Electric locomotive BB 17040 Piko

Original page created on 11/08/2014; updated on 15/09/2024.

Brand - Reference

Piko 96509

Type

BB 17040

Mass / Current @ 12 V

337 g / 0.65 A max.

Comments

Surprise: this machine is equipped with a decoder! In DC, starting happens at 10 V. Under 12 V, the machine does not slip. The left wheel (in the direction of travel), on the inside axle of each bogie, is equipped with a rubber tyre. The lights are warm white.

The pantographs are ugly (but I expected so). All railings moulded, which will be complicated to level. The bogies’ relief is very flat, and the brake blocks are not in front of the wheels. The couplings are attached to the bogies. The orange strips are too faded (in fact, the colour is transparent and reveals the grey, which is itself too light: compared with that of the VB2N, it is almost identical, whereas it should be a little darker).

The oblique handle on the doors dates from the 1990s, after the decoration change (loss of badges) and should not be included on this model.

There is a lightning conductor on the roof which, I understand, actually only exists on the BB 8500 or 25500.

Finally, it bears the “nouille” (noodle) acronym, so it belongs to era IVb, which puts it out of time for me. I’ll have to provide engraved plates, for the numbers as for the face badges, simply printed.

See:

Modifications

  • Sommerfeldt pantographs with LS Models bows (from CC 40105) (state of the picture).
  • Uhlenbrock decoder replaced with a Lenz Silver+. Separation of red lights.
  • I recently ordered plates for the 17074… Here they are.
  • Front NEM box removed; air tank completed with a piece of aluminium tubing. Rear NEM box shortened by 3.5 mm
  • Assembly of wheel sets without tyres.
Plates for BB 17074

History

Locomotives built in 105 units from 1965 to 1968 by Alsthom. Continuous power 2940 kW. Maximum speed: 150 km/h (passengers) and 90 km/h (goods). Weight 79.0 to 79.4 t depending on sub-series.

The 17040 is put into service in June 1966 in Achères (Ouest). It remained there until its withdrawal in December 2010. It is part of the sub-series 17038 to 105 whose chassis is slightly elongated and the buffer beam more visible (see table of dimensions).

For a 17000 assigned to the Nord (Lens then La Chapelle) in the 1970s, prefer a number from 17072. The photo of the 17074 shows, if the date is correct, that it was already in “béton” (concrete) livery in 1978.

The “béton” livery was applied for the first time in 1975 on the damaged 17005 (rebuilt on a long chassis with bonnets — this loco was not spoiled…). But there were still machines in green livery in the late 1980s, as proved by this photo of the 17072 by Patrick Meunier (Pontoise, 1987), on railfaneurope.BB 17072 en 1987

Some machines were sold to Romania.

Documents

BB 17040 PikoBB 17040 Piko

BB 17074 à Paris Nord

Photo Joachim Neu on railpictures.net.

Dimension Actual 1:87 Model
Overall length 1 14 700 169.0
Overall length 2 14 940 171.7 171.1
Chassis length 1 13 604 156.4
Chassis length 2 13 844 159.1 157.4
Width 3 030 34.8 35.0
Height 3 580 41.1 41.0
Pivot distance 8 500 97.7 97.0
Bogie wheelbase 1 608 18.5 18.5
Wheel diameter 1 100 12.6 12.5
  1. Locomotives 17001 to 37 (for information).
  2. Locomotives 17038 to 105.

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. Contact.

Division des Études de la Traction Électrique de la SNCF, Electric Traction Studies Division of the SNCF.