ESU 31532 – AE6/6, 610 487-1 Langenthal SBB, red/blue, Era V, LokSound, DC/AC

After the Second World War, the famous crocodiles or other older types still dominated the Swiss Gotthard Line. In order to take account of the increased train weights and the desire for higher speed, the Swiss Federal Railways commissioned SBB to develop an axle-less bogie electric locomotive. Technically, this should be based on the successful Ae 4/4 of the Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon Railway BLS. SLM and BBC were in charge, handing over the pre-production locomotives Ae 6/6 11401 and 11402 to the SBB in 1952. The six drive motors of all Ae 6/6 deliver 4300 kW and accelerate them to 125 km/h. The internationally proven BBC spring drive was chosen as the drive. As the new pride of the Swiss railways, the locomotives were provided with chrome strips all around, with a shorter, externally slanted chrome trim on the front sides to the left and right of the Swiss cross, called “snout” by the Swiss. The series locomotives differed significantly from the pre-production locomotives in that they had modified roof equipment with a new main switch and the absence of doors next to the locomotive driver’s position. Since the locomotive body began to rust under the chrome strips after several years, the SBB ordered the Ae 6/6 without chrome decoration starting in 1959, starting with the number 11427. In the 1980s, many locomotives were painted red, in the 1990s the driver’s cabs were revised, and from 2003 onwards the driver’s cabs of the locomotives intended for further use were rebuilt, which meant, for example, that the windshield wiper drives that were previously mounted above the front windows moved downwards. The most striking external change, however, was the repainting of some modernized locomotives in red/blue with large SBB Cargo lettering. By 2013, all Ae 6/6 not intended for museum preservation had been retired.

• Metal structure and frame

• Digitally raised and lowered pantographs

• Coupling in a slide-guided NEM shaft

• Bell armature motor with flywheel

• Drive via cardan/worm gear on four axles, four traction tires

• LokSound 5 decoder for DCC, Motorola®, M4 and Selectrix operation

• Independent registration at control centers with RailComPlus® or mfx® functionality

• Universal electronics with plug-in grinder and slide switch for switching between two-wire and Middle manager operation

• PowerPack storage capacitor for uninterruptible power supply

• Two high-quality speakers with large sound capsules for maximum sound enjoyment

• Digitized original sounds of an Ae 6/6

• Squeaking noise when cornering slowly due to curve sensor

• Light changes depending on the direction of travel, headlights on the train side can be switched off, Swiss top lights signals switchable, driver’s cab and driver’s desk lighting, engine room lighting

• Brake sparks when braking sharply

• Multi-part bogie panels with numerous separately attached parts

• Separately attached handle bars and steps, etched surround on the front sides

• Clear view of the largely detailed engine room

• Finely detailed, multicolored driver’s cabs, locomotive driver figure

• Spring-loaded buffers

• Buffer carrier accessories and a second coupling are included

• Minimum passable radius = 360 mm

• Length over buffers = 211.5 mm

Era	V
Railway/Country	SBB
Sound	Yes
System	DC 2rail, DCC 2rail, DCC/Mot 3rail, Marklin AC 3rail, mfx/M4 3rail