BB 16000
BB 16037 at Paris Gare du Nord, 26 December 2005.
Type and origin
Power typeElectric
BuilderLe Matériel de Traction Électrique (MTE)
Build date1958–1963
Total produced62
Specifications
Configuration:
  UICBo′Bo′
Gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Length16.68 m (54 ft 9 in)
Loco weight88 tonnes (87 long tons; 97 short tons)
Electric system/s25 kV 50 Hz AC Catenary
Current pickup(s)Pantograph
Traction motorsJeumont TO 136-8, 4 off
Performance figures
Maximum speed160 km/h (100 mph)
Power output4,130 kW (5,540 hp)
Tractive effort309 kN (69,000 lbf)
Career
OperatorsSNCF
NumbersBB 16001 – BB 16062

The SNCF BB 16000 are a class of 25 kV 50 Hz AC electric locomotives produced by MTE. They are the AC version of the BB 9200.

Description

This class of 62 locomotives was ordered in 1958 in order to equip the north east network with high speed locomotives capable of running at 160 km/h (99 mph) under 25 kV-50 Hz single-phase catenary. They are part of the large family of locomotives nicknamed BB Jacquemin, of which the BB 9200 were the first versions produced for 1.5 kV direct current operation, and developed using the results of speed tests carried out on the prototype series BB 9001-9002 and BB 9003–9004.

During the development of the BB 16000, test runs at 240 km/h (150 mph) were carried out to check the behavior of the AM 11 single-arm pantographs.

Design

The electrical power equipment is directly derived from the first machines using Jacquemin concepts, the BB 12000: 25kV / 15kV auto-transformer, auxiliary transformer and traction transformer, rectifiers with ignitrons, later replaced by silicon diodes, and smoothing chokes, shunt resistors on the inductors of the 4 traction motors, and Arno three-phase converter to supply hotel power. The interesting improvement concerns the replacement of the mechanical camshaft controllers, as used on the BB 12000s, by Jeumont-Heidmann servomotors. The first 34 BB 16000s had provisional support for the AM 11 single-arm pantograph, similar to that fitted to BB 9400, except that the insulators are different for a single-phase machine. From BB 16035, the new reinforced support was installed, as used by BB 16500.

BB 16001 to 51 were delivered with a body similar to the first 21 BB 9200 locomotives, with short louvres. From BB 16052 the louvres were lengthened. There were some minor differences between the two sub-series, concerning the weight and the electrical equipment.

BB 16012 had additional ventilation louvres, which were provisionally installed to test the new silicon diode rectifier blocks. These were retained after the tests were concluded.

BB 16050 was the only push-pull fitted member of the class allocated to Corail never to have sported the Corail livery. It was fitted with the control cables and equipment while it was still in the mid-1970s green livery which it retained.

15 members of the class have been converted to class BB 16100 to operate VB2N sets in push-pull mode.

Service history

The BB 16000s during their very long career have hauled most of the fast and express trains of the north, east, and north-west networks. With the progress of the 25 kV electrification, they quickly supplanted steam locomotives on services, from prestigious TEEs to interregional trains, and to certain fast freight trains.

Their versatility, their robustness, and their performance, have allowed certain members of the class to exceed 53 years of service and more than 10 million kilometres (6.2 million miles) traveled, which remains exceptional. The arrival of more modern and more powerful machines, of the BB 15000, BB 22200, BB 26000 classes did not lead, to their downgrading, because they still met the needs very well.

With the entry into service of the LGV Est in 2007, the transport offer has refocused around TGVs, freeing up many locomotives and imposing a reorganization of operating diagrams. A large number of BB 15000s were transferred from Strasbourg to Achères to operate Corail and TER services from Paris-Nord and Paris-Saint-Lazare. Some were modified for push-pull operation, quickly leading to the withdrawal of the BB 16100 classes used before and greatly reducing the use of the BB 16000s.

BB 16061 provided the last service of class to Paris-Saint-Lazare on 03/13/2010 with the haulage of a Paris - Le Havre train. The class, still managed by the Achères MPD, was assigned to Paris-La Chapelle for the operation of the Corail-Intercités (CIC), on diagrams common to the BB 15000s and the BB 22200s.

Withdrawals of the class occurred between 2009 and 2012, some units being parked on the Sotteville-lès-Rouen branch, an antechamber for upcoming demolition.

A celebration was organized by an association of retired drivers from the Aulnoye depot, on 24 November 2012, on the occasion of the 1637 Paris to Maubeuge train, hauled by BB 16029 decked out for the occasion. This involved a photoshoot at Paris-Nord and live entertainment at Aulnoye-Aymeries station.

The last two locomotives kept in active service, BB 16029 and BB 16051, were regularly in use until 16 December 2012, hauling CIC services between Paris and Amiens and Paris and Maubeuge. The last six members of the class were withdrawn from service on 31 December 2012.

Route allocation

Principle routes served were:
From Paris Saint Lazare:

From Paris Nord:

From Paris Est:

Regional services:

Freight services:

  • Noisy-Le-Sec - Lille-Champ de Mars
  • Le Bourget - Aulnoye

Depot allocations

  • Initial allocation to La Chapelle from 1958, then transferred to Achères in October 1995)
  • Lens (in 1958, then transfer to La Chapelle)
  • Achères (from 1995)
  • Strasbourg (from 1958 to 1962, then transfer to La Villette on June 1, 1962; return to Strasbourg on July 17, 1962, then transfer to La Chapelle from July 1973)

Modifications and liveries

The BB 16000 have successively worn various liveries and underwent the following modifications:

  • Original livery: light bluish green reinforced with a border at the bottom of the body and the louvres area in dark bluish green, as well as accessories in polished aluminum: "moustaches" in the shape of a wing under the bays and lamp surrounds connected from front to back by a line of grey paint; the coupling area is red;
  • In the 1960s, the reinforcement of the cabins led to the elimination of the corner windows;
  • Reinforced end cross members were installed at the expense of the coupling fairings and corner skirts were removed;
  • From the 1970s, the handles of the cabin access doors were moved on all BB Jacquemin models: initially in the high position near the window, they were relocated to the bottom of the door in a recess which was previously used to pull the door close;
  • End of the 1970s: installation of unified headlights and red lights;
  • Corail Livery, created in 1977 by Jacques Beffara, consisting of a dark grey with roof and body part between headlights and lamp housings in light grey and a coral orange dividing strip emerging under the headlight surrounds, most of them had kept their aluminum surrounds;
  • Concrete livery, introduced in 1985, without the aluminium detailing, grey with a moustache under the front windows and a band surrounding the body painted in chamois, then in TGV orange TGV;
  • The conversion to BB 16100 from 1991 is associated with a light grey livery with 3 areas in dark grey: the sill, the bay strip front and louvres and heavy low whiskers encompassing the front lights and overflowing onto the sides, finally an orange belt band between the side sills and whiskers. This livery was designed by Roger Tallon.
  • Multiservice livery in 1995, dark grey, replaced in 2001 by storm grey, with roof, whiskers under bay windows and part metallic grey lower body, with a red line at mid-flank forming on the front faces a trapezoidal apron descending to the cross members, including the windows; it is this apron which bears the vehicle number, the moustache displaying the SNCF logo;
  • Delivered with blue vinyl coating "En Voyage", from 2002.

Fleet list

Number In service Withdrawn Final livery[1] Delivered Name (date)
160011 February 195813 December 2004,[lower-alpha 1]MultiservicesAchèresNeuilly-sur-Marne
(15 October 1983)
1600227 December 195818 May 2009MultiservicesAchères
160033 May 195813 December 2011En VoyageAchères
1600431 May 1958Rebuilt as 16101//
1600521 June 195821 July 2011MultiservicesAchères
160063 July 195813 April 2012En VoyageAchères
160073 August 195813 April 2012En VoyageAchèresMantes-la-Jolie
(11 October 1980)
160084 August 195831 December 2012En VoyageAchèresDrancy
(19 May 1979)
1600927 August 1958Rebuilt as 16106//
160106 September 1958Rebuilt as 16112//
1601124 September 19584 June 2009MultiservicesAchères
160129 October 195830 August 2012En VoyageAchères
1601317 October 19581 August 2007ConcreteAchères
1601431 October 1958Rebuilt as 16105//
1601516 November 19583 September 2009MultiservicesAchères
1601621 November 1958Rebuilt as 16111//
160172 December 1958Rebuilt as 16102//
1601812 December 195818 May 2009ConcreteAchères
1601922 December 195823 March 2010MultiservicesAchères
1602031 December 195824 September 2010MultiservicesAchères
1602116 January 195915 November 2010MultiservicesAchères
1602230 January 195925 October 2007ConcreteAchères
1602325 February 1959Rebuilt as//
160242 May 195922 December 2006ConcreteAchères
1602513 April 19599 December 1976GreenLa Chapelle
160262 May 1959Rebuilt as//
1602727 June 19599 February 2009MultiservicesAchères
160281 August 19591 December 2009ConcreteAchères
160293 July 195931 December 2012En VoyageAchères
160303 August 1959Rebuilt as 16113//
160318 August 19591 June 2008MultiservicesAchères
1603217 September 195920 February 2012En VoyageAchères
160333 October 19591 December 2008MultiservicesAchères
1603414 October 19591 November 1996ConcreteAchères
160355 November 1959Rebuilt as 16110//
1603613 November 19591 June 2006MultiservicesAchères
1603730 November 19591 June 2008MultiservicesAchères
1603831 December 19596 December 1978GreenLa Chapelle
1603912 January 196031 December 2012En VoyageAchères
1604021 January 1960Rebuilt as 16104//
1604116 February 196013 April 2012MultiservicesAchères
1604217 March 196018 May 2009MultiservicesAchères
1604322 June 196031 December 2012MultiservicesAchères
160442 May 19601 December 2008ConcreteAchères
160456 June 19602 January 1991GreenLa Chapelle
160464 July 1960Rebuilt as 16103//
1604716 September 19609 February 2009ConcreteAchères
160484 October 1960Rebuilt as 16107//
160492 November 196022 December 2006ConcreteAchères
1605016 December 19609 November 2009MultiservicesAchères
1605113 March 196131 December 2012MultiservicesAchères
160528 June 19624 June 2009MultiservicesAchères
160536 July 196231 December 2012En VoyageAchères
160543 August 1962December 21, 2011MultiservicesAchères
1605526 September 196211 May 2009ConcreteAchères
1605631 October 196227 May 2011MultiservicesAchères
1605730 November 196221 May 2008MultiservicesAchères
1605821 December 196212 December 2011MultiservicesAchères
1605931 January 196323 March 2010MultiservicesAchères
1606028 February 1963Rebuilt as 16115//
1606126 April 19631 June 2011MultiservicesAchères
1606228 June 1963Rebuilt as 16114//Dol-de-Bretagne
(4 September 1976)

Preservation

  • BB 16020 preserved by SNCF at Mohon.
  • BB 16113 (ex 16030): preserved by SNCF at Mohon.
  • BB 16011 appears in the film Les Rois mages
  • An unidentified member of the class appears in the film L'Auvergnat et l'Autobus
  • BB 16020 was used in 1959 during the first live television broadcast from a train on the occasion of the inauguration of electric traction between Paris Nord and Lille.[4]
  • BB 16665 appears at the beginning of the film Deux Hommes dans la ville, directed by José Giovanni in 1973.

Models

This locomotive was reproduced by the firms HOrnby-acHO, Jouef and Roco.

References

  1. Denis Redoutey, "The driving equipment of the SNCF", La Vie du Rail, 2007, p 366, ISBN 978-2-915034-65-3.
  2. bimonthly journal Voies Ferrées, Motor equipment in 2004/2005 , issue 149, May - June 2005, p 11.
  3. Monthly review Le train , Encyclopedia of SNCF motor equipment volume 5: Single-phase locomotives and railcars 25000 V , special issue, pp 40 – 45
  4. "Paris - Lille". SNCF. Retrieved 18 September 2016.

Notes

  1. Withdrawn following a derailment in Busigny, on June 8, 2004;[2][3]

Bibliography

  • Defrance, Jacques (1969). Le matériel moteur de la SNCF. N.M. La Vie du Rail.
  • Redoutey, Denis (2007). Le matériel moteur de la SNCF (in French). Paris: La Vie du Rail. ISBN 978-2-915034-65-3.
  • Revue : Constant, Olivier (2008). "Encyclopédie du matériel moteur SNCF, Tome 5, Les locomotives et automotrices 25000 V monophasé". Le Train..
  • Mensuel : Cuny, Vincent (2012). "Les dernières BB 16000 tiennent le choc". Ferrovissime (50)..
  • Mensuel : Didelot, Frédéric (2012). "Les portraits du rail, BB 16000 : 50 ans de vitesse sous 25 kV !". Ferrovissime (51)..
  • Mensuel : Didelot, Frédéric (2012). "Les portraits du rail, BB 16000 : de l'efficacité alliée à la discrétion !". Ferrovissime (52)..
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