Photograph - The two Roumanian locomotives under trials at St Gallen.

Just prior to the start of World War Two the Roumanian State Railways (Caile Ferate Romane or CFR) had taken delivery of a twin unit close coupled 2-Do-1 + 1-Do2 locomotive of 4,400hp. It carried similar Sulzer engines to those fitted to the French PLM double locomotive. It had a maximum speed of 62mph, a maximum tractive effort of 80,000lb and weighed 228 tons.

The 2,200hp engine (12LDA31) has two vertical banks of cylinders and two crankshafts, which drive a generator at one end through step-up gears. The twelve cylinders are 310mm by 390mm (12.2in by 15.4in), at 700rpm the maximum output is 2,500hp, normal output at 700rpm is 2,200hp. The crankcase and cylinder block for the whole engine is in four parts, of cast steel; the cylinder block portion is in two halves, each containing six cylinders (three in each bank), and welded on the transverse centre line to its partner. The crankcase is in two corresponding halves welded together, the cylinder blocks and crankcase portions are bolted to each other. The engine measures 13ft 9in long, 6ft 3in high above the crankcase center line and 3ft 8in below, and 6ft 5in wide.

An advertisement from a 1938 railway journal features the Roumanian locomotive in an advertisement for the Buchi turbocharger. Presumambly this is the origin of the Sulzer 'double bank' engine which after much development featured in locomotives operated in British, French & Roumanian fleets.

A manufacturer's view of the prototype 2-Do-1 + 1-Do2 locomotive. Internally the locomotive was similar to the French Sulzer powered locomotive, but externally the Roumanian machine seems to bear a little of the Swiss influence, unlike the two very stylised French machines.

A cross section through the 2,200hp double banked engine.

The main contractor was Sulzer Brothers, Winterthur, mechanical parts by Henschel (b/n 23549 of 1938), electrical parts and engine assembly by Brown Boveri & Co. After construction the locomotives trialled between Winterthur & St Gallen in May 1938, the following month they were tested between Bucaresti and Brasov. During World War II the locomotives were stationed at Grivita Works for use as stationary generators. From 1946 - 1963 they were allocated to Brasov, being withdrawn from there in 1963. They were placed on display at Bucuresti Calatori depot, later restored in 1994. During 1996 they were moved to Dej Triage depot.

Photograph courtesy Andrei Berinde
The survival of the twin unit 1938 built 'demonstrator' has to be one of the more charmed stories in the preservation of pre-World War Two diesel locomotives, perhaps just surviving the conflict is remarkable in itself. (Two large views of this machine can be found on the Roumanian page of the European Railway Server).

From publicity material comes this interesting view of the CFR Roumanian double unit diesel under test on the Winterthur - St Gallen line, crossing the Sitter viaduct. Despite this being a substantial structure it was dwarfed by the nearby bridge built for the Bodensee - Toggenburg railway, found half a mile up river. Elswehere on the Sitter other substantial bridges carried the St. Gallen - Appenzell & the Sulgen - Gossau lines across the river.

Another publicity view, this time for Buchi turbochargers features the double unit, presumably on test in Switzerland, location not known at this time.

More details on the 060-DA Class

Page added July 3rd 2003
Page updated May 14th 2005.

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