Main > Reference > Switzerland    SBB diesel locomotives        

SBB´s network is almost fully electrified. Diesel engines are only used in short distance switching work and at sidetrack connections to industrial railroads. These pictures show mainly rail tractors used for maintenance work and diesel switching engines.

Two SBB Am 841 diesel locomotives and one Re 4/4 II series electric locomotive (in its original dark green livery) at Porrentruy station. The Am 841 is a fairly new locomotive on Swiss tracks. They are built in 1996 by the Spanish daughter company of the French Alstom group and they are slight modifications of the Spanish state railways RENFE´s series 311, which have been in use in Spain since 1990. It is 14,16 meters long, weighs 73 tons and has a maximum speed of 80 km/h. It is driven by an 8 cylinder V engine, driving a generator which in turn drive the asynchronous electric drive motors at axles. The locomotive is designed for switching work, railroad maintenance work and light cargo train service. SBB has 40 of these engines. Photo at Porrentruy station 22.6.2002 by Ilkka Siissalo.
Uploaded 23.6.2002

The Am 841 locomotives were parked at a difficult place for photography, but this picture still shows the side view of the Spanish engines. SBB got these locomotives very cheaply, but still they have been very well liked, especially since the drivers have a very good view to all directions. Photo at Porrentruy station 22.6.2002 by Ilkka Siissalo.
Uploaded 23.6.2002

The Tm 4. series diesel locomotive no. 8755 is built for light switching work by SLM in Winterthur and has a speed of only 45 km/h. It is kept "just in case" at the Swiss station of Rheinfelden. Photo 4th of June 1999 in Rheinfelden by Ilkka Siissalo, ilkka.siissalo(at-sign)iki.fi (14k) Uploaded Jun 5,1999

A brand new "rail truck" or diesel engine rail tractor as it is officially classified, the SBB Tm 234 was built in year 2000 and is used for railroad maintenance work. As earlier explained, the Swiss have a habit seen nowhere else in the world that they habitually have one small locomotive, "rail tractor" or other helper engine at each major station. Now many of these Te and Tm series engines have become too old, being from the 1930s-1940s, and are gradually being replaced by newer and better equipment. Photo at Vallorbe station at 2. Nov. 2001 by Ilkka Siissalo, ilkka.siissalo(at-sign)iki.fi Uploaded Jun 6, 2002

A piece of history: The heavy Em 6/6 diesel engines were used at hump switching cargo coaches, especially at the very active Basel-Muttenz cargo railyard until about 2005-2006, when they were finally replaced by newer MaK locomotives. The Em 6/6 was an odd engine. They were built 1970-71 by SLM/SAAS. Basically it consists of two copies of the same engine, but only one has a cockpit. It bends in the middle. It weighs 104 tons, has a total length of 17,875 metres and a maximum speed of 65 km/h. The engine was created for heavy weight hump switching and rarely moved at moved at more than 5 km/h. SBB had 5 of them in total. Photo at Muttenz station at 8. Jan 2003 by Ilkka Siissalo, ilkka.siissalo(at-sign)iki.fi Uploaded Jan 6, 2008

Another view of the Em 6/6 no. 17005 at the Muttenz station. In the background a motorised draisine of the type Tm 4. Photo at Muttenz station at 8. Jan 2003 by Ilkka Siissalo, ilkka.siissalo(at-sign)iki.fi Uploaded Jan 6, 2008

During 2005-2007 SBB Cargo has bought a lot of new locomotives and the MaK 1700 type or according to the Swiss notation Am 843 has become commonplace. It is a very modern diesel engine, capable of both fast main line service as well as switching work. It is built by Maschinenbau Kiel, a part of the Vossloh group in Kiel, northern Germany. The type G 1700 BB s one of their current top brands, being sold all over Europe, everywhere between Luleå and Gibraltar, as the manufacturer claims. It has been delivered since autumn 2002, weighs depending on the configuration between 80 and 90 tons (usually 87 tons), provides a pulling power of 1700 kW and has a a theoretical pulling force of 254 kN in its standard configuration.
Photo of Am 843 065 at Chavornay station at 13.7.2007 by Ilkka Siissalo.
Uploaded Jan 6, 2008

Another view of the Am 843 065 at Charvornay. It is a beautiful locomotive, although the SBB´s cargo painting does not do it a favour. The same engine can be seen throughout Europe these days, for instance in Austria where it is known as the the ÖBB class 2070.
Photo of Am 843 065 at Chavornay station at 13.7.2007 by Ilkka Siissalo.
Uploaded Jan 6, 2008