5 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. NSB El 1 2001: Cato Edvardsen· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 2. El 1 and DF Ammonia: Anders Beer Wilse· Public domain
- 3. NSB El 1 at Oslo V: Anders Beer Wilse· Public domain
- 4. El1.2004-710105: Ses· CC BY-SA 4.0
- 5. El1.2005-710331: Ses· CC BY-SA 4.0
what is it?
NSB El 1 is the first electric locomotive series used by the Norwegian State Railways, from 1922 until 1973. Twenty-four engines were delivered from ASEA and Thune, twenty-two in 1922 and two in 1930. Based on the German DB E 71 and Swedish SJ Oc it has two two-axle bogie with one motor in each.
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 104 years ago, in 1922.
- 690 kW is about 8 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
- Weighs about as much as 10 African elephants (~6 t each).
- 12.7 m long: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.
- Served for 64 years (1922–1986).
electric locomotive: Draws power from overhead wires or a third rail and pulls separate carriages.
spec sheet
- built
- 1922–1930
- in service from
- 1922
- retired
- 1986
- status
- retired
- number built
- 24
- kind
- Electric
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇳🇴 Norway
- builders
- ASEA, Thunes mekaniske verksted
- operators
- Norges Statsbaner, Hydro Transport
- top speed
- 70 km/h
- power
- 690 kW
- gauge
- 1,435 mm standard gauge
- electric system
- Catenary
- wheel arrangement
- B'B'
- length
- 12.7 m
- weight
- 61.3 t
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q744414, Wikipedia: NSB El 1 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.