Furka–Oberalp-Bahn Ge 4/4 III

The Furka Oberalp Bahn (FO) acquired these Bo′Bo′ locomotives in 1979 for the purpose of hauling car shuttle trains through the then forthcoming Furka Base Tunnel.

Between the delivery of these locomotives and the completion of the Furka Base Tunnel, both members of the class were leased to the Rhaetian Railway, where they entered service hauling express trains on the Albula Railway. Since the opening of the Base Tunnel in 1982, they have been used exclusively on car shuttle trains between Oberwald and Realp.

On 1 January 2003 (2003-01-01), the locomotives became the property of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB), following a merger between the FO and the Brig-Visp-Zermatt railway (BVZ).

The two locomotives represent a further development of the Ge 4/4 ^II class of the Rhaetian Railway. They are therefore classified as Ge 4/4 ^III under the Swiss locomotive and railcar classification system, even though the FO had not previously operated Ge 4/4 type locomotives. According to the Swiss classification system, Ge 4/4 ^III denotes a third series of narrow gauge electric adhesion locomotives with four axles, all of which are drive axles.

The Ge 4/4 ^IIIs develop 1,700 kilowatts (2,300 hp), have a top speed of 90 kilometres per hour (56 mph), and operate at 11 kV 16.7 Hz AC under catenary. They are the only mainline locomotives of the MGB not fitted with cogwheels for rack railway operations.

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  No 82 in MGB livery
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  No 82 and car shuttle train
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  No 81 in MGB livery

• Furka Pass
• Oberalp Pass
• History of rail transport in Switzerland
• Rail transport in Switzerland

• Finke, Wolfgang; Schweers, Hans (1999). Die Fahrzeuge der Furka-Oberalp-Bahn 1913-1999 : Brig-Furka-Disentis, Schöllenenbahn, Furka-Oberalp-Bahn (in German). Aachen, Germany: Schweers + Wall. ISBN 3-89494-111-1.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to MGB Ge 4/4.

• Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn

This article is based upon a translation of the German-language version as at July 2010.