The SNCF Class BB 7200 is a 1.5 kV DC

electric locomotive An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or on-board energy storage such as a Battery (electricity), battery or a supercapacitor. Locomotives with on-board fuelled prime mover (locomotive), ...

operated by the

SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. It is the DC version of the '

Nez Cassé The Nez Cassé series of locomotives is a large family of electric and diesel locomotives intended primarily for fast passenger service on the French SNCF railway system. Produced by Alstom, Alsthom for use under multiple electrification networks ...

' family of locomotives built between 1976 and 1985 by

Alstom Alstom SA () is a French multinational rolling stock manufacturer which operates worldwide in rail transport markets. It is active in the fields of passenger transportation, signaling, and locomotives, producing high-speed, suburban, regional ...

. They are rated for of continuous power. SNCF Class BB 15000 is the AC version while the Class BB 22200 is a dual-voltage version. Another relative is the

NS Class 1600 The NS Class 1600 is a type of B′B′ electric locomotive built by Alstom between 1980 and 1983 based on the SNCF Class BB 7200, and in use by the Dutch Railways since 1981. They were styled by the French industrial designer Paul Arzens. Th ...

operated in the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

, a DC locomotive based on the BB 7200. Intended primarily for passenger service, increasing numbers are being allocated for freight service with lower-geared bogies as passenger services are taken from locomotive-hauled coaches by

TGV The TGV (; , , 'high-speed train') is France's intercity high-speed rail service. With commercial operating speeds of up to on the newer lines, the TGV was conceived at the same period as other technological projects such as the Ariane 1 rocke ...

services. BB 7200 operations are limited to the French 1.5 kV DC electrified network in southeastern France, from Paris southwards. In 2016 48 were allocated to freight, 58 to intercity passenger service, 50 to regional passenger service, and two to auto-train service. BB7222

7209, 7210, 7308 and 7348 have all been destroyed in accidents. The class was originally numbered 7201 - 7440. Some have cast plates. 7411-7440 are fitted with regenerative brakes for use on the steep Maurienne line in the Alps. Fourteen locomotives numbered 7311, 7312, 7314, 7325, 7326, 7327, 7330, 7331, 7332, 7335, 7337, 7339, 7341 and 7342 were modified for push-pull operation and become BB 7600 locomotives, to be operated on Transilien Paris – Montparnasse lines.

Names

Some of the class carry the name of a city in France:

Models

* This locomotive was reproduced in

H0 scale HO or H0 is a rail transport modelling scale using a 1:87 scale (3.5 mm to 1 foot). It is the most popular scale of model railway in the world. The rails are spaced apart for modelling standard gauge tracks and trains in HO. The ...

Jouef Jouef is a French brand and former manufacturing company specialized in scale model rail transport modelling, railroads. The brand name is currently owned by Hornby Railways, Hornby. Apart from model railroads, the company also produced model ca ...

Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...

Märklin Gebr. Märklin & Cie. GmbH or Märklin (stylized as ma̋rklín) (MÄRKLIN or MAERKLIN in capital letters) is a German toy company. The company was founded in 1859 and is based at Göppingen in Baden-Württemberg. Although it originally specialis ...

and

Roco Roco may refer to: * Roco (model railroads), an Austrian manufacturer of model railway equipment * Roco (surname), surname * Roco Sandu Roco Sandu (born 30 July 1966) is a former Romanian professional footballer. He was part of one of the bes ...

. * This locomotive was reproduced in

N scale N scale is a popular model railway scale. Depending upon the manufacturer (or country), the scale ranges from 1:148 to 1:160. Effectively the scale is 1:159, 9 mm to , which is the width of standard gauge railway. However the scale may ...

by Fleischmann and Minitrix.

References

{{Nez Cassé locomotives 07200 B-B locomotives Alstom locomotives MTE locomotives 1500 V DC locomotives Standard gauge electric locomotives of France Railway locomotives introduced in 1976 Passenger locomotives