GIGANT history in pictures
by Gigant Club
The first V63 (factory identification: VM15) locomotive: V63 001 in its original
light color. This locomotive now has been retired.
The V63 001 and 002 were manufactured in 1974 by GANZ-MÁVAG.
The first locomotive had Siemens made electronics, while the equipments of thesecond
one were planned and manufactured by the Ganz Villamossági Mûvek.
The maximum allowed speed for the 001 was 120km/h and for the 002 was originally
160km/h. The prototype engines had more powerful
dynamic brake (2280kW) than the main serie (1500kW).
The first two locomotives ran for a couple of years before the null serie
came out in 1981.
This loco is from the "null serie" (V63 003-007).
She has the "old style" pantograph and bogie.
The bogie of the "null serie" is the same as the one made by GANZ for the
M63 class diesel engines ("Diesel Gigant"). The newer locomotives has
Krupp made bogies.
We didn't see the 004 and 005 for one or two years.
Probably they didn't work now.
The maximal speed of the main serie Gigants' is 133km/h except the V63 106.
Couple of years ago the 006 (now 106) "inherited" the bogie of the 002,
and that's why the technically available maximal speed of this locomotive
is 160km/h.
The null serie locomotives tend to be rejected soon because of the bogie construction.
One of our favourite locos: V63 013. This loco represents a typical main
serie Gigant. She has a relay controlled electronics and wears
a crest on her side wall. This is because when MÁV bought those
locomotives, some Hungarian cities "sponsored" the purchase of them.
Only 6 Gigants have such symbols of Hungarian cities:
The another imortant milestone was in the Gigant history the changing of
the V63 class engines' controlling electronics to a semiconductor based one.
This main controller unit is called "Hi-Fi tower" by the engine drivers.
V63 037 was the first locomotive which has such equipment. Later MÁV
needed some high speed locomotives. In 1992 the 043 was the first locomotive
from this sub-class which has regeared to 160 km/h trasmission.
Beside this main change some minor modifications were made on the locomotive
to satisfy the needs of the higher speed.
Parallel to this the number of these locomotives increased by 100.
On the picture ex-V63 051 arriving at Budapest Keleti railway station with
Arrabona express (1994). (Budapest Keleti-Wien Westbahnhof, Train No. 343.)
Now this engine has been regeared for 160 km/h and her number has changed to
V63 151.
Total 56 Gigant were built for MÁV.
One of the first regeared Gigants: V63 155 at Budapest Keleti railway station
with Avas (train No. 202) (1996).
She has a name as some ships. The first regeared
Gigant serie have named after persons who had great influence in growing of
the Hungarian railways:
| Gigants with names
|
|---|
| Original number | New number | Name of the locomotive
|
|---|
| V63 038 | V63 138 | Kandó Kálmán
|
|---|
| V63 043 | V63 143 | Baross Gábor
|
|---|
| V63 052 | V63 152 | Kossuth Lajos
|
|---|
| V63 054 | V63 154 | Dr. Verebély László
|
|---|
| V63 055 | V63 155 | Gróf Mikó Imre
|
|---|
| V63 056 | V63 156 | Gróf Széchenyi István
|
|---|
The other regeared machines have no name: V63 144,150,151,153.
V63 152 is the last in the row. She is in service from 2nd June 1996.
The V63 106 had a "high speed" gearing, so it was only "renumbered" from
V63 006.
The Gigant history now has some black pages.
On the 16th of February 1996, the number of Gigant decreased to 53. The V63 001, 002 and 003 has been retired.
V63 001 is now at the service place of the Keleti railway station in Budapest.
As we know the 001 and 002 preserved for museum purposes. (But it's not sure.)
To be continued...
If you have some questions, problems, suggestions or additions,
please contact the V63 Gigant Club.
Last update: Mon Apr 14 1997
This loco is from the "null serie" (V63 003-007).
She has the "old style" pantograph and bogie.
The bogie of the "null serie" is the same as the one made by GANZ for the
M63 class diesel engines ("Diesel Gigant"). The newer locomotives has
Krupp made bogies.
We didn't see the 004 and 005 for one or two years.
Probably they didn't work now.
The maximal speed of the main serie Gigants' is 133km/h except the V63 106.
Couple of years ago the 006 (now 106) "inherited" the bogie of the 002,
and that's why the technically available maximal speed of this locomotive
is 160km/h.
The null serie locomotives tend to be rejected soon because of the bogie construction.
One of our favourite locos: V63 013. This loco represents a typical main
serie Gigant. She has a relay controlled electronics and wears
a crest on her side wall. This is because when MÁV bought those
locomotives, some Hungarian cities "sponsored" the purchase of them.
Only 6 Gigants have such symbols of Hungarian cities:
The another imortant milestone was in the Gigant history the changing of
the V63 class engines' controlling electronics to a semiconductor based one.
This main controller unit is called "Hi-Fi tower" by the engine drivers.
V63 037 was the first locomotive which has such equipment. Later MÁV
needed some high speed locomotives. In 1992 the 043 was the first locomotive
from this sub-class which has regeared to 160 km/h trasmission.
Beside this main change some minor modifications were made on the locomotive
to satisfy the needs of the higher speed.
Parallel to this the number of these locomotives increased by 100.
On the picture ex-V63 051 arriving at Budapest Keleti railway station with
Arrabona express (1994). (Budapest Keleti-Wien Westbahnhof, Train No. 343.)
Now this engine has been regeared for 160 km/h and her number has changed to
V63 151.
Total 56 Gigant were built for MÁV.
One of the first regeared Gigants: V63 155 at Budapest Keleti railway station
with Avas (train No. 202) (1996).
She has a name as some ships. The first regeared
Gigant serie have named after persons who had great influence in growing of
the Hungarian railways:
The Gigant history now has some black pages.
On the 16th of February 1996, the number of Gigant decreased to 53. The V63 001, 002 and 003 has been retired.
V63 001 is now at the service place of the Keleti railway station in Budapest.
As we know the 001 and 002 preserved for museum purposes. (But it's not sure.)
