The 93 strong class of Da is a modern version of the older D-classes constructed untill 1943. But except for the wheel configuration, the size and the fact they used side rods to distribute power to the rails, there is not much alike the two classes of engines. Da was a brain child of the 1940.s commission on SJ for new future power. Compared to the earlier D-classes the Da, received new motors, new configuration on the bodies where the air intakes were moved to the roof line, new type of bearings on the axles and where cabable to be MU.ed up to 3 units. Along with the ironline engines of Dm and Dm3-classes they were the lat of side rod electrics in Sweden. In many ways they were allready outdated by the newer designs of electrics using invidual power to each axle on trucks that started to appear in number after WWII. Da.s were used from expresstrains to heavy freight as they were allowed to run on 100 km/h and and had an effect of 1840KW.s. The squat engines weighted 75 tons.
It was clear an allround version of an electric was needed to supplement the new engines of Ma, and express train engines of Ra class tio be built in the fifties. Da.s wehe not to be as popular among the train crews as the earlier engines of D-class and to be less rough on wheels a rubber suspended wheelsets were added in the seventies. They were phasing out of the SJ in 180.s and several were sold of to new private operators or to the preserved groups.
Da 888, seen here is now part along its sister 820 in the collections of the railway museum in Gävle.
Gävle 2008-09-06
Extra photos of Da 888 in Railway museum of Gävle 2008.
Extra photos of Da 820 in Railway museum of Gävle 2008.
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