SNCF BB 12000
| BB 12000 | |
|---|---|
 The BB 12125 on August 29, 2006 in the Mulhouse Railway Museum.
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| Numbering: | 12001-12148 |
| Manufacturer: | MTE |
| Year of construction (s): | 1954-1961 |
| Retirement: | 2000 |
| Axis formula : | Bo'Bo ' |
| Gauge : | 1435 mm ( standard gauge ) |
| Length over buffers: | 15,200 mm |
| Empty mass: | 83.4 to 85.6 t |
| Top speed: | 120 km / h |
| Continuous output : | 2470 kW |
| Power system : | 25 kV 50 Hz |
| Number of traction motors: | 4 motors type SW 435 |
The BB 12000 was the first French series electric locomotive series for the AC system 25 kV / 50 Hz. All previous French electric locomotives had been operated with direct current.
After experiments on a line operated with industrial current of 50 Hz in the Haute-Savoie department , 148 units of this series were built from 1954. Together with the series BB 13000 , CC 14000 and CC 14100 , the series belongs to the first generation of AC locomotives in France. Their first area of operation was the 303 km long route from Thionville to Valenciennes . The positive experience that was made here led to the decision to carry out all future rail electrification with the exception of extensions to the existing direct current network with alternating current. As a result, the area of operation of the locomotives expanded to the entire northeast, but with the arrival of the BB 16500 and especially the BB 16000 they were pushed into subordinate services.
The last machines in this series were taken out of service in January 2000, but several examples have been preserved.
Because of its unusual shape, it was nicknamed "iron" (fer à repasser).
BB 12000 at the CFL
20 machines were delivered to CFL in Luxembourg as the 3600 series . In March 2005, the 3602 was the last of its series to be retired. It can be seen on permanent loan in the Bahnpark Augsburg . The 3608 will remain operational in Luxembourg.
