SNCF Class BB 8700
| Company type | Electric locomotive |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | SNCF Class BB 8500, SNCF Class BB 88500 |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Headquarters | Chambéry , France |
| Products | Freight electric locomotives |
The Class BB 8700 electric locomotives were created by reconstructing units from the SNCF Class BB 8500 and SNCF Class BB 88500 series to meet the rising freight transportation requirements in the Maurienne area.
Initially, these tasks were performed by the SNCF Class CC 6500, which were later reassigned. Consequently, SNCF transformed twenty BB 8500 locomotives—previously limited in use due to suspension and operator comfort concerns—into the Class BB 8700. These upgraded locomotives were specifically designated as banking engines for operations on the Maurienne railway.
Conversion
The modification process included enhancing and enlarging the driving cabins by eliminating an air compressor. The BB 8700 units were permanently coupled in pairs, positioning the unaltered cabs centrally at the fixed connection point. Their maximum speed was restricted to 80 km/h, and they operated solely on a designated route, where their reduced comfort was considered acceptable for crew members.
Service
Based at the Chambéry depot, these locomotives were dedicated to freight service exclusively along the Maurienne line, consistently functioning as paired sets for banking freight trains.
By 2005, restructuring within Fret SNCF hastened their phase-out. The demand for specialized banking locomotives diminished following the deployment of the more powerful Class BB 36000 units, although on occasion, a Class BB 7200 served as an alternative.
See also
Further reading
- Jacques Defrance, Le matériel moteur de la SNCF, N.M. La Vie du Rail, 1978
- Denis Redoutey, Le matériel moteur de la SNCF, La Vie du Rail, 2007, pp. 63, 366