Several forum members know a lot about SBB trains.

So, I have a question.
Which of the two locomotives Re 4/4 or Re 6/6 runs normally at the front of the Re 10/10 consist?

I have two photos from the south side of the Gottard pass, next to lavorgo station.

In one of the photos the train is northbound up towards Gottard. a Re 4/4 is in front


The other photo, shot from the same place, shoes another Re10/10 southbound down from Gottard. Also here headed by a Re 4/4:


This makes me wonder if the Re 4/4 always runs at the front of Re10/10.
I have seen several single Re 4/4 in front of passenger trains, but never a single Re 6/6.

Do somebody know something about this?

Or, as the Swiss say: " Hat öppen öpper öppe öppis g'seit?"
Swiss German for "did anybody say anything?" (or something like that).

Edited by user 01 February 2014 11:21:45(UTC)  | Reason: corrected Swiss centence

In September 1999, the SBB fleet was divided into Passenger and Cargo Divisions. Each division had a number of each locomotive type. By then, it had already become common to see Re 4/4II or Re 4/4III and Re 6/6 assigned as a tandem to pull heavy freight trains. Unlike a simple tandem, where each of two locos would go their own way upon reaching destination, the Re 10/10 is allocated as a single unit.
AFAIK they do NOT shunt the locomotives or turn them around so that the Re 4/4 is always in front. Normally, the Re 10/10 could be seen one way heading south and then the other way when heading back north.

The Re 6/6s were delivered in the early 1970s. The production series went into service starting in 1975 and rapidly took over heavy freight traction and international express traffic from the Ae 6/6 locomotives. By the mid 1980s, the SBB had decided to use Re 6/6 and Re 4/4II for most passenger service and the Ae 6/6 was relegated to freight traffic and some were assigned to depots which had traditionally not had any Ae 6/6 in their stable.
The Re 460 came into service around 1993 and this freed up more of the Re 6/6 for use with freight trains. In 2002, the Cargo and Passenger Divisions decided that the Passenger Division would transfer it's Re 6/6 (11601-11611) plus a number of Re 4/4II to Cargo Division and in return would receive the Re 460 that had been assigned to Cargo Division (460 083-460 118). From that point on, it became very rare to find a Re 6/6 hauling a passenger train or a Re 460 pulling a freight.
If you look at photo sites like railfaneurope.net, senn.ch, bahnpics.com, you will be able to find photos from the 1990s and earlier, showing Re 6/6 with passenger trains and Re 460 with freight.
you can view some videos on YouTube from re-os or view them with a PC from re-os.nl. You can also check out some nice 1980s-1990s videos from Sokrates003 on YouTube.

http://www.railfaneurope...50-89/Re66_02_014_36.jpg
http://www.railfaneurope...n/11650-89/SBB_11661.jpg

http://www.railfaneurope...-049/SBB_460_freight.jpg

Regards

Mike C

Hello Svein
In theory, this is indifferent, either lok could be the point one.
The MU system in this generation of loks is able to monitor up to 14 driving axles (i.e. combination of 2 Re 4/4 II and one Re 6/6=14 axles, or two Re 6/6 or three Re 44 II/III = 12 axles, etc.)

In practice you will **often** see an Re 4/4 II / III as the *lead* engine.
So I asked "why?" to one of the engineers in Erstfeldt whom I have know for decades.
His answer was simple: "for the engineer's comfort!"

Ever since the early 1990's the engineers had experienced the comfortable air conditionned cabs on the Re 460s , they realized that the older loks Re4/4s and 6/6 were quite hot and uncomfortable...and smelly (essentially from hot oil and brake dust...) so running with open windows in summer did not really help.

So it was decided jointly by the SBB and the engineers trade union to also equip the previous generation with AC equipment....starting with the Re 4/4 IIs which were the most numerous.

At that time Re 6/6 were essentially used in Re 10/10 latch ups anyway , (rarely in solo) and thus the engineers could practically always be provided with an AC cab...as long as the 4/4s were placed at the head of the duo.
This implied some position switching at the end of the line, but that did not bother anyone (unless there was no time to perform it) , since it was a decent compromise.
It provided a comfy workplace for the engineer, so all involved were satisfied.

Also, often the banking engine was an Re 4/4 II ...for the same reason!

By now, Re 6/6 are also receiving AC upgrades...so we will soon see again Re 6/6s at the point.

Hope this little story answers your question!

Hi Svein,

Marklin production two Re10/10 37320 and 37323 few years ago, All green livery.

The 37323 is in weathered version.

I was aware about the Air conditioning thing, but I was not aware that the crews were shifting the loks around so that they were leading with the airconditioned lok.

I will keep this in mind when consisting my Re 10/10s with air conditioning. So far, the Hag 050 has a Re 420 with Airco. The new Roco Set has both loks with Airco, so the order would not be as important.

In any case, although I have a ton of freight cars, most of my goods consists are not long enough to require a Re 10/10 or a pusher lok, so I often use the loks individually.

Regards

Mike C

Well thank you all for your input and it actually answered 2 questions I had for a long time and thanks for Svein bringing it up, my other question was why do we never see Re 460's on a freight train but see the BLS Re 465 ? but Mike answered the question nicely.

John

Since I just thought about the same question, I found that one Re 4/4 II can pull up to 500t, one Re 6/6 up to 800t and an Re 10/10 up to 1.300t on the Gotthard line. I like the Eanos freight cars which can weigh up to 90t per car when fully loaded. Which means that an Re 4/4 II alone can "just" pull 5 Eanos on the Gottard. An Re 6/6 would be able to pull 8 and an Re 10/10 about 14 cars. So actualle, if you thinkt your modelled train is going to pass he Gotthard line and shoul consist of more than 8 Eanos, you can/may use an Re 10/10 already.

Best,

Tim