Rivarossi 9013 FS E645 021 Historic Electric Locomotive V HO Gauge

FS E645 021 Historic Electric Locomotive V 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 V Model Railways Decorated in FS company markings Best suited to 356mm radius curves Flywheel Fitted Close Coupler Details The FS Class E.646 was a class of electric locomotives built for Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS) between 1958 and 1967 to haul passenger and freight trains on Italy’s 3 kV DC electrified network. It was one of the most important Italian electric designs of the post-war era and helped modernise traction on express, regional and heavy trains. Nearly 300 locomotives were built during its production run. The E.646 has a distinctive Bo’Bo’Bo’ wheel arrangement, with three two-axle bogies, and was rated for a top speed of 140 km/h with a continuous power output of around 3 780–4 320 kW, giving it strong performance on both passenger and freight work. It improved on earlier Italian electrics with more powerful motors and better adhesion, and its mechanical simplicity made it reliable in varied service. Introduced in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the E.646 was originally assigned to fast and heavy passenger trains, often in classic grey-green and magnolia liveries and sometimes in distinctive earlier brown and auburn colours. As newer types such as the FS Class E.444 “Tartaruga” and E.656 “Caimano” arrived, the E.646s shifted to commuter and push-pull regional work. Many units were later converted to the E.645 freight-oriented subclass, while others gained remote-control equipment for multiple-unit operation. The class was progressively withdrawn from service by 2009, with most locomotives scrapped by the early 2020s. Their long career and iconic Italian profile make the FS E.646 a fascinating prototype for mid-20th-century to late-era electrified Italian layouts, especially in HO and N scales.