ROMANIAN RAILWAY MOTOR CARS

 

In this period, when the equipment of the passengers railway transport with motor cars becomes once more actual, we believe that it will be quite interesting, for the railway personnel, as well as for the passionate of the railway history, and not only, a retrospective view on this chapter where Romanian Railway had a priority.

 

HISTORICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Historical research of the Romanian motor cars appears to be more difficult than, for example, that of the steam locomotives. The reasons would be, on one hand, the absence or the superficiality in treating this subject in the reference literature, and on the other hand, the lack of exactness of the Romanian information sources, as well as the fact that the access to these ones has been permitted only in the last years. That's why, the object of this article represents only the motor cars from the fleet of the Romanian Railway (CFR).

A first remark is imposed: the existence of several schemas for numbering the motor cars belonging to CFR constitutes a supplementary error source. Initially, the motor cars have been included in numbering schema of the passengers coaches, excepting the motor cars of the former private line Arad Cenad (Aradi es Csanadi Egyesult Vasutak rt. ACsEV), remained in our country after year 1920, which received at the beginning specific numbers for the motor cars. Later on, on the occasion of the transformation of some passengers' couches on two axles in motor cars, these ones kept their initial coaches numbers after the transformation. For example, number "81157" represents a Malaxa motor car, and "81158", a passengers' couch on two axles. Because of the absence of some official files of the coaches between 1930-1940, an exact evidence of these transformations is impossible to elaborate. Only the implementation of the steam motor cars Sentiel type from series 500/600 and fast motor cars Malaxa from series 1000 since '30s lead to the occurrence of a new numbering schema for the motor cars.

But not even this schema was respected in a consequent way, being proved by the motor cars Adh 001 and Ade 001, as well as the fact that special vehicles that were transformed from the couches were never included on the schema. In the same time, special vehicles, starting with the late royal motor cars and finishing with the current motor cars for the use of the administration or officials, make exception from the rule.

But the territorial modifications that our country experienced during its history have influenced "the faith" of the motor cars. In year 1861 it has been performed the unification of Moldova and Tara Romaneasca in the new state Romania. After the Second Balkans War, Romania gain the south of the Dobrogea, and after the completion of the First World War, through the peace treaties from St. Germain and Trianon (1919/1920), Romania Mare became a whole, by joining of Basarabia, Banat, Transilvania, Bucovina and Tinutul Hertei.

This territorial extension also gave the opportunity to purchase some foreign motor cars for CFR fleet, coming from two Hungarian private railways. The first one, Aradi es Csanadi Egyesult Vasutak rt.(ACsEV), lost in Romania's favor over half of its network length, the headquarter of the firm and the main workshops from Arad. This private railway started the implementation of the motor cars since 1902, under the management of Sarmezey Andras. The lines of the former ACsEV on the Romanian territory have been staged since the beginning of '20s. The second private firm has been Arad Hegyalijai Motoros, an electrified line, with one-meter gauge, that belonged entirely to Romania. Known under the name of Arad Podgoria Railways, this was maintained as private property till 1948, when it was nationalized and taken over by CFR.

According to the Dictate from Vienna in 1940, Romania lost Basarabia and Bucovina de Nord, the northern part of Transilvania and the south of Dobrogea. In the same time with the infrastructure, CFR lost an important quantity of rolling stock: on the territory placed at the Soviets remaining six motor cars on two axles, and other 15 had been given up to them. We can say that it is sure that only to Bulgaria were not given back the motor cars.

After the upsetting of the pro-fascist governing on August 23, 1944, Romania received the territories annexed to Hungary. If there were motor cars given up in 1940 to Hungary, they were given back integrally in 1944, being not recorded into Hungarian evidences. Three CFR motor cars have been found after 1945 in Vienna region and in the main workshops from St. Polten. Two of them have been given back to Romania, one of them being annulled in Austria or, according to other information, given to URSS. Other losses abroad are not known.

Finally, we mention the existence of some older information sources, which can not be identify till present time: an internal source of GANZ factories, in Budapest, regarding engines and transmissions deliveries mention that CFR vehicles numbered 801 and 802, which is nothing known about later on. In year 1935 there appeared in the specialty press a design representing a motor car with four axles ordered by CFR, probably to ASTRA factories in Arad, (1A)'(1A)' type, with two MAN motor cars of 150 HP and Mylius transmission. There is not so much information about this vehicle, there are no photos and nothing is sure that it was ever built.

 

TRANSITIONAL SOLUTION STEAM MOTOR CARS

If for the Austrian - Hungarian period the end of the century coincide with the experimentation of various steam motor cars' construction, the young Administration of CFR did not seem interested in those moments in these vehicles. Only a few private railways have randomly ordered a few samples. As a consequence of the territorial modifications resulted after the First World War, such a motor car, unidentified yet, remained at CFR, in '20s being already transformed in passengers' coach.

At the beginning of the '30s, CFR ordered to the Britannic firm Metropolitan Cammel, Midland Works, in Birmingham, a number of six steam motor cars (Bc am mot 501 506) and two double type (BC ymd mot 601 602) Sentinel Cammel type. These motor cars, similar with those delivered previously for the Great Britain, Belgium and Palestine, were operationally satisfying, remaining in service till the '50s in Craiova and Bucharest areas.

As we have already mentioned, other steam motor cars existed only at private railways, as: steam tram of Nicolae Bazilescu (Gara de Nord Bucurestii Noi), Brasov Satulung section (BHHEV) or private section Ploiesti Valeni. As the respective sections have been nationalized only in 1948, none of these vehicles survived in order to be taken over by CFR.

 

MOTOR CARS ON TWO AXLES WITH HEAT ENGINES

As a consequence to the good results obtained by Hungary in motor cars exploitation, especially on the secondary sections, and taking into consideration the existence in our country of the cheap oil combustible, Romanian Railway seemed interested from the beginning of the century in purchasing motor cars equipped with gasoline engines. Because this type could not be produced in our country, in year 1970 have been purchased such motor cars from Weitzer Janos Gep, Waggongyar es Vasontode Rt., in Arad, firm which was Hungarian at that time. Motor cars have a gasoline engine Dion-Bouton type of 70 HP, with 29 seats and that reached a 45-km/h speed. Technically, they were similar with those delivered by the same factory to ACsEV. According certain Romanian sources, they would have had numbers as 2001 and 2002; still some photos show that no doubt of that- A.C.M. numbers 20001 and 20002. These vehicles have operated on the afferent lines of Piatra Oltului depot in 1916, after which they have been utilized as service motor cars. The couch numbered 20001 has been transformed in passengers' coach, reaching then in the Railway Museum collection. It will disappear in the same time with the museum during the Second World War. In year 1920, the most part of ACsEV networks belonging to Romania. From this private railway have been taken over 33 motor cars on two axles equipped with gasoline engines, registered in the following groups:

BCm mot 101 … (60 HP, Westinghouse engine);
BCm mot 121 … (70 HP, Dion Bouton engine);
BCm mot 151 … (90 HP, Westinghouse engine).

Weitzer Janos firm has built all these vehicles in Arad. A number of 10 motor cars have been given back to MAV, in year 1937, the rest of them circulating till the '50s in Arad, Timisoara and Podu Olt areas. By all means that, in year 1944 have remained in Romania some moor cars of ACsEV, these ones being given back to Hungary.

Because at the end of the First World War the capacity of the repairing workshops of CFR was insufficient for putting in operation again the big number of damaged vehicles, Romanian engineer Nicolae Malaxa creates in Bucharest a private workshop, buying specific machinery from Machinenfabrik Karlsruhe, in Germany. Soon, Malaxa will also start here locomotive production, motor car production being in the preparation phase. For the beginning, there will be transformed in motor cars passengers' couches on two axles arrived for overhaul, by the introduction of a propulsion group and the arranging of some closed driving cabins. These modifications have also enhanced the experimentation of some new solutions, less known, but whose viability proved to be limited.

The experimented system of the engineer from MALAXA firm, Gogu Constantinescu, stipulated an independent frame that included the gasoline engine and the transmission, from which the movement was transmitted from the supplementary axle, suspended in the same frame. This moving axle was equipped with two wheels from full rubber, without a bandage, similar to those used in that time at the trucks, and which had the role to increase the adherence. The access platforms of these wagons have been closed and rearranged as driving posts. These vehicles have been used for a few years in CFR service. Still, the disadvantages were quite often: at a testing route performed towards Predeal, such a motor car defected, being dismembered in the same place!

But soon, MALAXA passed to conventional solutions. The old passengers coaches frames were fortified, the engines were placed in a special compartment, the transmission being performed through cardan shaft at one of the axles. The engines used first with gasoline and then Diesel - came from various famous constructors, as Ganz, Ford, MAN, AEG, Deutz or Meadows. The over 100 motor cars resulted from the transformation of various types of wagons had a pretty heterogeneous aspect, but their satisfactorily operation in exploitation made one of them to be maintained in operation till the beginning of the '70s. In point of registration, these ones were numbered in passengers couches groups: 81100 811299, 86001 86130, 87000 87099, 89600- 89620 and 89700 897220.

There also were two more Romanian constructors that have build motor cars: UNIO Factories in Satu Mare, having a well-known production, and ASTRA, in Arad, the successor of Weitzer Janos firm.

A success of ASTRA firm was the series of motor cars BCm mot 700 (after 1956, Bm mot 700), built in 1936. They were vehicles with two axles, with Diesel motor Ganz type of 120 HP, cooling radiators on the roof and a maximal speed of 74 km/h. For the 24 motor cars have been built tows, alike as exterior shape. After year 1935, MALAXA builds, in over 80 samples, series BCm mot 900 (and after year 1956, Bm mot 900), a successful series, which operated almost all over the country (Arad, Timisoara, Sibiu, Piatra Olt, Suceava, Constanta, Bucharest, and so on) and from which a few samples have survived even to present time. This vehicle is based on a Ganz construction, met among others also in Belgium. It is a motor cars with Diesel engine of 150 HP and 70-75 km/h. Original radiators, placed on the roof, have been later on replaced with installations with forced cooling ventilators, placed under the floor. Other 20 vehicles of this type have been afterwards built by ASTRA Arad and UNIO Satu Mare. The tows used were alike with those built for 700 series. There were several versions, with or without mail and baggage compartment. After 1945, certain motor cars from this series have been transformed in service vehicles or salon type, for the use of the administration. Three motor cars of the same type have been built by MALAXA in 1938 for the private railway Buzau - Nehoiasu (Bz.N.), being included, after the nationalization in 1948, in series CFR 900.

As it regards the construction of the motor cars with special destination, specialized literature is more restrictive, being mentioned only as Diesel motor car with two axles built in 1935 by Malaxa for the Royal House of Romania. It was a salon - vehicle, with Mylius mechanical transmission and Diesel MAN engine of 150 HP, with a special exterior aspect different of that of the known series. For this vehicle has been built a tow fit for ASTRA type, but with a salon type arrangement. The other special motor cars on two known axles result, probably, from the modifications of those from series 900.

At this chapter we also have to mention the only new constructions in this field after 1960. In order to replace gradually old motor cars, which were not safe anymore, 23 August Factories in Bucharest (former MALAXA) have designed the prototype of a new motor car on two axles for CFR, having the codes of AD 20 firm. There have been built two prototypes, with a pleasant exterior aspect, numbered CFR 79-0001-2 (no. of fabrication U 23A 23901/86) and 79-0002-0 (no. of fabrication U23A 23902/86), as well as several tows. The vehicles were operated by a Diesel engine of almost 200 HP, through a Clark hydro-mechanical transmission. Interior arranging was more than original, retro gender: the benches were executed from …laths of wood! These motor cars do not correspond technically. The available power and the transmission adjusting led to a very smooth start and to the unjustified increase of travel duration. After its testing, the respective motor cars have been utilized for the trains that were circulating from Bucharest towards Snagov Beach, ulterior being replaced with the motor cars series 1000 or with trains hauled by locomotives. After the execution of the general overhaul in the constructing factory, prototype motor cars have been used successfully as service vehicles on the marginal line of Bucharest. Vehicles similar technically have been also built for the Poland's railway (PKP), but for a narrow gauge (750-1000 mm).

Five years later, other four vehicles of the same type have been built, but with a different design and equipped with two engines, having the following numbers: CFR 97-0001-4, 97-0002-2, 97-0003-0 and 97-0004-8 (no. of fabrication U23A 25578 25581/89). The serial number is quite unusual; it would be normal to register it under the serial number 79 or, anyway, in the group 70, which is reserved apparently for the motor cars.

There were also built tows that were alike, by the wagon factory MEVA from Drobeta-Turnu Severin, which were used together with older motor cars, especially in Timisoara area. In the summer season of year 1993, these motor cars, together with two tows, have operated again on Bucharest Snagov Beach section, then they have been also used, as service motor cars, on the marginal line. Once with the annulment, in 1998, of the beloved and useful service trains on the marginal line of the Bucharest, all these motor cars have been abandoned.

In year 1995, constructing firm for track machinery and service vehicles MARUB in Brasov, in the same time the repairing unit for CFR motor cars, build a prototype of a two axle motor cars numbered as 96-0001-6, based on a motorized frame of UAM 215 machinery. Precisely this origin offers it a quite … high placed aspect, having the floor and the coachwork placed higher then the ax of the buffers. Interior arranging, with upholstered armchairs as for the interurban buses, has determined the Commercial Department of CFR to write first class on the coach, although vehicle registration is Bm mot 96-0001-6! The monitoring of the frame can be achieved in a version with mechanical transmission and Diesel engine of 215 HP, or a hydraulic transmission and Diesel engine of 282 HP, both in MAN license, came from the road trucks industry. The coach, associated with a two axle tow MEVA type, has been utilized experimentally in 1996, as fast train A 1895/1894, on Bucharest Nord Campulung section then as fast train AM 1598/1597, on Bucharest Nord Targoviste section, being finally annulled and used as service train for Snagov or the marginal line. In 1997, MARUB have also built the prototype with hydraulic transmission, similar with the first one, codified by the factory as AM-282-H-002 and registered at CFR as Bm mot 95-0001-8. After numerous testing routes on the surrounding areas of Brasov, (Rupea, Zarnesti, Intorsura Buzaului, Covasna, Malnas and even Predeal), was stated that the motor car is not apt for the circulation on the sections with big ramps, being frequently produced overheating of the engine, transmission and afferent installation, even the rounding of a bandage as a consequence of several repeated skidding. At one of these testing routes on Brasov Zarnesti section, the motor car collided with a vehicle at a level crossing, being damaged after the impact. Among the motor cars used for passengers' routes, we mention fast train Brasov Malnas Bai and distance route Brasov Zarnesti (two round routes per day).

 

Hubert G. Koeniger (Germany) and Antonio Bianco