SNCF Class BB 8500
| Company type | Electric locomotive |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founder | Alsthom |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Electric locomotives |
The SNCF Class BB 8500 series consists of electric locomotives manufactured by Alsthom for use by SNCF, designed to operate on 1.5 kV DC overhead electrical systems. These units serve as the direct DC equivalents to the 25 kV AC SNCF Class BB 17000 and the dual-voltage SNCF Class BB 25500 models.
Equipped with monomotor bogies that incorporate two distinct gear ratios, this class achieves a balance between pulling power and velocity, making them suitable for versatile operations across both freight and passenger sectors. Their characteristic lateral oscillation at higher speeds led to the nickname Danseuses (dancers), which influenced their allocation among depots.
Manufactured in three separate series with slight differences, these locomotives continue to be primarily deployed on TER regional routes, with some assigned to specialized tasks. A subset of thirty units was redesignated as BB 88500 for managing empty stock transfers. In 2001, twenty units underwent modification for freight banking assignments on the Maurienne route, receiving the classification SNCF Class BB 8700.
Names
Five locomotives within this class were given individual names:
| Number | Name |
|---|---|
| 8600 | Fleury-les-Aubrey |
| 8602 | Foix |
| 8603 | Lannemezan |
| 8604 | Cerdagne |
| 8605 | Saint-Gaudens |
Preservation
One example, locomotive BB 8616, has been preserved and is located at Mohon.