v43

The MÁV Class V43 is a Hungarian-built electric locomotive, with a characteristic box-like appearance. It was designed and prototyped in the early 1960s, by the 50 C/s Group (a European consortium for promotion of using 25 kV AC/50 Hz on railway routes.The consortium consisted of rail electrification expert companies Siemens, Alsthom, AEG, M.F.Oerlikon, Brown-Boveri and seven smaller firms) commissioned by the Hungarian government.It was further developed, debugged and series produced in the Ganz factory and operated by MÁV in Hungary. A total of 379 locomotives were built between 1963 and 1982 to replace the MÁV Class V40 and MÁV Class V60, as well as the widespread Class 424 steam locomotives. Nickname of the classic V43 1000 series is Szili (because it has silicon Semiconductor); V43 2000 series is Papagáj (Parrot - because of the painting); V43 3000 series is Cirmos (Tabby - also because of the painting). Initially the ones produced in Germany, could operate on 16 kV AC supply as
well.
The V43 is the still the main workhorse for electric traction in Hungary. Its early generation semiconductor technology is now considered obsolete, but the type has good efficiency for both freight and passenger traction. The good efficiency is a result of a technical deficiency: the Hungarian series produced V43 examples are two tons overweight compared the German prototype owing to steel frame manufacturing differences.
This requires the locomotives to constantly work near the edge of their power reserve when pulling and efficiency is coincidentally the highest in that region. Extensive preventive maintenance procedures developed by MÁV depots allowed the V43 to serve 40+ years reliably, despite of being maxed out most of the time.

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