SBB RABDe 8/16

what is it?

The RABDe 8/16 are a consequential further development of the RABDe 12/12 multiple units used by the Swiss Federal Railways. They were, like the RABDe 12/12, designed for quick acceleration in commuter traffic. But in contrast to the RABDe 12/12, they didn't reach this goal with a lot of motor power, but rather by having a lightweight aluminium construction.

base stats

• speed 125 km/htop speed
• power 2.3 MWpower output
• weight 149 tin working order
• built 4made in total

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 50 years ago, in 1976.
• 🚗2.3 MW is about 26 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
• 🐘Weighs about as much as 25 African elephants (~6 t each).
• 📏100 m long: about 22 cars parked nose to tail.

multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.

spec sheet

built

1976

retired

1997

status

retired

number built

4

kind

Electric

traction

electric

origin

🇨🇭 Switzerland

builders

Schweizerische Wagons- und Aufzügefabrik AG Schlieren-Zürich, SIG Group, Société Anonyme des Ateliers de Sécheron, Schindler Holding

top speed

125 km/h

power

2.3 MW

gauge

1,435 mm standard gauge

wheel arrangement

Bo'Bo'+2'2'+2'2'+Bo'Bo'

length

100 m

weight

149 t

Dutch name

SBB RABDe 511

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.