Meccano SBB Ce 6/8 III Electric Locomotive

This CAD model is my Meccano version of a Swiss SBB Ce 6/8 III electric locomotive. I modeled it based on drawings and photographs of the real locomotive obtained from the web.

In 1913, due to a coal shortage following World War I, the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) decided to begin electrification of its railway system, starting with the Gotthard railway (Gotthardbahn), a mountainous north-south rail link through the Alps. Electrification would also eliminate the hazardous smoky conditions created by steam locomotives inside the 15-km long Gotthard Tunnel, the longest tunnel in the world when it opened in 1882.

These iconic locomotives (and their predecessor, the Ce 6/8 II) were manufactured for SBB in the 1920s and were used primarily for hauling freight trains on the Gotthard line. Commonly referred to as ‘Crocodiles’ on account of their articulated bogies, they were designed and built to handle the steep grades and tight curves of the Gotthardbahn.

Each of the two articulated bogies contained two 15,000 V electric motors geared to a jackshaft which turned six driving wheels through a system of coupling and connecting rods. The locomotives were also equipped with electric regenerative brakes which fed the power generated during braking back into the overhead catenary system. A total of 18 units were built and two of them have survived into preservation, both of which are still in working condition for exhibitions and special events.

The model includes articulating bogies, operable pantographs, and a 15-volt electric motor for each bogie. Each motor drives an axle (jackshaft) through a series of gear reductions and a chain drive. The jackshafts are connected to the driving wheels via perforated strips representing the coupling and connecting rods. A real version of the model would be about 46 inches long, or approximately 1/17th scale.