Diesel locomotive A1A A1A 68053 Roco

Original page created on 04/10/2018; updated on 13/02/2023.

Brand - Reference

Roco 73700

Type

A1A A1A 68053 with reinforced cab. Depot of Sotteville.

Mass / Current at slipping @ 12 V

422 g / 0,53 A

Comments

No dismantling instructions, only a list of spare parts and tips for preparing etched plates are present. These plates, as well as the handrails of faces and cabs, are to be assembled.

The wheels are not burnished, but they have a plastic hub cap showing the transmission details.

The six axles are driving. So it’s not an A1A A1A, but a CC.

The markings are pad printed. The name of the depot is not very clear. Photo-etched nickel silver plates are supplied: it’s up to the user to strip them to reveal the marking, which will be yellowish and not aluminium-coloured!

Lifting the body is easy: just spread the sides. We discover a fairly clear double-sided printed circuit. The connection to the lamps is done by flexible circuits. The lamps are still incandescent! The white and red lights are linked. Their separation doesn’t appear obvious at first sight.

This machine doesn’t have an extraordinary pulling force: its cousin 67580 from Jouef pulls it like playing!

See gamos81.altervista.org for the list of ref­erences of issued 68000 models.

Modifications

  • Mounting of details: engraved plates stuck with double-sided adhesive, handrails glued with CA.
  • Lenz Standard+ V2 decoder.
  • Front elongation device removed (no more NEM box visible).
  • Separation of red lights (see Loco-Revue forum). Masking of third front light generally unused.

History

Locomotives built in 80 units from 1963 to 1968 by Compagnie des Ateliers et Forges de la Loire (C.A.F.L.), Compagnie de Construc­tion électro-mécanique (C.E.M.) and Fives-Lille-Cail (F.L.C.). UIC Power 1660 kW (Sulzer diesel engine type 12 LVA 24, 12 cylinders, direct injection, 1980 kW). Maximum speed: 120 km/h (130 km/h in Caen). Weight in run­ning order 106 t.

The 68000 are slightly more powerful than the BB 67000 (UIC 1260 kW), with whom they can be coupled in multiple unit. The main difference is that they embed a boiler for steam heating of trains. A system of inter­changeable holds made it possible to adjust the load on the trailing axles. It has been used very little, and the load is set at 18 t per driving axle, which allows these ma­chines to run on almost all tracks.

The A1A A1A 68005 was built as 68501.

A1A A1A 68053 is put into service in June 1966 in Limoges. Successive depots: Tours St Pierre (9-75), Sotteville (date unknown). It is withdrawn in April 2004.

There was no 68000 in the Nord in the 1960s and 70s. Those who came to the area were probably based in Caen, as 68046 and 68047 in original livery and cabs, visible in Boulogne sur mer in 1973 in this photo of Michel Costes (railpictures.net).68046 et 68047 à Boulogne sur mer

Documents

A1A A1A 68053 RocoA1A A1A 68053 Roco

A1A A1A 68053 RocoA1A A1A 68053 Roco

A1A A1A 68060

Photo Poggi in Loco-Revue sheet 595/596/12/1977.

Dimension Actual 1:87 Model
Overall length 18 010 207.0 206.9
Chassis length 16 720 192.2 192.1
Width 2 920 33.6 34.2
Height 4 280 49.2 49.8
Pivot distance 9 500 109.2 109.5
Bogie wheelbase 3 000 34.5 34.5
Driving wheel diameter 1 250 14.4 14.4
Trailing wheel diameter 950 10.9 10.7

This figure varied subsequently because some exchanges
between the 68000 and 68500 series happened.

Document available as a PDF.
If you are interested, please let me know by e-mail,
specifying the title of the document-s.
For conditions, see page
Loco-Revue documentary sheets. .