Belgian Railways Class 15
| Company type | Electric locomotive |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1962 |
| Headquarters | Belgium |
| Products | Electric locomotives |
Class 15 refers to an electric locomotive class utilized by the SNCB/NMBS. Initially, these units served on international Trans Europ Express (TEE) routes connecting France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Following the arrival of Thalys trains and Class 11 locomotives, they were rendered redundant. In their later operational phase, they mainly managed commuter "P" services in the vicinity of Liège.
History
Constructed in 1962 by La Brugeoise et Nivelles, this series of five locomotives marked SNCB/NMBS's first adoption of polycurrent technology. They were engineered to function under three different electrical systems: 25 kV 50 Hz alternating current used in Northern France, 3 kV direct current in Belgium, and 1.5 kV direct current within the Netherlands.
Prior to the renumbering implemented in January 1971, these locomotives were classified as Type 150 and carried numbers from 150.001 through 150.005.
During the early 1980s, their power output was deemed inadequate for the increasingly heavy TEE trains, resulting in their replacement on the Paris-Brussels corridor by SNCF Class CC 40100 locomotives. They maintained operation on Brussels-Amsterdam routes until their withdrawal in the late 1980s due to incompatibility with the Dutch ATB safety system. Afterwards, they were reassigned to international services between Liège and Paris and progressively transitioned into domestic Belgian operations, particularly on the Ostende-Liège route.
Although taken out of service in December 2000, a locomotive shortage following electrification of Line 43 (Liège-Luxembourg) led to their temporary reactivation for peak-hour "P" train duties. Their definitive retirement occurred in 2004.
Two examples have been preserved: unit 1503 is exhibited at Train World in Schaerbeek, while unit 1504 is maintained by PFT.