Kraków 2024-12-16

Passenger wagons 120A, Bwixt, Bh, Bp, B11p, „Bonanza”.

The 120A, Bwixt, wagon was developed in Wrocław in the PaFaWag factory in 1972. It was used since 1973. The 120A wagon is a variant of the UIC-Y standard wagons, family type 104A, produced earlier in Poland. The wagon was developed mainly for non-electrified, local routes with medium passenger traffic. The complete wagons replaced wagons built before 1945, of which there was a large number in PKP in the 1970s. Together with the withdrawal of the last pre-war wagons, the 120A type wagons, together with the older 43A, 101A and 102A, became the basic rolling stock in passenger trains on local lines in PKP. After 2002, together with the double-decker Bhp series wagons, they became the only planned wagons equipped with efficient steam heating devices. The rest of the cars had only electric heating.

After 1985, the 120A cars were marked with the Bh series, and after 2009, also Bp or B11p. It is worth adding that the cars have some of the same equipment as the EN57 EZT, which were produced in parallel at PaFaWag. The cars have the same seats, tables, and ceiling luggage racks. The same internal doors were installed. The same technologies were used. Production of the 120A cars was finally completed in 1985.

The 120A car is walk-through and was equipped with doors at the ends of the car, with the passage secured by gangways and rubber rollers. One-piece sliding doors made of aluminium. Sliding compartment doors. Entrance to the car is provided by two pairs of doors on each side. The doors are double rotary-folding, UIC type. Because of these doors, the car was given the slang name “Bonanza” because they resemble the entrance to a “wild west” saloon. The car is equipped with steam and electric heating. Temperature control is by means of thermostats. Natural ventilation is used in the car by opening windows and vents placed in the roof. The windows are 1.20 m wide and there are 11 of them on one side, plus two extreme toilet windows. The windows are divided, and their upper part is lowered. Single panes. There are two toilets in the car placed at the ends of the car body. The toilets are exceptionally tight and are in an open arrangement. The passage door to the next car is one-piece and moves to the side where there is no toilet. Hot water comes from a water heater in the water tank (2 × 400 liters).

The frame of the 120A car is welded from 18G2ACu and 10HA steel, adapted for the installation of an automatic coupler. The body structure is welded from profiles and covered with 2 mm thick St3SYCu steel sheet. The roof is covered with 1.5 mm thick steel sheet. The walls are filled with polystyrene. The wooden floor is covered with vinyl. The interior of the car is lined with Unifleks laminate. Soft couches covered with imitation leather are installed in the compartments. The couch spacing is 1.62 m, and the middle is a passage 0.64 m wide.

The 120A cars are equipped with standard 4ANc and 4ANc/2 type bogies (with a generator) with wheel sets with a wheel diameter of 920 mm. Since 1976, modified bogies with a generator marked with the type symbol 4ANc/4 have been used. The type of the rolling bogie is 4Anc or 4Anc/2. The bogies are equipped with PW 114d-03 type electric generators, with a power of 4.5 kW. The car is equipped with acid type batteries, with a capacity of 495 Ah. Wheel set with a wheel diameter of 0.92 m. Rolling bearings are used. Oerlikon system brake, type Est4d/REL1/ML1, 2 cylinders, cylinder diameter 14″ (356 mm).

The 119A, 120A wagons, called “Bonanza”, were a development of the 43A “Ryflak” wagon. The Bwix series mark, later supplemented with the letter “d” indicating a wagon with a remote control cable (Bwixd). The 119A type wagons were wagons intended for Romania. A series of 150 wagons was built, in PaFaWag, in the period 1969-1970. Then, the production of the 120A type was started for PKP. The 120A type is a 2nd class, non-compartment wagon. The dimensions of the wagon and its technical characteristics corresponded to international regulations (UIC card 567) for “Y” standard wagons with a total length of 24.5 m. The interior was divided into three spacious passenger compartments; the middle one with 40 seats and two outer ones with 24 seats. Semi-soft seats covered with red leatherette were arranged in a 2+2 arrangement with a passage in the middle, with a width between the seats of 640 mm. Luggage racks made of aluminium profiles were installed above the windows, along the side walls. Fixed tables were placed under the windows, dustbins under them, and in both extreme compartments intended for smokers, additionally two ashtrays. There were two entrance vestibules with double-leaf revolving-folding doors between the passenger compartments. One toilet was placed at each end of the carriage. The windows in the toilets have frosted glass. Standardised transition bridges covered with rubber rollers with handles used for coupling with the accordion if necessary were installed on the front walls of the body.

In terms of general assumptions, both types 119A and 120A did not differ in any way. The bogies were different. The cars were equipped with a Knorr pneumatic brake (KE-GPR) with automatic regulation of the braking force depending on the actual load and a three-phase AC generator. The compartment windows were made as divided, with double panes and the upper part hinged to the interior. The electric heating system was adapted to the power supply of AC current with a frequency of 50 Hz and a voltage of 1500 V. The source of electric energy for lighting was a PW-114d-03 DC generator with a power of 4.5 kW and a voltage of 30 V with a cardan gear drive. A battery of acid batteries with a capacity of 495 Ah and an output voltage of 24 V was built under the body. Lighting was provided by fluorescent lamps with a power of 40 W and 20 W powered by transistor converters. Emergency lighting was provided by 24 V 5 W bulbs.

The built 120A type wagons were mainly directed to local lines, but were also included in long-distance trains. The 120A type wagons certainly provided higher travel comfort, but on long-distance routes they offered little legroom and little space for luggage.

A great many 120A type wagons were built in PaFaWag. In 1977 alone, 203 units were produced. Production ended in 1978, after 719 units had been built for PKP. In addition, six wagons of this type, from the last months of production, were exported to Albania.

Currently (2022), a dozen or so 120A wagons are in use. During repairs to level P5, a dozen or so wagons were adapted to transport bicycles. One of the end compartments received stands for placing bicycles and a different arrangement of passenger seats. In 2021, the Pomeranian PolRegio Plant carried out a repair of the P5 level of one 120A wagon. This was related to the intended use of the wagon to service connections in Podlasie by the SA106 railbus + 120A wagon. The SA106 DMUs + 120A wagon had already performed well in Podlasie. The pilot program was to contribute to the elimination of white spots in rail transport and promote tourism in Podlasie. The interior of the renovated wagon was completely changed. New seats were installed. It was possible to serve disabled passengers and bicycle racks were made. LED lighting was installed.

SA106 vehicles + 120A wagon can be found on the Białystok – Suwałki, Białystok – Waliły, Białystok – Czeremcha, Białystok – Hajnówka and Hajnówka – Siedlce routes, and from July 1, 2021, also on the route to Siemianówka.

Currently (2022) about 20 120A cars are in use in Poland. Looking at current trends, it is possible that this number will not decrease, and it is possible that after general renovations, more cars will return to the railway lines. But as modern cars, with automatic doors, toilets in closed systems, air conditioning and adapted to serve disabled passengers.

T-T data of the 120A car: This is a non-compartment car, intended for local lines. Number of axles 4. Length with buffers 24.50 m. Width 2.88 m. Height 4.05 m. Bogie spacing 17.20 m. Number of compartments 3. Number of seats 88. Curb weight 38,000 – 38,500 kg. Bogie type 4Anc or 4Anc/2. Running speed 140 or 160 km/h. The smallest curve radius is 150 m. The car floor is 1.22 m above the rail head. The first entrance step is 0.61 m above the rail head. Steam-electric heating.

Written Karol Placha Hetman