Banner
Navigation
loco-info.com
The reference for locomotives and railcars
Navigation
Random
Search
Compare
Settings
Paris-Orléans E 501 to 550
French State Railway 2D2 5500
go back
France | 1925
50 produced
E 502 on an old postcard
E 502 on an old postcard
Didier Duforest

As early as 1925, the Paris-Orléans ordered two electric 2-D-2 express locomotives with 4,000 hp each which were numbered E 501 and E 502. Each of the four driving axles had one sprung traction motor that transmitted its power via a Buchli drive on one side of the locomotive. They operated under 1,500 Volts DC and had a rheostatic brake. They had a top speed of 130 km/h that was later increased to 140 km/h.

Series production of 35 locomotives only started in 1933. A second batch of eight built in 1937 and 1938 had a different nose design and was dubbed “Femme enceinte” (pregnant woman). The last batch of five delivered in 1942 and 1943 had yet another design and was called “Waterman”. In 1950 their performance was surpassed by the 2D2 9100, but they were only retired between 1978 and 1980.

Variantpre-productionseries production
General
Built19251933-1942
Manufacturermechanical part: SLM, Fives-Lille, electrical part: BBC, CEM
Axle config2-D-2 
Gauge4 ft 8 1/2 in (Standard gauge)
Dimensions and Weights
Length58 ft 4 in
Rigid wheelbase19 ft 10 9/16 in
Service weight291,010 lbs310,851 lbs
Adhesive weight176,370 lbs
Axle load44,092 lbs
Boiler
Variantpre-productionseries production
Power Plant
Power
Power sourceelectric - DC
Electric system1,500 V
Hourly power4,090 hp (3,050 kW)4,130 hp (3,080 kW)
Continuous power3,520 hp (2,625 kW)3,862 hp (2,880 kW)
Top speed81 mph87 mph
Calculated Values
electric locomotive
passenger
Buchli drive
last changed: 08/2024
E 543 “Femme enceinte”
E 543 “Femme enceinte”
collection Jean-Pierre Vergez-Larrouy
SNCF 2D2-5546 “Waterman”
SNCF 2D2-5546 “Waterman”
Search