Class Ge 6/6 II Electric Locomotive

Prototype

RhB Class Ge 6/6 II Electric Locomotive For the power generation plants planned in the Bergell area (Albigna) starting in the mid-Fifties and the extensive cement transport linked to it from Untervaz near Landquart to the Engadin area (up to 1,000 metric tons per day) the Rhaetian Railroad urgently needed more powerful locomotives with the following specifications: One unit alone had to be able to haul a train equipped for the largest permissible loads, which meant around 250 metric tons on a 3.5% grade (Albula Linie) and on a 4.5% grade (Küblis – Davos) around 180 metric tons. In cooperation with SLM (mechanical part) as well as BBC and MFO (electrical part) the result was a unit with three two-axle trucks and a locomotive body divided in the middle by articulation, which best met the requirements and especially the route conditions of the RhB. In 1955, two such class Ge 6/6 II locomotives were initially ordered and by mid-1958 were delivered with the road numbers 701 and 702. The outer trucks as well as the single phase series wound motors were identical with those of the Ge 4/4 I 601-610. The 294 kilowatt (400 horsepower) traction motors were controlled by a low voltage step relay controller corresponding to the level of the technology of that time. There were 28 speed levels with voltages of approximately 70 to 480 volts and 15 electric brake steps. The recuperative brakes worked on descending grades using the proven MFO excitation motor circuit. These two six-axle units turned out so well that the RhB ordered five more units in 1964 for the increasingly heavier Albula express trains, which were delivered in 1965 with the road numbers 703-707. While the preproduction locomotives still had end doors (1968/69 welded shut), these doors were not installed on the units built seven years later and the locomotives had two-part windshields instead of three-part designs. The ends of road numbers 701 and 702 were adapted in the Eighties to those of the five newer locomotives. Starting in 1985 the class Ge 6/6 II units lost their green paint job and were gradually repainted in the current red scheme during main inspections. In 1998 the double arm pantographs made way for the modern single arm designs. After the appearance of the class Ge 4/4 III starting in 1994, the class Ge 6/6 II gradually moved over to freight train service, but they also were used to pull passenger trains. Since 2023 all the locomotives have disappeared from active service. Three of these units, road numbers 702, 705, and 707 are still preserved. The 4 other units have been scrapped.

Model

This is a model of a Rhaetian Railroad (RhB) class Ge 6/6 II electric locomotive, road number 703 “St. Moritz”. The paint scheme and lettering are prototypical for Era VI as the unit was last operated. The lower headlight is rectangular in design. Four wheelsets are driven by two powerful ball bearing Bühler motors. The locomotive has an mfx/DCC decoder with many light and sound functions. The single-arm pantographs are servo driven and can be raised and lowered digitally. The articulation is correctly reproduced in the middle of the locomotive. Length over the buffers 65 cm / 25-5/8″.