skip to content
stan runge

#2172

SBB Ae 4/7

🇨🇭 Switzerland ·built by Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works· from 1927· locomotive class

⚡ electric locomotive electric retired
10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
  1. 1. Ae 4 7 10976: Bertrand F.· CC BY-SA 4.0
  2. 2. Ae 4-7 Testfahrt r4c: Kabelleger / David Gubler· Public domain
  3. 3. 03.08.88 Romanshorn SBB Ae4 7 10933 (6298727559): Phil Richards from London, UK· CC BY-SA 2.0
  4. 4. 16.02.91 Payerne SBB Ae 4-7 10961 (14458642334): Phil Richards from London, UK· CC BY-SA 2.0
  5. 5. Ae 4-7 10997 Mendrisio 240410: NAC· CC BY-SA 4.0
  6. 6. Ae4-7: Kabelleger / David Gubler· CC BY-SA 3.0
  7. 7. Locorama Ae 4-7: Plutowiki· CC0
  8. 8. SBB Ae 4-7 Salgesch: Kabelleger / David Gubler ( http://www.bahnbilder.ch )· CC BY-SA 3.0
  9. 9. SBB Historic Ae 6-6 11421 and Classic Rail AG Ae 4-7 10943, Be 4-4 104, De 4-5 796 and Be 4-4 105 - Le Locle, 6th June 2012: Fabien Perissinotto· CC BY-SA 3.0
  10. 10. Swisstrain Ae 4-7 10997 and SBB Ks loaded with M113 armored personnel carrier - Lyssach, 7th November 2013: Fabien Perissinotto· CC BY-SA 4.0
Read about it on Wikipedia ↗
SBB Ae 4/7, photo 1 of 10
1/10 Bertrand F.· CC BY-SA 4.0

what is it?

The Ae 4/7 was a universal locomotive of the Swiss Federal Railways, employing the so-called Buchli drive. Because of this drive construction, invented by Jakob Buchli, it was one of the longest-lasting Swiss locomotives. It was in regular use for 70 years, from the 1920s into the 1990s, hauling freight and passenger trains all over Switzerland.

who runs it

Swiss Federal Railways

base stats

  • speed 100 km/htop speed
  • power 2.3 MWpower output
  • built 127made 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 99 years ago, in 1927.
  • 2.3 MW is about 27 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
  • 16.8 m long: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.

electric locomotive: Draws power from overhead wires or a third rail and pulls separate carriages.

spec sheet

built
1927–1934
retired
1996
status
retired
number built
127
kind
Electric
traction
electric
origin
🇨🇭 Switzerland
builders
Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works, Brown, Boveri & Cie, Oerlikon Works, Société Anonyme des Ateliers de Sécheron
operators
Swiss Federal Railways
top speed
100 km/h
power
2.3 MW
gauge
1,435 mm standard gauge
electric system
Catenary
wheel arrangement
2′Do1′
length
16.8 m

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

Sources: Wikidata Q670147, Wikipedia: SBB Ae 4/7 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.

stan runge fda2155 source