SBB-CFF-FFS BDe 4/4 II

The BDe 4/4II have been specifically designed for the SBB line from Geneva to Switzerland - French border to La Plaine in the direction of Lyon. This was necessary because the route was operated under the SNCF current system the route Geneva- Lyon from 1,500 V DC.

On delivery of the railcars were called BFe 4/4II with the numbers 881-882. In 1961 it was renamed the BFe 4/4II 1301-1302 and 1963 to finally BDe 4/4II.

The railcars were underpowered and therefore error-prone, so they often had to go back to the workshop. In order to meet the timetable operating these had to be replaced SBB uncharacteristic lack of alternatives by diesel locomotives. Since the SBB network is almost completely electrified, the SBB has not many diesel locomotives, and as the few were often themselves error prone ( on 4/4, ex. V series 200), it was sometimes necessary to Four current ( Ee 3/3IV ) or Dieselrangierlokomotiven (Em 3/3 ) may be used. In the summer, this was not a problem, but in winter there looked the missing train heating noticeable. For this reason, 1977, a lightweight steel cars (B 50 85 29-30503 ) was fitted with a pantograph and a switching device for train heating.

In 1994, the two BDe 4/4II were replaced by five SBB Bem 550, which are additionally provided with a thermal auxiliary drive to reach the workshops under AC catenary can. The scrapping of the BDe 4/4II was 1995.