Over twenty years ago SBB was asked to name a locomotive
« Franches-Montagnes ». In relation with the 100th horse market in
Saignelégier SBB decided to name Re 460 036-7 « Franches-Montagnes » on the
8th of august 2003 in this narrow gauge station of Chemins de fer du Jura.
It is 25 kilometres away from the next standard gauge station. On the 7th of
august the locomotive arrived in Glovelier and was charged on two trucks and
pulled by steam traction to Saignelégier. Between Combe-Tabeillon and
Bollement there are eight tunnels, which have a reduced height of contact
wire. For security the SBB-locomotive was pulled by steam traction. At no
time the loco was in contact with the overhead wire. After the naming
ceremony the locomotive was exhibited in Saignelégier station till Monday
and then brought back to Glovelier by an electric engine. It is the first
time that a locomotive of the type Re 460 stays on a metric gauge station.
Other transports of this kind have been done by road for special events, but
never by rail.<br>
The steam locomotive E 164 was delivered in 1905 by Henschel in Cassel to
Portugal. Today this factory is absorbed by the Bombardier group. In 1993
the steam engine was brought back to Switzerland in 1993 by La Traction. It
entered service in 1999 after a general overhaul in Meiningen on the metric
network of Chemins de fer du Jura.<br>
The SBB Re 460 036-7 was built by SLM and ABB in Winterthur and Zurich and
delivered in 1993. Both works haven been taken over by the Bombardier group.
Today there are no more factories, but engineering sites. It is one of the
few locomotives which have not been named till today and which spot no
advertising livery.
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Photo by Théo Stolz <theo.stolz@cj-transports.ch>