SBB Re4/4 II 11181 Electric Locomotive V (DCC-Sound)

SBB Re4/4 II 11181 Electric Locomotive V (DCC-Sound)

1:160 scale model produced by Fleischmann. This model is ready-to-run straight out of the box and would make a excellent addition to any model railway collection.

Features:

• DCC Sound Model
• Best suited to Epoch V Model Railways
• This model mainly operates in Switzerland
• Decorated in SBB company markings
• Best suited to 192mm radius curves
• Direction dependent tail lights and headlights.
• Flywheel Fitted
• 2nd series of the Re 4/4 II
• Version in the “Zugkraft Aargau” design
• Fine windscreen wipers as etched parts
• Filigree design of the pantographs
• Closed pilots included in the package
• Z21 driver's cab available

Details

The SBB Re 4/4 I was one of the first modern electric locomotives built for the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) in the immediate post-war era, entering service from 1946 through 1951 to modernise the fleet after World War II. A total of 50 locomotives were constructed with a Bo'Bo' wheel arrangement and lightweight design that gave a strong power-to-weight ratio for its time. The class was designed and built by a consortium of Swiss firms – SLM for the mechanical structure, and MFO, BBC, and SAAS for electrical equipment.

With a top speed of around 125 km/h, the Re 4/4 I was used on light express, regional, and shuttle services across Switzerland. Early units featured multiple-unit control and a distinctive three-digit numbering in the 400s, later renumbered into the 10000 series as 10001–10050. Although originally delivered in traditional SBB green, some units were trialled in alternative liveries during their careers.

The class remained in service for several decades, with gradual retirements into the late 1990s. Its early post-war pedigree and role in rebuilding Swiss electric traction make the Re 4/4 I a rewarding subject for model railway layouts depicting mid-20th-century Swiss rail operations, especially in HO and N scales where several manufacturers have released detailed versions.