelocomotive is hauling iron ore wagons,but can be extended if the IORE has tobe coupled to vehicles with a UIC-typescrew coupling and buffers. This mayhappen only in an emergency and islimited up to a maximum trailing load ofabout 1,000 t.

As with other Kassel-built TRAXXes,the bodyshells for the IOREs were pro-duced at Bombardier’s Wrocław works.The bodyshell is made of S355 NLsteel, the structure being welded andensuring that design impact strengthis maintained even at temperatures aslow as -50 0C. Although the standardtechnical specifications are for anambient temperature range of between+30 and -40 0C, in the winter of 1999/2000 temperatures as low as -54 0Cwere recorded, and these causedbreaks in the rails, with chipping of railssometimes occurring between twoadjacent sleepers! Services had to besuspended for several days whilerepairs were effected.

The bodyshell is structured to with-stand an end-on compressive force ofup to 3,500 kN. The cab windscreensare capable of withstanding an impactwhich conforms with the UIC test sce-nario standards. As in the rest ofScandinavia, a common problem onlines through isolated rural areas is thepresence of reindeer and elk on thetrack. Each year in the past LKAB recor-ded around 1,000 (!) collisions withreindeer, though a mere 50 with elk.Such incidents cause damage to loco-

Just completed, 119 + 120 stands next to 111 + 112 on 26 January 2010 at Kiruna depot. On 119 are clearlyvisible the covers of the traction transformer and the massive protection beams on the bogies, which bothserve to minimise underframe damage should a broken rail cause a derailment.

motive air pipes and equipment moun-ted below the underframe. These inci-dents are usually terminal in nature forthe poor lumbering beast that has beenimpacted. To protect trains and wildlifeand to reduce the number of incidents,most stretches of line are now beingfenced.

The designers of the IORE werenot too concerned about weightsavings - in fact, quite the opposite,since to bring the axle-load up to 30 tit was necessary to install ballast. Thebodyshell is thus extremely robust, withsidewall panels which are 16 mm thick,compared with just 3 mm on an ordinaryEuropean TRAXX. The plates used forthe main frame are even more massive,

the front end plates here being 50 mmthick.

The traction transformer, suspendedbeneath the centre of the main frame,is protected at both ends by a massivesteel structure weighing around 6 t.Further ballast, in the form of sets ofsteel plates weighing around 6 t each,is installed in the machinery room, aboveeach secondary suspension system.Since LKAB initially requested the pos-sibility of being able to vary the axle-load from 25 to 30 t, sections 101 and102 were put in service with a 30 taxle-load, while the majority of the firstbatch locomotives operated for severalyears with an axle-load of 25 t, but thesewere all later ballasted up to 30 t. The

Photo: Christoph Domay

Manufacturer Production Built Operator’sNumber Number

Adtranz 33829 2000 IORE 101Adtranz 33830 2000 IORE 102Bombardier 33899 2001 IORE 103Bombardier 33900 2001 IORE 104Bombardier 33901 2001 IORE 105Bombardier 33902 2001 IORE 106Bombardier 33903 2002 IORE 107Bombardier 33904 2002 IORE 108Bombardier 33905 2002 IORE 109Bombardier 33906 2002 IORE 110Bombardier 33907 2002 IORE 111Bombardier 33908 2002 IORE 112Bombardier 33909 2003 IORE 113Bombardier 33910 2003 IORE 114Bombardier 33911 2004 IORE 115Bombardier 33912 2004 IORE 116Bombardier 33913 2004 IORE 117Bombardier 33914 2004 IORE 118Bombardier 34845 2009 IORE 119Bombardier 34846 2009 IORE 120Bombardier 34847 2010 IORE 121Bombardier 34848 2010 IORE 122Bombardier 34849 2010 IORE 123Bombardier 34850 2010 IORE 124Bombardier 34851 2010 IORE 125Bombardier 34852 2010 IORE 126

Delivery Dates Of IORE Locomotives

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second batch of IORE locomotivesstarted service ballasted to a 30 t axle-load.

Points for attaching tackle to lift thelocomotive are situated on the mainframe at both ends of the vehicle andadjacent to the secondary suspensionsystem. Underneath the cab ends,below the front plates, are rugged,arrow-shaped snowploughs, their shapedesigned to eject the snow from thetrack. The lower edge of the plough issituated at a minimum height of 165mm above rail top, even though it iswide enough to clear a broad path sothat snow does not foul the bogies.

The roof hatches can be removedto access the machine room, whilethe sidewalls and underframe form anintegrated unit. The roof consists ofthree removable steel sections, scre-wed into position on the sidewalls. Thefront and rear sections house the pan-tographs. It is on the roof hatches thatthe FSA filters for drawing in air aresituated, and behind the latter are finefilter mats, which are exchanged everysix months. The equalising chambersof all three hatches are linked by bel-lows. Out of this common chamber airis sucked by two traction motor blowersand two cooling towers. FSA 60/66impurity separators (supplied by SGWWerder, Germany), which operatemechanically, are fitted. These are no-maintenance devices, working on theprinciple of centrifugal force, which isreflected in their name, Fliehkraft-Sedi-mentations-Abscheider (CentrifugalSediment Separator). The numbersstand for profile/installation depth.

There is only one small air intakeon the bodyshell side, and one above

it in the roof hatch, situated to the rearof the cab, on the left-hand side in thedirection of travel. They are the intakesfor the air conditioning unit, the lowerone of these being for its condenser,whilst the upper one is for the intake offresh air, which is treated and ductedto the cab.

Cabs

The spacious cabs, soundproofedand air conditioned, are designed forthe maximum possible comfort for theoccupants on long journeys in harshclimatic conditions. The driving consoleis arranged for a left-hand driving posi-tion and for one-man operation. The 5 kW air conditioning unit is situated inthe machinery room, behind the cab’sbulkhead. Heating in the cab is alsoprovided by floor heating (2 x 2,000 W)and three heaters below the side win-dows, 600 W each. The driver’s seat hasair suspension, and a heated base,while under the console is an adjus-table footrest. A refrigerator, hot plateand a public radio with CD player arealso provided.

As is standard practice in Swedenthere is a foot-operated vigilancedevice, though as an alternative thisis supplemented by a portable consolewith a button, linked by wire to the drivingconsole, so that the driver can walkaround in the cab while the train is onthe move. The flat windscreens areheated and fitted with electricallypowered sun blinds, which are essentialat such high latitudes, when for muchof the day the sun is at a very lowangle. The rear-view mirrors are heated,too, and are adjusted electrically from

inside the cab. The headlights are arran-ged in a triangle, and in each lamp unitthere are two lights. The apex lamp unitalso houses the red tail light.

Five lighting combinations arepossible for various purposes:- 1st position - low beam filaments ofall three halogen headlights on thefront section illuminated, together withthe red tail light on the rear section.This combination is used in stationsor when meeting other trains (or carson adjacent routes) in order not todazzle drivers.

- 2nd position - half beams on the twolower headlights on the front section,using the xenon lights, and low beamfilament of the halogen light on theapex headlight, together with the redtail light on the rear section.

- 3rd position - all three xenon lightson full beam on the front section, plusthe red tail light on the rear section.This is used in normal running on theline.

- 4th position - the two lower head-lights on the front section illuminatedusing the low beam filament of thehalogen light, the apex light switchedoff, and the same combination ofheadlights on the rear section, toget-her with the red tail light. This com-bination is required when shunting isin progress.

- 5th position - the headlights, on fullbeam using the halogen filament, flashthree times in succession at a fre-quency of 0.5 Hz. This indicates anemergency.The sockets for wiring enabling

operation in multiple (two two-sectionIOREs) are situated between the lowerpair of headlights, each incorporating

two contacts for WTB and two contactsfor the Life Signal (the Life Line is anadditional electric link when the twoIOREs running in multiple, which acti-vates the emergency brake and whichis independent on WTB and computersystems). One of the sockets is redwith additional contacts for the 110 V DCsupply, and the other is green with fourmore contacts for the electropneumaticbrake. It is technically feasible for up tothree two-section IOREs to run in mul-tiple, controlled from just one cab, but inpractice this does not happen. Hand-and foot-rails are fitted around the cabsides and front, enabling staff to movesafely when carrying out routine servi-cing and maintenance here.

Access to the cab is via a 650 mmwide, 1,675 mm high door on the right-hand side only looking ahead. Eachsection of the locomotive can be alsoaccessed by a 1,000 x 1,675 mm doorat the inner end, on the right-hand side-wall in the direction of travel. This dooris wider so that depot staff can enterand leave easily when carrying outmaintenance work and handling withbatteries. The door in the rear bulk-head of the cab is 650 mm wide and1,900 mm high, and accesses a corri-dor running through the machineryspace on the centreline of the locomo-tive all the way through to the rear,where a door of identical dimensionsaccesses the gangway connectionbetween the two sections.

The left-hand sliding side windowin the cab is designed as emergencyexit, and can thus be completely remo-ved for this purpose. In each section,at the rear end of the machinery room,there is a lavatory, an essential item

An IORE bogie, showing the massive derailment protection beam, photographed at Kassel on 11 May 2000 following delivery from the works at Siegen.Note the steel pipes and tubes on the outside of the bogie frames in the right-hand photo.

Side view of an IORE locomotive.

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44

Traction characteristic of an IORE locomotive.

given the remote nature of the routethe IOREs are used on, and the severeweather conditions experienced inwinter. The toilets in the first batch ofIOREs were of a dry type, on accountof the risk of water freezing in winter,but a Norwegian Cinderella dry toiletwith electric waste burning system isinstalled in the locomotives of the secondbatch (exhaust being situated neargangway on the bodyshell’s inner end),and the original ones on the first batchare now being replaced by these.

Another winter hazard on the Kirunato Narvik line is avalanches, which canoccasionally bring down the overheadwire and cause power cuts. When thesehappen, drivers are expected to remainwith their trains. Each cab is thus pro-vided with a 5.5 kW reserve fuel oilheating, which is quite a unique fea-ture on an electric locomotive! Theindependent heating aggregate is situa-ted adjacent to the rear bulkhead ofthe cab, in the machinery room, on theopposite side of the centre corridor tothe air conditioning unit, and is fed froma 10-litre fuel tank, whose filling aper-ture is situated beside the heaterbehind a door accessed from the cor-ridor. Each heater can run for up to 15hours between refuelling, and the dieselaggregates installed in the second batchof IOREs are fully compatible with thoseprovided in the first batch.

Bogies

The three-axle Flexifloat bogieswere designed by Bombardier’s bogiedivision and built by Siegen works, thebogie frames being welded at Bombar-dier’s Mátranovák works in Hungary.These heavy bogies, designed specifi-cally for the IOREs, have four cross-beams, while the outer leading one isa massive derailment protection girder,which helps to reduce the risk of da-mage should a derailment caused by a broken rail occur. Guide beams arefitted underneath these girders, so thatshould the bogie derail, it is held inmore or less a straight line, and doesnot slew at an angle to the rails.

Nowadays these bogies are desig-nated FLEXXPower 120, and their framerigidity complies with the UIC 615 norm.Each bogie supports the bodyshell ontwo pairs of secondary Flexicoil springs,

while the primary suspension consistsof short helicoidal springs. The wheel-sets are guided laterally by the lattersprings, while the longitudinal forcesare transmitted by horizontal links. Thetraction and braking forces betweenthe bogie and the bodyshell are trans-ferred by means of an inclined tractionrod. Hydraulic dampers deaden thevertical and transverse movements bothof the bogie and of the bodyshell.

The wheels are of monoblocdesign, and at Siegen plant they werepressed onto a forged axles (which weresupplied by Bonatrans, Bohumín in theCzech Republic). The wheelsets can beexchanged without the bogies beingdismantled. The housings for the bea-rings are metal castings, and theircovers are adapted to accommodateearth return brushes. The wheel rpmsensors are however installed on thetraction motors to avoid the risk of fre-quent damage by snow and ice. Theaxle-boxes incorporate pre-lubricatedand sealed SKF cylindrical roller bea-ring units. The leading wheelset of thefront bogie has flange lubrication jets,with automatic control of the air valveof the lubrication dispenser. There aretwo heated sandboxes, one on eachside of the leading end of each bogie,

and each with a capacity of 30 litres ofsand. Heated tubes from the sandbo-xes eject sand onto the rails in front ofthe leading wheels of the first bogie inthe direction of travel. The volume ofsand dispensed is controlled by thedriver.

The asynchronous, squirrel-cagetraction motors are type 6-FRA7072 D manufactured at Bombardier’sHennigsdorf works, and have a nomi-nal power rating of 918 kW. They arenose-suspended, of welded construc-tion, and frameless. The cooling air isdelivered from the chamber in the cent-re section of the roof and once used isexhausted downwards onto the trackfrom the traction motors. The single-stage axle-mounted gearboxes are alsoproduced by Bombardier, their wheelsincorporating oblique gearing (40), thegear ratio being 1 : 6.2666. This is setfor the optimum tractive force at a maxi-mum speed of 60 km/h with a rake ofloaded wagons and 70 km/h with a rakeof empty ones. In the IORE’s secondbatch the traction motors of the samedesign, but produced by TSA of WienerNeudorf, were installed.

Traction Equipment

Given the harsh natural conditionsunder which the IOREs would be ope-rating, the design engineers strove tominimise the quantity of roof-mountedelectrical equipment. This consistssolely of the two pantographs, the twosurge arresters and the grommets tothe inside. The main switch and theearthing switch are located within themachinery room, as are the pantographdisconnecting switches. The two pan-tographs are Schunk WBL88 models,with a skid width of 1,800 mm. A deviceis fitted to ensure that the pantographcan be lowered rapidly should thecarbon current collection strip break.

In each section there is a high vol-tage filter (HVF), necessary to avoiddisturbing the ageing Swedish Auto-matic Train Control system (ATC-2),which is used in Norway too. Thelocomotive’s ATC equipment commu-

nicates with that at the lineside usingelectronic telegrams.

The 15 kV AC 16.7 Hz power sup-ply passes from pantographs throughthe main switch to the type LOT 7165traction transformer, housed in analuminium tank and produced by ABBSwitzerland. The transformer is locatedbetween the bogies, has an output ofup to 7,162 kVA and has four secondarytraction windings. Two of them feed witha maximum 1,350 V single-phase vol-tage one Camilla traction converter oftype UW2423-2810. The traction con-verters change the single-phase voltageinto a three-phase, pulse-modulated onewith a maximum of 2,180 V for the trac-tion motors.

The traction converter, whichhas an output of 2,700 kW, comprisestwo four-quadrant rectifiers, an inter-mediate DC circuit operating at 2,800 Vand a three-phase traction inverter. Thissupplies a voltage of variable frequencyand current for the traction motors.Three of the latter always function inparallel, in group control mode, and thuseach section of the locomotive has twomotor groups. In the traction convertersof all IOREs, water-cooled GTO thyris-tors were used. If one of the four motorgroups of the two-section locomotivefail, then it can still haul a 8,200 t rakeof loaded wagons, and even stop andstart without any difficulty on the steepsection of the Kiruna - Narvik line.

The fifth secondary transformer win-ding powers the auxiliaries. There isone three-phase auxiliary converter ineach section, which creates a 3 x 400 Vnetwork and which incorporates IGBTmodules in both batches of locomoti-ves. The cooling requirements of theIORE vary significantly according tothe time of year and weather conditions,hence under „average“ conditions thethree outputs from the auxiliary con-verters are used as follows: - the first output creates a variable vol-tage of between 40 and 400 V witha frequency of between 5 and 50 Hzfor powering the motors of the fansfor the cooling of the traction motors,

- the second output creates a variable

ABB’s traction transformer for the IOREs has an aluminium housing. Itsdesign power is 7,162 kVA, and it comprises four traction windings, twofilters, one auxiliary reactor and two secondary harmonics filter reactors.It weighs 14 t and has losses of 260 kW. It was developed jointly by ABBand Bombardier’s Oerlikon works in Switzerland.

Photo:ABB

45

voltage of between 40 and 400 V witha frequency of between 5 and 50 Hzfor powering the motors of the fansfor the cooling of the traction trans-former and the traction converters,

- the third output, with a fixed voltageof 400 V and a fixed frequency of 50 Hz, supplies the motors of thecompressor, the motors of the trans-former oil and cooling liquid pumps,the cab air condition, heating andwindscreen heating, the pre-heatingunits of the traction converters andcompressor, the charger for the 110 Vbattery, and finally the motor of themachinery room overpressure fan.Each section has a 110 Ah NiCd

battery, which fullfills the requirementfor operation without charging over a period of two hours. The battery,which is housed near the rear entrancedoor to facilitate access, has 80 cellsarranged in two-level plugs, and afterthey have been unlocked, it can beremoved from the locomotive using a fork-lift truck.

The cooling towers for both thetraction transformer and traction con-verters were supplied by Behr Indus-trietechnik, Stuttgart. The main transfor-mer is cooled by a mineral oil, whileboth the traction and auxiliary conver-ters are cooled by water with glycolanti-freeze added, which withstandstemperatures as low as -50 0C. As inthe case of all TRAXX locomotives, allthese components are modular indesign, so that they can be assembledand tested prior to installation.

One additional difference betweenthe two batches of IOREs concernsthe electrical equipment. In the morerecent locomotives Silicon cablesmanufactured by K. M. Cables &Conductors are used since the originalGKW-Arctic type, produced by Huber +Suhner, is no longer available. Basicallyall the modifications incorporated inthe second batch were designed witha view to their future incorporation inthe first batch if required, without cau-sing operational or maintenance diffi-culties. This was the most difficult aspectregarding building the second batchafter nearly a decade had elapsed sincethe first - great efforts were necessaryto acquire components suitable for usein temperatures as low as of -40 0C andwhich were, as far as possible, identicalto those used in the earlier machine.Matters were complicated even moreby the fact that in the second IOREbatch an even smaller number of loco-motives than in the first was involved.

Braking Systems

The principal braking system iselectrodynamic, recuperative. The KnorrKE-GP automatic brake is electro-pneu-matically controlled. The train pipepressure is defined by the brake con-trol and adjusted by an analogue con-verter. The direct-acting brake is con-trolled electrically. It is also possible torealise a rapid air discharge from thetrain pipe simply by opening the emer-gency brake valve, one of which is

situated in each cab. When the driverapplies the train brake, the locomotivebrakes using the EDB for as long as thecatenary can accept the recuperatedenergy.

Disc brakes are not fitted becausethe IORE locomotives are designed fora low maximum speed and because a tread brake would also be neces-sary for conditioning of the wheel sur-face. Only mechanical friction brakeshoes are fitted, and each wheel hasits own brake shoe unit. Air for activa-ting the mechanical braking is suppliedby steel pipes which are mounted onthe outside of the bogie frames. If theEDB is functioning, the pneumatic brakein each section is deactivated oncespeed rises above 5 km/h, providedthat the EDB force is sufficient. One ofeach of the pneumatic cylinders on eachwheelset is equipped with a spring-applied parking brake, and the latter isactivated from the driving console.

Compressed air creation andtreatment takes place in a pneumaticdistributor, and the compressed air of10 bar is supplied by a Knorr SL 40screw compressor (one in each section)delivering around 2,800 l/min. The twomain compressed air reservoirs in eachsection of the locomotive each have a capacity of 800 litres and are situatedin the rear part of the machinery room.In extreme winter conditions heat fromthe compressor cooling system is fedinto the machinery space, while insummer, when temperatures in Laplandcan reach remarkable heights, the heat

is blown out via an aperture situated atthe base of the bodyshell. The machi-nery room has no other heating, whileall components there are designed towork under exterior temperatures aslow as -40 0C. The auxiliary convertercan start up at once under such a lowtemperature, and only the cooling liquidin the traction converter has to be„pre-heated“ a bit, to at least -27 0Cbefore it becomes operational.

Another essential piece of pneuma-tic equipment is a powerful air dryer,on account of the wintertime changefrom relatively mild, humid air on thecoast to cold, dry air up on the tundraplateau, which inevitably causes con-densation.

Control Systems

Bombardier’s MITRAC control sys-tem is installed. Although unusual in themodern era dominated by three-phaselocomotives with continuously gradua-ted power control, the IOREs havestepped controls for acceleration andbraking: the master controller has 41positions for power applications and30 for the electrodynamic brake. Theconsole instrumentation enables thedriver to see these positions simulta-neously for both sections of the loco-motive. When starting off, positions 1 to30 are used for speeds up to 16 km/h,when a maximum tractive force of1,200 kN is achieved. Then positions31 to 41 apply, thence up to 32 km/h,each step with a maximum tractive

The driving console of an IORE from the first batch. On the left of the driving position is the automatic train brake control lever, which is via indepen-dent bus connections (WTB) wired to the brake electronic. On the right is the combined power and electrodynamic brake (EDB) control, which has sixpositions. Zero is in the centre, the first position forward is S/1 („S“ stands for „Stay“) and is used when coupling up to a rake of wagons. The second position forwardis „+“, for step up. The power rises in progressive steps for as long as the lever is held in this position. If the driver then returns it to position S/1, the step last engagedremains active. If the driver moves the lever backwards beyond the 0 position, he engages the EDB, which has „S“ and „-“ positions. If the driver then pushes thelever as far back as possible, it reaches the emergency (NB) position, but the latter can only be engaged if he applies force to the lever - it is protected by a powerfulspring so that it is not possible to engage it unintentionally. The emergency brake applies the maximum braking effort of 750 kN. Should the main control lever suffera failure, the driver can select the same steps using the shunting switch, situated under the left-hand window.On the far left of the horizontal panel is the lever for the two-tone warning horn. The left-hand sloping panel houses the direction of travel selector, the buttons andindicators for pantograph operation, the parking brake, the compressor etc., the key switch to activate control electronics, and the secured pushbutton to deactivate thedriver’s breath alcohol level checker (which is installed on the second batch IOREs so far). The red button applies the emergency brake. Above these is the train datainput panel, and at the top of this panel is the shunting radio. All other basic operating data - speed, overhead wire voltage, traction and braking current, power beingapplied, air pressure levels in the main air reservoir and in the brake cylinders, and suchlike are positioned on the central sloping panel in the set of indicators. On the left of the central panel is the GSM-R train radio display (a new type is installed on the second batch IOREs, since the original model was no longer available).On the right of the central panel there is a public radio with CD player. Towards the top of this fascia is the white rectangular horizontal display panel of the SwedishATP system. On the right-hand sloping panel are switches for operating the windscreen heating and wipers, sanders, exterior and interior lighting, clock and suchlike.There is also an INC-50 PIXY display for diagnostic and other operational data. On the far right of the console is the yellow wired control handset of the vigilancedevice to enable the driver to walk around in the cab. The adjustable folding footrests for the driver underneath the console are visible on the left and right.

46

force of 1,200 kN (of course the lowersteps can be used also for speeds hig-her than 16 km/h, but with lower trac-tive effort than the higher steps - seediagram on p. 44). At that stage thetractive effort (hyperbolic output) startsto fall, to around 500 kN at 80 km/h.

With a rake of empty wagons theeffort of the electrodynamic brake isregulated in 10 steps up to 250 kN,whereas with a fully loaded train thedriver simply presses a button to obtainthe maximum effort of 750 kN, the 30thstep on the master controller for theEDB.

Sound reasoning lies behind thechoice of this type of control system,based on an assessment of LKAB’smany years of experience in handlingheavy trains. The drivers can evaluatetheir driving style better when they areaware exactly which power and brakingsteps are the most suitable for eachstretch of line. This is invaluable on a linewith numerous curves and frequentchanges of gradient, since the 740 mlong rakes of wagons and locomotiveare rarely all on a homogenous stretchof track simultaneously.

Certain functions are used for spe-cific operating conditions, namely:- using the Boost button the startingtractive effort can be increased to1,400 kN. This is achieved by incre-asing the power limit for a short time.

- During shunting (steps 1 to 5) or whenthe IORE, which weighs 360 t in wor-king order, is being carefully reversedonto a rake of wagons, there is a maxi-mum speed of just 1.2 km/h possible,with the tractive effort falling to zero.

- at iron ore loading and unloadingfacilities a very sensitive speed regu-lator can be employed, and trainspeed can be regulated very preci-sely, in steps of just 0.1 m/s (a mere360 m/h). This is achieved by a pushbutton selecting the step to internalspeed control in „creeping“ mode,reliant on low voltage and mainly lowfrequency, the essential factors inthe speed control of three-phase ACmotors.

- technically it is possible to run withjust one section of the locomotiveactivated. The driver is able to selectwhich section is inactive. This is alsouseful at loading and unloading faci-lities, where the section closest to thewagons can be shut down, to preventthe air intakes from sucking in dustand dirt. Running with one section isalso useful on the approaches to theunloading terminals at Narvik andLuleå, while the ore is defrosting fol-lowing the run over the mountains.When running with the rear section

of the locomotive chosen as the activeone, the leading section has to be swit-ched into „driving trailer“ mode sothat all necessary functions - cab andwindscreen heating, air conditioning andthe battery charger - remain active andare powered from the 3 x 400 V ACsupply. For this purpose a power con-nection is installed in the gangway bet-ween both sections, and this has to beactivated.

The IORE incorporates a stand-byregime, in which it can be parked withthe pantographs raised, to power the

auxiliary functions. Moreover, the depot3 x 400 V 50 Hz power supply can beplugged in to activate the cab andwindscreen heating, air conditioning,battery charger and 220 V sockets.Remote control is possible - note inthe photos the open boxes housingemergency buttons situated just abovethe sandboxes on all four corners ofeach section of the locomotive. Thisfunction is currently only prepared forfuture use at the ore loading and unloa-ding terminals, however its future exten-sion to cover operation over the wholelength of the line is not anticipated.Preparations have also been made forthe future installation of on-board ETCSequipment.

Moreover, LKAB has for a coupleof years been working together withTransrail of Sundbyberg, Sweden, onthe development of an eco-driving sys-tem for the iron ore trains. A CATO(Computer Aided Train Operation) sys-tem is to be installed, this being partlyfinanced by Banverket (nowadays Tra-fikverket), and partly by LKAB. In summer2010 CATO was installed on 108 + 116and at Boden Traffic Control Centre(TCC), the latter supplying the locomo-tives with data such as the timings atpassing loops up ahead. The on-boardcomputer system then calculates theoptimum speed profile so that the trainreaches each loop at precisely the righttime, but without consuming excessiveenergy, the driver being provided withthe necessary advice on how to achievethis. Tests indicate that the iron oretrains can reach the passing loops witha variation of within ±15 seconds of thescheduled time, and generate energysavings in the order of 20 %.

108 and 116 have their own driverMan-Machine Interfaces in their cabsshowing the advice supplied by CATO.Since only these two sections are equip-ped with this device, when the sectionoperating with CATO is leading, it beco-mes the master, while the rear one isthe slave, merely running in multiple viathe normal control system. Only the

leading locomotive has CATO active(in any case, CATO is not connectedto the locomotive control, it only givesadvice to the driver). The CATO instal-lation on the Malmbana is the typeknown as Level 3, which means thatthe traffic control setting of target pointsfor CATO-fitted locomotive operation isbased on the running of all trains on theline, and not only on those equippedwith the device. CATO is now being pha-sed in, and by summer 2011 it will beinstalled on two more IOREs. Howeverno definitive arrangement has yet beenreached for the equipping of othermembers of the fleet.

The Bombardier teams buildingthe IOREs were called upon to under-take a detailed evaluation of the elect-romagnetic compatibility and distur-bances set up in relation to the ATP andoverhead wire power supply. Also theinfluence of the electromagnetic fieldon train crews should be kept as low aspossible. These unique requirements,

LKAB is now preparing to exploit the ore seams at Level 1365, and hasordered from Schalke ten remote controlled Bo’Bo’ electric locomotivesto move the iron ore along a T-shaped 1,435 mm gauge network fromthe workings to the hoists which carry the mineral to the surface. In thesecond part of our Kiruna feature we will take also a closer look at theunderground rail networks in this huge mine.

On 5 February 2011 119 + 120, en route from Koskullskulle to Luleå, pass through Gällivare, where InfraNord0001R locomotive, hauling the special train „Kalmar Veteranståg“ is waiting. The latter brought tourists to Kiruna(for the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi) and to Gällivare (for the traditional Jokkmokk winter market).

Photo: Christoph Grimm

Artist’s impression: LKAB

research for which indicated that theIOREs more than complied with thelimits established by EU norms, never-theless required a number of furtherdesign modifications, such as the re-lay-ing of cables and power socket withinthe cabs.

We will continue our study of theIOREs in R 3/11, describing the move-ment of the machines from Kassel toKiruna, looking at their servicing andmaintenance routines and assessingthe experience gained so far from theiroperation.

Tomáš KuchtaJaromír Pernička

Karl-Heinz Buchholz, Advance Engineering,

Bombardier Transportation,Kassel

Photos, unless cited, and diagrams:

Bombardier Transportation