Yes, it is great to be able to take a train and travel through several countries, seeing a huge variety of trains.
We had the great pleasure of a visit to SZ Central Workshops. The manager was busy in a meeting, so after briefly welcoming us and presenting us with some umbrellas with the SZ workshops logo (our visit was during a thunderstorm), we were shown round by our friend Misko, who knows the place intimately. Brigitte - undressed! A Brigitte bogie minus the motor, but complete with the high/low gearbox. Me in the cab of a 362 'Bellows'. (Photo by Misko Kranjec)
Maintenance bay line-up Misko photographing me, under a Brigitte! 363 (Brigitte) motors are actually two motors on one shaft. Here the commutators have been skimmed and are now having the grooves machined, controlled by computer and laser.
One of the two remaining "Kennedy" class 661's, it has been repaired and is being test run. These locomotives have an EMD 567 prime mover. 664 "Spanka". These are EMD 645 powered Diesels and diesel railcars are mostly repaired at Maribor works, but here is a diesel railcar being repainted after overhaul.
Many class 362 and some 342 were stored outside. The 362 are the original locos when the railway was electrified. The rain can be seen in this picture.... ....hence the umbrellas!
The very first electric locomotive in the country when only a short route was electrified was this Italian class 361 known as "Musselini". This is on display near the works entrance.
When we went back inside, a Brigitte had been lifted off her bogies Some of the staff insisted on being photographed with us! (Photo by Misko) A most enjoyable visit - I could have stayed all day if possible as there are countless photographic possibilities.
Alan, your photo of the Brigette bogie without motors, but with a "high/low" gearbox implies that the driver can "shift" gears while on the road. Is this true, or is there another purpose for the gearbox? Again, many thanks for a fascinating tour. I especially enjoy visiting shops, whether in reality or vicariously......:tb-cool:
Hank, in common with a lot of earlier French locomotives (Brigittes are French build - as the name suggests) there is high gear for passenger work and low gear for freight. Don't think it can be changed whilst in motion, but is set before starting.
Sounds like a very economical feature. Did it gain much acceptance throughout Europe? I assume it would be economical only if service were near 50:50 freight/passenger. Sadly, no need for this in the States.
As far as I know France was the main place where gearing is/was used. Most locomotives are dual use, so it does make them more universal. Most modern locomotives have one motor per axle as in diesels, but many older French locos have these huge motors driving three axles through gearboxes and gears on each axle. The 363's in Slovenia are about equally used on freight and passenger.