ČSD Class E 499.3electric locomotives were used primarily for passenger trains in Czechoslovakia. Locomotives which passed to České dráhy, rail operator in the Czech republic are now classified as Class 163, those which passed to ZSSK, rail operator in Slovakia, are also Class 163. E 499.3 locomotivesoperate on the 3,000 V DCsystem and are essentially a DC only version of the ES 499.1. ČD Class 163.2 and some ZSSK Class 163 locomotives were rebuilt from ČD and ZSSK Class 162. This was caused by lack of fast dual system locomotives as only one Class 362 locomotive was built. This situation solved ČD by switching the bogies between locomotives of ČD Class 363 and Class 162, ŽSR by switching only the speed-change box and axletrees between Class 363 and Class 162. After that procedure, the locomotives were classified ČD and ŽSR/ZSSK Class 362 and ČD Class 163.2 and ŽSR/ZSSK Class 163.
History
The locomotive was produced in the years 1984-1992 in four series of 20, 40 and 60 engines. Because it was a slightly modified version of ČSD Class ES 499.1, there weren't any prototypes built. The first series of locomotives were sent to Ústí nad Labem, next two series were sent to Olomouc, Košice and Česká Třebová. Currently, the ČD are units in Česká Třebová, Děčín and Bohumín and ZSSK units in Košice and Žilina.
Modernisation
All 30 locomotives owned by ČD Cargo were rebuilt to class 363.5 by Škoda. ZSSK announced tender for rebuilding 15 locomotives class 163/162 to class 361, which was won by ŽOS Vrútky. As of January, 2014, 5 locomotives of class 361 and 4 locomotives of class 361.1 were built.
Because of the financial problems of ČSD after the Velvet revolution, Škoda rebuilt 9 pieces of the fourth series and sold them to FNM, Italy. These were classified as FNM Class E.630. In 2010, all E630 locomotives were sold to Czech private operator RegioJet and were rebuilt to class 162.
Disposition
As of 2008-06-19, 38 163s remained in service with ZSSK, 30 with ČD Cargo and 78 with ČD, as at 2008-03-02.
