European Railroad Discussion > Helsinki-Part 3

More pictures from Kerava on a beautiful spring day.
Picture 1 - An older train. Wish I knew the story. It looks like a Museum train.
Picture 2 - A modern intercity train.
Picture 3 - One of the sad things about plinthed steam locomotives is that they are often left "without a roof over their heads". Here at Kerava, someone cares. This locomotive was immaculate and even the roof was attractive.

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Thanks for continuing the series.
Especially like Photo 1. That train really has character.
ALLEN

CNStratford Wrote:
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> More pictures from Kerava on a beautiful spring
> day.
> Picture 1 - An older train. Wish I knew the
> story. It looks like a Museum train.

The locomotive looks like what John McKey called a "Russian Wolf" (built in the former Soviet Union for Finland, as part of a larger trade deal). If you search TO's archive for "Russian Wolves" and/or posts by "McKey", you should find a substantial amount of information on these locomotives, and possibly on the cars also.

I really miss McKey's posts. Has anyone ever found out what has happened to him? Gerry Putz, maybe? (Although, as Gerry said some months ago, when John stopped posting, "I fear the worst").

Roger Lewis (airbrakegeezer)

1. These are "Russian Wolves," VR Class Sr1. 110 were built by Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Factory in Russia between 1973 and 1985, #3001 - #3110. Two were retired due to wreck damage, and two replacements, #3111 and #3112, were built in the mid-1990s at the VR shops in Hyvinkää, Finland, from a prototype carbody, spare parts and the remains of the wrecks. #3112 is at left, Turku, Finland, 6/15/05. Newer power (Siemans Vectron, VR Class Sr3) is being purchased to replace them over the next several years.

2 & 3. VR 4-6-0 #781, VR Class Hv3, was built by Linne & Jerne in Tampere (Tammerfors in Swedish), Finland, in 1932.

The train in picture #2, above, is composed of VR Class Sm4 EMU units (locally know as "Rabbits") built by the Spanish company CAF 1999 - 2005 for commuter service. Intercity trains are led by Sr1 or Sr2 motors. Sr2 motors were built by SLM ABB, later Adtranz, now Bombardier, based on the Swiss Class Re 460, or LOK 2000.

Gerry

P.S.: I have been in contack with John McKey several times. He is well and facing some professional issues that have distracted him from the railway scene.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/21/18 21:39 by GPutz.

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Thanks for your news of John McKey, Gerry. I, and I am sure all of us TO members, wish him all the best, and hope his problems get resolved soon so that he can resume his interesting posts.

Roger Lewis (airbrakegeezer)