Arnold HN2623 - FS, heavy six-axle electric locomotive of the E.646 series in “Treno Azzurro” livery, Ep. III-IV

Arnold HN2623 - FS, heavy six-axle electric locomotive of the E.646 series in “Treno Azzurro” livery, Ep. III-IV

 

Prototype information

The second series E646 and E645 electric locomotives represented the first important "aesthetic" development of the FS articulated locomotive family, thanks to the new design of the driver's cabs, which offered more space and better visibility than the earlier polygonal cabs of the E636, which were also retained in the prototypes and the first series E646 and E645.
In total, 199 E646 (for passenger transport, maximum speed 140 km/h) and 61 E645 (for freight transport, maximum speed 120 km/h) were built between 1961 and 1967. Mechanically, the vehicles of the second series retained the features of the first series (E646 006-037 and E645 001-032), equipped with U 1250 type bogies and six twin engines with a total hourly output of 4320 kW, and of course with the mechanical arrangement with articulated structure that had already been very successful on the earlier E636. Thanks to these features, the E646s of the second series were used immediately after their delivery at the head of the most prestigious long-distance passenger trains of the time, while the E645s reinforced the freight fleet and took on the most demanding services.
The different use of the E646 and E645 was also underlined by the livery: the former, intended for passenger transport, were painted in the elegant mist grey and magnolia green livery typical of the most important trains of the time (eg ETR 220, ETR 250 "Arlecchino", ETR 300 "Settebello" and later the ALe 601), with the only exception of units 035 and 037, which for some years were painted in the "Blue Train" livery, intended to be consistently matched to the corresponding carriages; the latter in the less conspicuous "chestnut/Isabella" livery, already used for most of the earlier locomotives. In the case of the Series 2a units, all are decorated with metal details that surround the case, following the fashion of the era, and are gradually being removed. With the delivery of the first nearby cars in the late 1960s and the arrival of the E656 since 1975, the conversion of the entire E646 group from Series 2 to the nave services with integrated remote control was decided; the last built unit (from 187 to 210) was factory fitted, all the other units were gradually transformed into later modified glazed windows such as the side windows in replacement of the original air pressure, then the beige MDVC box with orange/violet trim from 1981 and the XMPR box from around 1990, like all the rest of the FS park. Between 2008 and 2009 the latest E645 and E646 were withdrawn from the regulatory service; currently some functional units have been preserved and restored by the FS Foundation, which regularly use them in the test of historical trains.

 

Model details

The "treno Azzurro" (light blue train) was an express train of the Ferrovie dello Stato that connected Milan with Naples; the name derives from the fact that, unlike the normal FS carriages, the carriages were characterized by a livery in two shades of blue: dark blue for the lower part of the car body and for the window band, and light blue for everything else. The train was initially equipped with the E.428 series locomotives, mainly of the aerodynamic sub-series (.225-.241; the 242, destroyed during the war, no longer existed), and from November 1958 with the first series E.646 (polyhedral front ends), starting with the prototypes .001-.005. From 1961, the E.646 of the second series with rounded heads followed: in 1962, two of them, .035 and .037, also received the blue and light blue livery instead of the usual mist gray-magnolia green. The choice of colours was perhaps influenced by one of the most famous trains in Europe, the Train Bleu, and recalled above all the symbolic colours of the Neapolitan city, the blue of the Napoli football team and the fleet of its patron, Commander Achille Lauro, a prominent figure and then mayor of the Campania capital.The material removed provided for the first 1946 type cars (first and second class) and subsequently the 1959 type (first, second and mist). In the train centre there was a CIWL restaurant car and a Côte d'Azur-type Pullman coupling. During periods of great prosperity, the convoy closed a 1ª class limited-edition vehicle to Rome in ordinary castano-isabella delivery.

 

Technical details

- New moulds for the car bodies, correctly differentiated according to the period of adjustment
- New moulds for the U 1250 bogies
- New separate roof and front details
- Reliable mechanics with metal articulated frame and double cardan drive on the end bogies
- Electrical system with Next18 decoder socket (NEM 662)
- Sound versions with factory-fitted DCC decoder with specific sounds and "sugar cube" loudspeakers with new sound box
- White headlight and red tail light with direction reversal, independently switchable in digital mode
- Close coupling mechanism with NEM 355 coupling holders on both heads
- Minimum bending radius: 192 mm

 

 

 

Characteristics:

Manufacturer:	Arnold
Item number:	HN2623
number of pieces:	1 piece
EAN:	5063129023256
Product Type:	Electric locomotive
track:	N
scale:	1:160
model series:	E.646
Company number:	E.646 035
Railway company:	FS
country:	IT
epoch:	III
Metal model:	partly made of metal
grinder:	No
Electricity system:	DC
operation mode:	DC Analog
interface:	Next18 (NEM662)
Digital decoder:	No
engine:	5-pole motor
Motor with flywheel:	Yes
Length over buffer:	114mm
Minimum radius:	192mm
coupling:	Shaft NEM 355 with KK kinematics
digital coupling:	No
Interior design:	equipped with interior furnishings
Headlight:	LED headlight
Sound:	No
Age recommendation:	14 years and older
WEEE No.:	DE47027570