SNCF Class BB 63500
| Company type | Diesel locomotive |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway transportation |
| Predecessor | BB 63400 |
| Founded | 1956 |
| Defunct | 1971 |
| Products | Centre-cab diesel locomotives |
Number of employees | 580 (units produced) |
| Parent | SNCF |
The SNCF Class BB 63500 comprises a fleet of centre-cab diesel locomotives manufactured by Brissonneau & Lotz for SNCF during the period from 1956 to 1971. A total of 580 units were produced, representing an enhanced and slightly more powerful variant of the earlier BB 63400 model. Among these, four locomotives (BB 63896, BB 63901, BB 63902, and BB 63906) were equipped with electric train heating systems and assigned to passenger shuttle services between Paris Gare du Nord and Paris Gare de Lyon via the Petit Ceinture, based at . Furthermore, three separate series totaling 115 locomotives (BB 63721–BB 63750, BB 63811–BB 63855, and BB 63981–BB 64020) featured multiple working capabilities, allowing for improved operational versatility.
Current Use
From 1988 through 1992, a subset of 25 locomotives underwent conversion into "master and slave" configurations, classified as class 464800 and managed by SNCF Logistics.
Although many units have been retired from service, the remaining fleet continues to support various SNCF sectors: 27 units carry the prefix 6 under SNCF Infra, 16 with prefix 1 serve SNCF Intercités, while SNCF TER operates three units with prefix 5. Additionally, three locomotives are allocated to SNCF CMR, with BB 63624, BB 64061, and BB 64066 specifically tasked with transferring withdrawn rolling stock.
Preservation
A number of locomotives have been conserved for use on heritage and tourist railways: BB 63924 and BB 63816 are preserved by the Tourist Railway of Haut-Quercy; BB 63852 is maintained at the Aa Valley Tourist Railway (CFTVA); and the unit numbered 040 DE 895 (formerly BB 63895) is held by Train à Vapeur en Limousin.