DE.520

DE.520 locomotives were manufactured to be part of the T 478.3 group of Czechoslovak National Rail (CSD), made of 408 units.
As their number exceeded in the Czechoslovak country, several units were brought to Italy. FNM purchased 18 of them, most of them assigned to the national freight service, but also to operate on the social rail network: on July the 1st 2003, these locomotives made their commercial debut, leading a train of clay from Domo2 to Reggio Emilia.
However, these cars usually operate on short distances, for intermodal or cars transport, primarily in double traction with multiple command. On the social rail network, they operate both on Milan and Iseo branches, leading freight trains (for example, on the Saronno-Seregno line) and for shunting work.
Compared to those in service in Czechoslovakia, the cars of the group DE520 had their engine changed, with the installation of a Caterpillar 3612 thermal engine (a 4-stroke 12 cylinders supercharged and intercooler) replacing old K12V 230DR, and of a new alternator. Moreover, for the service in Italy they are equipped with a Seratec chronotachigraph, fireproof system and RS4cod signal repeater.
In the meantime, 4 out of the originally purchased 18 units have been sold to a different rail company. The same kind of locomotives, or very similar ones, are in endowments to different rail companies operating on Italian Railway Network and on Italian granted lines.
 
TECHNICAL FEATURES
Building year: 1972 - 1977
Modfied in: 2002 - 2003 (by CMKS in Ceska Trebova)
Operating units: 14
Setting power of each engine: 1.450 kW at 1.800 l/min
Continuous power at the rim: 1.170 kw
Maximum traction effort: 210 kN
Weight: 72 t
Lenght: 16.720 mm
Maximum speed: 100 km/h
4-engine electrical power transmission: TE005E
 
Note: this kind of locomotives were registered by different Italian companies as group D.753. Similar locomotives were registered in Italy as group D.752: for a few months in 2002, two of these units were adopted by FERROVIENORD for rental service, mainly leading freight trains on the Saronno-Seregno line and for shunting work on the social network.