Prototype: Swiss Federal Railways (SBB/CFF/FSS) class Am 4/4 heavy diesel hydraulic general-purpose locomotive in the Era V Fire Red paint scheme (former German Federal Railroad V 200).

Model: The locomotive body has separately applied noise mufflers. All of the axles are powered. The wheel tires are dark plated. The model has the Swiss headlight / marker light code that changes over with the direction of travel 3 x white, 1 red rear right, warm white / red LEDs. The buffer plates have warning stripes.

Length over the buffers approximately 84 mm / 3-5/16".

The 88311 model is being produced in 2015 in a one-time series.

From Germany to the SBB - The class 200 (later the class 220) heavy diesel locomotives purchased in the Fifties by the German Federal Railroad were taken out of service toward the end of the Eighties and some of them were sold. On the one hand, the increasing electrification of the DB's route network had decreased the need for diesel locomotives, and on the other hand, the maintenance costs were too high by today's standards for this first large German diesel locomotive with its two separate propulsion systems. Many of these units were therefore sold to private German railroads and abroad. The SBB also acquired 7 of these large diesel locomotives from the DB and starting in 1987/88 designated them as the class Am 4/4 in its motive power pool. These locomotives were needed in Switzerland to transport material for extensive rebuilding of main lines. Since there is no working catenary present for such construction work, the SBB was looking for powerful diesel locomotives, which were unavailable in Switzerland in sufficient quantities. Since these locomotives were also used at night for this track work, the former DB flagship locomotives were completely overhauled and equipped with expensive sound insulation for the motors in order to minimize the noise for residents near the tracks. A few years later after their use in track construction, the Am 4/4 locomotives went back to Germany to railroad material suppliers.

Released in: New items brochure 2015