6 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. NSB El 5 at Leica: Anders Beer Wilse· Public domain
- 2. Hovedbanen km000 Østbanen 1926ca OB.NW3449: Unknown (Oslo Museum)· CC0
- 3. Hovedbanen km000 Østbanen 1933 no-nb foto NF W 38869: Anders Beer Wilse· Public domain
- 4. Jernbanens Hovedstyre. Elektrisk lokomotiv. - no-nb digifoto 20160201 00143 NB NS 000902Z: Narve Skarpmoen· Public domain
- 5. Hovedbanen km000 Østbanen 1939 no-nb foto NF WF 10225: Anders Beer Wilse· Public domain
- 6. NSB El 5 at Oslo Ø: Anders Beer Wilse (1865–1949)· Public domain
what is it?
NSB El 5 was an electric locomotive built by AEG, Norsk Elektrisk & Brown Boveri, Siemens, Hamar Jernstøperi and Thune between 1927 and 1936, with a total of 12 units being delivered to the Norwegian State Railways. They were capable of 1,044 kW and top speed of 70 km/h. Number 2039 is preserved by the Norwegian Railway Museum.
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 99 years ago, in 1927.
- 1 MW is about 12 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
- Weighs about as much as 11 African elephants (~6 t each).
- 13.1 m long: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.
- Served for 45 years (1927–1972).
electric locomotive: Draws power from overhead wires or a third rail and pulls separate carriages.
spec sheet
- built
- 1927–1936
- in service from
- 1927
- retired
- 1972
- status
- retired
- number built
- 12
- kind
- Electric
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇳🇴 Norway
- builders
- AEG, Siemens, Norsk Elektrisk & Brown Boveri, Thunes mekaniske verksted
- operators
- Norges Statsbaner
- top speed
- 70 km/h
- power
- 1 MW
- gauge
- 1,435 mm standard gauge
- electric system
- Catenary
- wheel arrangement
- B'B'
- length
- 13.1 m
- weight
- 66.8 t
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q744959, Wikipedia: NSB El 5 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.