After testing the V50 with the rod drive according to the Kandó system, the first production locomotives were introduced in 1932 on the 16.000 Volts and 50 Hertz electrified Budapest-Hegyeshalom line. They were divided into one type for passenger and express trains and one type for freight trains. The first type was the V40 shown here, which was designed for 100 km/h with the 1-D-1 wheel arrangement.

View with opened hoods

Die Lokomotive, February 1936

Although all driven axles were connected with coupling rods and were fixed in the frame, the outer coupled axles were each connected to the adjacent carrying axle to form a Krauss-Helmholtz bogie. A single three-phase motor with a diameter of three meters provided the power. By changing poles, constant speeds of 24.2, 50, 75 and 100 km/h were possible. As with the V50, starting and changing between the steps was controlled by a liquid rheostat.

Schematic drawing

Die Lokomotive, February 1936

29 examples were built, which were used together with the three V60s on the Budapest-Hegyeshalom line. Since the V40s, with their high power, were also suitable for use in front of freight trains, they complemented the few V60s well. With the conversion of the Hungarian network to 25.000 Volts and 50 Hertz in the 1960s, the service life of the Kandó locomotives ended. Today the V40.016 is preserved as a monument and can be found in the Railway History Park in Budapest.