Vossloh/Alstom 333.3 Prima - Renfe/Renfe AMF/Continental Rail 1.5:1 Scale

The Renfe Series 333 is a diesel-electric locomotive manufactured in the 1970s, one of the most powerful locomotives that have traveled Spanish roads without electrification.

The needs of a diesel-electric locomotive capable of towing express trains and large-tonnage goods put those responsible for the national network in search of a machine that would combine these capabilities and, in addition, could travel at the standard speed of 120 km/h during the seventies.

Renfe chose, within the available range that reached almost 4000 HP, the Mz1 model, massively adopted by the DSB railways. 93 units were ordered from MACOSA, being delivered between 1974 and 1976. Macosa, with licenses from General Motors and Nohab, equipped them with Flexicoli bogies and General Motors electrical equipment, as well as diesel engines that are 16 cylinders in V at 45 degrees, cycle two-stroke, measuring 10.57 L; with a compression ratio of 14.5:1. The supply air is pre-cooled in the air-water heat exchanger, which results in an increase in power, achieving 3,345 HP at 900 rpm. This engine supplies a power of 2236 kW to the two three-phase alternators coupled to it. The main alternator is intended for traction, and the secondary one for auxiliary equipment. The traction alternator operates at 600 V providing alternating current that will be rectified to direct current through 30 silicon diodes. This direct current powers the six traction motors mounted on the nose-suspended axles. A transmission on the drive axles composed of a pinion-crown assembly with a ratio of 59 to 18 will be responsible for sending the power to the steel wheels. One of the innovations of these machines consists of the electronic control equipment, whose mission is to adapt the electrical power of the traction alternator to the power available at all times in the combustion engine, achieving adequate engine torque at all times. Another particularity is the integration of the ASFA equipment in the same driving desk.

The speed was rated at 146 km/hour, although some of them can travel at 160 km/hour with the appropriate modifications. Its mass in the original series is 120 t with a length between stops of 20.7 m.

Since the beginning of the 2000s, the entire series has been undergoing a comprehensive reform at the Valencian Stadler factory (formerly MACOSA, Alstom and Vossloh). The practically new locomotives will only inherit the diesel engine, the traction motors and the main alternator from the old ones, otherwise they will become locomotives from Alstom's Prima family, with a modular design that improves maintenance, and they will also be incorporated new electronic systems to improve the performance of these machines.

As a curiosity, this series has been chosen by Acciona Rail Services and Continental Rail to start their freight services on the railway lines, now owned by Adif. Each of the two companies has purchased 2 machines of this series with numbers 333.380-333.383. Both companies are also the first to break Renfe Operadora's monopoly on Spanish railways after the liberalization of the freight service.

Renfe Railway Material Rental has several locomotives of this series available for rent.