Source: commons.wikimedia.org
BB 16000
Vehicle type:
Registration country:
Railway companies:
In service:
1958 - 2012
Era:
III - VI
Built by:
Gauge:
Standard gauge (1'435 mm)
Wheel arrangement:
Bo'Bo'
Electric systems:
25 kV AC / 50 Hz
Current collectors:
Pantograph - Asymmetrical
Length over buffers (mm):
16'680 mm
2'980 mm
2'980 mm
Height (mm | over lowered pantograph):
4'295 mm
Power output (x'xxx kW / x'xxx hp):
4'130 kW
Wheel diameter (x'xxx,xx | mm | new / worn):
1'250 mm
Maximum speed (km/h):
160 km/h
1958
The BB 16000 is a distinguished class of French
electric locomotives built for the SNCF to operate under 25 kV 50 Hz AC
electrification, especially on the busy mainlines of northern and
eastern France. 
Ordered from MTE between 1958 and 1963, a total of 62 BB 16000 locomotives (registered BB-16001 - BB-16062) were produced to equip the newly electrified 25 kV AC network. These Bo'Bo' machines are the AC counterpart to the earlier BB 9200 DC locomotives and belong to the broader BB Jacquemin family of French traction. 
Designed for express passenger and fast mixed traffic, the BB 16000 were capable of reaching 160 km/h, making them among the first high-speed AC locomotives on French lines, featuring dual pantographs and four TO-136-8 traction motors. 
Throughout their long career, BB 16000 hauled a wide variety of services, from prestigious expresses to regional fast trains and even some freight duties. They were a common sight on major routes radiating from Paris-Saint-Lazare and Paris-Nord, including lines to Rouen, Le Havre, Amiens, Lille, Strasbourg, Nancy and beyond. 
Their versatility and reliability ensured decades of service; the class was gradually withdrawn as newer locomotives and multiple-unit trains replaced them, with the last BB 16000 units retired by 31 December 2012. 
Ordered from MTE between 1958 and 1963, a total of 62 BB 16000 locomotives (registered BB-16001 - BB-16062) were produced to equip the newly electrified 25 kV AC network. These Bo'Bo' machines are the AC counterpart to the earlier BB 9200 DC locomotives and belong to the broader BB Jacquemin family of French traction. 
Designed for express passenger and fast mixed traffic, the BB 16000 were capable of reaching 160 km/h, making them among the first high-speed AC locomotives on French lines, featuring dual pantographs and four TO-136-8 traction motors. 
Throughout their long career, BB 16000 hauled a wide variety of services, from prestigious expresses to regional fast trains and even some freight duties. They were a common sight on major routes radiating from Paris-Saint-Lazare and Paris-Nord, including lines to Rouen, Le Havre, Amiens, Lille, Strasbourg, Nancy and beyond. 
Their versatility and reliability ensured decades of service; the class was gradually withdrawn as newer locomotives and multiple-unit trains replaced them, with the last BB 16000 units retired by 31 December 2012. 
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Latest update on the 6th of January 2026 at 12:47
Contributor(s): Tudor C.
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