1 photo from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. FS E656 294: maurizio messa· CC BY-SA 2.0
what is it?
The Class E.656 is an Italian articulated rheostatic-type electric locomotive built from 1975 to 1989. An evolution of the E.646, they are mixed traffic locomotives, and have been used on every kind of train, ranging from freight to intercity passenger transport. The E.656 is nicknamed "Caimano" (Caiman).
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 51 years ago, in 1975.
- Top speed is 1.2× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
- 4.8 MW is about 56 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
- Weighs about as much as 20 African elephants (~6 t each).
- 18.3 m long: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.
- Served for 50 years (1975–2025).
electric locomotive: Draws power from overhead wires or a third rail and pulls separate carriages.
spec sheet
- built
- 1975–1989
- in service from
- 1975
- retired
- 2025
- status
- retired
- number built
- 461
- kind
- Electric
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- builders
- Reggiane, Ansaldo, Ercole Marelli, Sofer, Casaralta, Italtrafo, Officine Meccaniche Casertane
- operators
- Trenitalia, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, Mercitalia Logistics
- top speed
- 150 km/h
- power
- 4.8 MW
- gauge
- 1,435 mm standard gauge
- electric system
- 3,000 V DC Catenary
- wheel arrangement
- Bo′Bo′Bo′
- length
- 18.3 m
- weight
- 120 t
- nicknames
- "Caimano" (Caiman)
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q836879, Wikipedia: FS Class E.656 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.