The locomotives, which entered in service in a small batch of 4 units, were characterized by a central cabin with two large hoods at each end. Built by Ganz, they had a similar mechanical equipment to the E.360 type. The E.380s showed a series of problems, so that two were refurbished as E.390.
The two fixed speeds were obtained by changing the motor connections. For high speed the motors were connected in parallel. For low speed the two motors were "cascaded" by connecting the rotor of one motor to the stator of the other. This caused both motors to run at half speed.[1]
The low power output at the highest speed, and the limitation of use to only two fixed speeds (due to the control arrangement of the three-phase motors) led both classes to be retired after a short service period.
