Prototype: Swiss Federal Railways (SBB/CFF/FFS) class Re 460 fast general-purpose locomotive. Advertising locomotive for the Swiss retailer MIGROS. Road number: 460 080-5. The locomotive looks as it did in 2015.

Use: Passenger trains.

Publications

- New items brochure 2016 - Main Catalog 2016/2017 - Main Catalog 2017/2018 - Main Catalog 2018/2019 - Main Catalog Minitrix 2019/2020

Prototype information

T16763 – SBB Class Re 460 "Migros" Electric Locomotive Starting in the mid-Eighties the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) was intensively occupied with the creation of a new electric locomotive with three-phase drive, which was planned for the project "Bahn 2000" / "Rail 2000". The SBB therefore contracted with the in-house builders at that time ABB in Oerlikon and SLM in Winterthur (SLM) to develop such a unit, which was quickly designated as Locomotive 2000 – officially as the class Re 460. The result due to the specifications was a general-purpose high-speed locomotive capable of 230 km/h / 144 mph and an output of 6.1 MW / 8,180 horsepower, which was designed for express and freight train service. A ribbed lightweight locomotive body had to be constructed in order not to exceed the total weight of 84 metric tons.

The design studio Pininfarina took on responsibility for the design of the shape. A three-phase asynchronous motor drove each wheel set in the truck. A traction converter with GTO thyristors provided each truck with the necessary traction current. The Re 460 was equipped with radially adjustable wheel sets in order to keep wheel wear as low as possible on the Alpine routes with their many curves. The control technology was new territory because control electronics was installed for both the locomotive and for the drive system. The SBB placed 119 Re 460 units (000-118) in service between 1992 and 1996. They have been the backbone of the SBB long-distance fleet for 20 years und every day as a group they travel the same distance as 2.5 times around the earth.

The "Locomotive 2000" has even scored export success: The Norwegian NSB acquired 22 units (El 182241-2262), the Finnish VR bought 46 locomotives in a 1,520 mm / 60 inch wide gauge version (Sr23201-3246), two units found a livelihood with the KCRC in Hong Kong, and 18 lightly modified locomotives went as the class Re 465 to the Swiss BLS (465001-018). Due their symmetrical side walls the Re 460 locomotives have quickly advanced to advertising mediums for all possible institutions. Road number Re 460 080 has been in operation since July of 2014 with the green environmental paint scheme for Migros. One side is lettered in German and the other side in French. The ends are decorated with the Migros logo and on the side walls two children represent the future generation of human beings.

Features