Rivarossi 2997 BLS Ce4/4 312 Historic Electric Locomotive VI HO Gauge

BLS Ce4/4 312 Historic Electric Locomotive VI 1:87 scale model produced by Rivarossi. This model is ready-to-run straight out of the box and would make a excellent addition to any model railway collection. Features: Analogue DC Model Best suited to Epoch VI Model Railways Decorated in BLS company markings Best suited to 356mm radius curves Flywheel Fitted Details The BLS Ce 4/6 was an early electric locomotive class operated by the Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon (BLS) railway in Switzerland. Built just after World War I, the series comprised 17 locomotives delivered in 1919–1922 to replace steam traction on newly electrified lines. The locomotives were produced with mechanical parts by SLM and electrical equipment by MFO or BBC, and they ran on 15 kV 16.7 Hz AC with power transmitted via pantograph. Ce 4/6s used a distinctive (1’B)(B1’) wheel arrangement and were originally designed for speeds up to about 60 km/h, later raised to around 65 km/h in service. These locomotives were used across various regional railways linked with the BLS network and proved versatile on both freight and passenger duties in the Simmental and Gürbetal regions and beyond. As electrification and traffic needs evolved, ten of the class were rebuilt as Ce 4/4 units in 1954–1956 by shortening the frame and removing the leading and trailing carrying axles, improving adhesion and operational flexibility. The Ce 4/6s were progressively retired between the late 1960s and early 1970s, with one example (No. 307) preserved and displayed at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne.