Old electric locomotives in Nagyvárad (Oradea, Grosswardein)
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On the next pages I present the old electric locomotives used in Nagyvárad.
These locomotives were built in the beginning of the XX-th century and were used until 1994. I noticed all that I could from 1978 and my father and me took a lot of picture about them. I collected information too from:
[1] A monograph of the local transport company from 1996, [2] The book "Régi Magyar Villamosok" by Dr. Kubinsky Mihály, Lovász István, Villányi György
and searched similar locomotives on the internet.
From 1978 I observed three locomotives with the following numbers: 3, 4 and 5. This numbering may be concluded that, it could have been five locomotives.
In Nagyvárad (Oradea) the urban railway was built with standard gauge only for goods transport with siding to the main factories and direct connection with the main railway. The railway started the service on August 28, 1882 with two four-wheel Krauss locomotives. The connecting station to the mainline was at Varad-Velence goods station, from where the line run trough the Kolozsvári street, Templom square, Sütő square, Market place and Vámház street. A second line was built in 1900 in the Zöldfa street, when a third steam locomotive was acquired. The first tram with electric traction was inaugurated on April 25, 1906 and the electrification of the sidings followed. The electric traction started on the sidings on August 1, 1906 with two electric locomotives with number 1 and 2. In 1925 (?) was bought an another electric locomotive with number 3. Beside these it was used steam locomotives too. In the 20's the electrification of the track continued and arrived to the "Őssi" goods station. The two goods railway station, the "Velence" on the east part and the "Őssi" on the west part of the city were connected in this way with siding too. A part of the track was used by trams too. The 4-th electric locomotive was built locally on the basis of the road and rail running gear of a World War I heavy artillery gun with 8 wheels and 8 electro-motors. This locomotive has got number 4. In 1942 from Budapest the city has got a Ganz electric locomotive with number 7301 (here with number 5). This was taken to Debrecen in 1943. [2]
On the inventory list from 1946 appears 4 electric locomotives:
| Nr. | Specification | Count | Power - weight |
| 1 | with 2 motors, 2 axles | 2 | 45 H.P. - 19 T |
| 2 | with 2 motors, 2 axles | 1 | 25 H.P. - 17 T |
| 3 | with 2 motors, 2 axles under repair used at "Őssi" railway station | 1 |
In the 50's the city has got a box-cab electric locomotive.
On the pictures from the 70's appears five locomotives [1].
In 1977, 1978 the track was shortened and the remaining part was between the "Velence" railway station and the tram's depot. I saw only this part of the track. On my first own picture from 1978 appears three electric locomotives with number 3, 4 and 5. In 1989, 1990 the old depot was wounded up only the back part was maintained for the locomotives. In 1994 the track was wounded up and the locomotives were preserved in the new depot. In 2000 they were there, now I have no information about them.
The numbering of the locomotives has changed in the 70's.
| Old number | New number |
| Nr. 1 | Nr. 4 |
| Nr. 2 | Nr. 5 |
| Nr. 3 | Nr. 3 |
| Nr. 4 | No information from 1978 |
| Nr. 5 (got in the 50's) | No information from 1978 |
In the cab of the locomotive nr. 5 it can be find a plate with number 2 and on the locomotive nr. 4 a plate with number 1.
Beside the locomotives I present the old depot and an old switch made in Diósgyőr.
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