LGB-23101 "Glacier Express" Class HGe 4/4 II Electric Locomotive

LGB-23101 "Glacier Express" Class HGe 4/4 II Electric Locomotive

The class HGe 4/4 II is a narrow gauge electric locomotive for cogwheel and adhesion operation. A first series of 5 locomotives was purchased starting in 1985 by the Furka Oberalp Railroad and the SBB for the narrow gauge Brünig Railroad. This locomotive set new standards with a performance of 1,932 kilowatts – about 2,600 horsepower and a maximum speed of 100 km/h / 63 mph or 40 km/h / 25 mph on rack lines. Since the locomotives turned in very good results, more were purchased starting in 1990, so that eventually the SBB and the FO each rostered 8 and the Brig Visp Zermatt Railroad 5 units. These locomotives are still presently in use, on the Matterhorn Gotthard Railroad those of the former FO and BVZ, on the Zentral Railroad those of the former SBB Brünig Railroad. The running of the MGB Glacier Express trains between Zermatt and Disentis is proudly done with these locomotives as well as the automobile shuttle trains at the Furka Tunnel between Oberwald and Realp. In the last few years the MGB has begun to overhaul the locomotives thoroughly. In addition to new electronics, you can recognize externally chiefly the headlights with LED technology as well as the new paint scheme. These locomotives will still be in service for many years in the Swiss mountains.