SNCF Class BB 60000.html |
| | | ca | | | de | | | en | | | es | | | fr | | | it | | | nl | | | no | | | pl | | | pt | | | ru | | | ro | | | fi | | | sv | | | tr | | | vo | | |
| |  |
| SNCF BB60000 | |
 |
|
| Newly delivered BB 460018 at Hendaye | |
| Power type | Diesel |
|---|---|
| Builder | Alstom & Vossloh |
| Build date | 2006 – 2010 |
| UIC classification | Bo-Bo |
| Length | 15.33 m |
| Weight | 76 tons |
| Fuel capacity | 3000 l |
| Engine type | Caterpillar CAT3508B |
| Traction motors | 4x Alstom FRA3055A with IGBT powerpacks |
| Transmission | Voith |
| Top speed | 100 km/h |
| Power output | 920 kW |
| Safety systems | Crocodile , KVB. |
| Career | SNCF-FRET/SNCF-INFRA |
| Number in class | 175 (160 FRET, 15 INFRA) |
| First run | 2006 |
| Disposition | in service |
The SNCF class BB 60000 are a class of 4 axle heavy shunting and light freight diesel electric locomotives built at the Vossloh Espania works in Valencia Spain previously owned by Alstom1
SNCF made an initial order for 160 locomotives.
This class is not to be confused with the different BB60000 prototypes from the 1950s and 1960s.Therefore the new class is mostly referred to as BB460000, the prefix 4 being used by FRET in the SNCF group.
Contents |
History
At the end of the 1990s SNCF was faced with a diesel locomotive fleet of which the larger part was older than 30 years, and thus fuel-consuming and expensive in maintenance. Some locomotive classes were re-engined (BB66400 in BB69400, CC72000 in CC72100) to overcome some of the problems on the short term. In the longer term however, new locomotives had to be ordered as also the re-engined locomotives would reach the end of their useful age.
An initial plan saw 69 medium-power locomotives (together with the SBB) and 55 high-power locomotives ordered. This plan was intensively modified, and eventually 160 low-power shunting locomotives (BB460000) and 400 medium-power locomotives (see BB475000) were ordered.
For the low-power shunting locomotives there were 3 biddings: Vossloh with its G1000BB, Firema with its D146 locomotive and Alstom with an enhanced version of the SBB Am841 locomotives. The Vossloh bid was deemed too expensive and also Firema couldn't convince FRET, so Alstom won the bid. At first the locomotives were to be powered with an MTU engine, as those engines were used in BB69400 and BB75000 locomotives and had a good performance, but the MTU engine was replaced with one from Caterpillar due to financial reasons.
In October 2008 SNCF ordered an additional 15 locomotives for its Infrastructure division.2 These locomotives will be numbered in the 660000 series (the prefix '6' is used by the Infrastructure division in the SNCF numbering system), and will be painted in the yellow and grey Infrastructure livery.
Technology
Initially SNCF wanted to buy a "catalog" locomotive, i.e. a standardised locomotive type without too many changes. Alstom proposed an enhanced version of the SBB Am841, which were the latest shunting locomotives Alstom had built. But SNCF wanted access to the cab by frontal doors instead of side doors; thus the cab had to be completely redesigned. Because of this the BB60000 is considered to be a type of itself instead of a version of a standard locomotive.
The locomotive has nearly all of its technology derived from the SBB Am841, except for the cabin, engine and electric equipment. It has 2 hoods: the longer one houses the Caterpillar CAT3508B engine and the alternator, while the shorter one houses the electrical and brake equipment.
The cabin is rounder than the SBB Am841 from which it is derived. It has 2 full control desks and is equipped with air-conditioning. Bogies are the same as its predecessors and have primary (coil springs with Silentbloc, plus vertical shock absorbers) and secondary ("Sandwich" blocs) suspension. There are two traction motors per bogie powered by IGBT based electronics. Brake equipment only consists of wheel brakes which are equipped with plastic brake padsclarification needed.
Although it was enhanced with new technology, this locomotive is criticised for being an "1990s" locomotive, as most of its design was conceived in the early-1990s. Other locomotives such as the G 1000 BB from Vossloh are considered more modern in design.
Career
After a homologation period of 2 years the first locomotives were delivered in late-2006. They faced some problems teething problems such as inadequate brake pads, causing unreliable shunting operations, and unwanted shocks caused by the locomotive's software. The first ten locomotives were retrofitted by Vossloh. The rest were delivered with the modifications.
The first locomotives are allocated to the depot of Sotteville, nowadays known as the EIMM Normandie. They will be working services in the Normandy area such as Le Havre and Mantes. From late 2007 onwards these locomotives will also work services to the greater Paris area, and from early 2008 the rest will work services in the south-east.
References
- ^ By 2006 Vossloh had become owner of the Alstom plant in Valencia, and thus inherited the order.
- ^ Alstom Transport - Alstom to supply 15 diesel locomotives to the SNCF Retrieved on 2009-01-25.
Literature
- La BB 46000 de Fret SNCF. In: Rail Passion 113, March 2007. Éditions La Vie Du Rail, ISSN 1261-3665, p. 18-20.
Technical data
- http://www.vossloh-espana.com/cms/media/downloads/pdfs/references/Vossloh_Espana_SL_BB460000_us.pdf Basic technical specifications from Vossloh
External links
- Statistical information about BB460000 locomotives on Trains-du-Sud-Ouest (French)
- European Railway Picture Gallery
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: SNCF Class BB 60000 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||