Dr16 "Big Blonde" Medium Road Freight Locomotive

Dr16 is the most modern diesel locomotive for the VR to this date. It is mainly used for passenger and freight traffic in the north of Finland on the routes still waiting for electrification. The basic design is modular, but fixing these beasts nowadays takes imagination, since many parts are hard to find after two decades of use only for this small series. With the design of true diesel electric locomotive, it should be straightforward to replace all the top components with parts from more common other locomotive if need be. One unit has been wrecked, retired and used as spare parts.

Climbing to the drivers quarters seems to be awfully long way up on this beast, but because of the height the visibility is great from up there! The cumbersome design also prohibited the large blondes to join the Dr14 for the heavy switching work. After tests any intentions for switching were trashed.


Technical details for class Dr16 "Big Blonde"
-> Type: Dr16
-> VR-Yhtyma class: Dr16
-> Builders: Valmet and Transtech
-> Operators: VR-Yhtymä
-> Usage: heavy diesel electric road locomotive, the only of it's
      kind for VR-Yhtyma in Finland

-> Production dates: 1985 - 1992
-> Series 2801 - 2823,
-> Numbers built: 23
-> Numbers in operation: 19

-> Seen: Finland, especially in the north with passenger services and freight
      Tested also for heavy switching work and found unsuitable for this

-> Energy Source: Diesel fuel
-> Engine: Pielstick 12PA4-V-200VG (Alstom)
-> Power output: 1677kW (2280 Hp)
-> Transmission: electric
-> Generator:
-> Traction motors: Strömberg (ABB) HHUU 7044P3, asynchronous
-> Tractive Effort: 270 kN
-> Braking effort on traction motors (dynamic braking): na

-> Wheel arrangement: Bo'Bo'
-> Wheel diameter: 1250 mm as new
-> Maximum operational speed: 140 km/h (87 Mph)

-> Length: 17,6 m
-> Heigth: 4,73 m
-> Width: 3,20 m
-> Weight: 82 metric tons ( lb)
-> Max. axelweight: 20,5 metric tons

-> Train control systems: JKV, equipped for Finland
-> Remote radio control equipped: -
-> Multiple operations capacity with: class
-> Couplers: Vapiti, semiautomatic hook and chain plus SA3

-> Specials/other:
- The type is commonly nicknamed for "Large Blonde" (Iso Vaalee)
- All prototypes 2801 - 2804 abandoned and torsched
- Number 2814 was wrecked on the level crossing accident and stored
     at Hyvinkaa locomotive works for the VR-Yhtyma

    Other Finnish Diesel Locos...  

The Dr16 comes so far in two colorschemes: the sallad green and the more traditional VR red-gray-white. Both fit the locomotive quite well.

As the color slowly fades and wears away on the Dr16 units, the more traditional scheme is always replaced with the greenish paint and stickers.

A closeup of the bogie under the Dr16 2819.

Picture by John McKey.

The red-grey-white Dr16 number 2806 is parked with two other sisters and several Dv12s at the Oulu locomotive depot. It's past midninght, but in the North there is still light during the summer.

Picture by John McKey.

A red-gray-white Dr16 number 2811 is coupled to the external electrical wires to keep it warm and ready for the next road duties. Kontiomäki currently has electric wires installesd so no road locos of this type are common there.

Picture by Ilkka Siissalo.

A red-gray-white Dr16 number 2813 is dorming with other units of the type in the middle of the night in Oulu. Although it is past midnight, the northern nights offer some light even at this time.

Picture by John McKey.

The Dr16 number 2817 is in a surprisingly fresh red-gray-white paint next to the washing machine shed at Joensuu depot area.

Picture by John McKey.

Seen at the side of the Joensuu depot area, an attractive painted salad green Dr16 shows the huge size of the "Big Blonde". Behind a sister in the still red-white-gray pain scheme.

Pictures by John McKey.

The Dr16 number 2820 still in fresh red-gray-white paint scheme seen in Kontimäki in the middle of Finland. The year is 2003. Today the blue-gray coaches are pulled by electric locomotives, mainly being the Sr1 "wolves" class. As you can see in the pictures, the electrification of this remote junction station has happened only in the recent years.

Picture by Ilkka Siissalo.

The Dr16 number 2822 sitting idle in the heat of summers day beside the Joensuu locomotive maintenance facilities.

Picture by John McKey.