Bon voyage with en voyage

[NGT6 1315]

Something like that anyway .

 

Well, I received a belated Christmas present on Monday - thankfully, the retailer I got it from (hobby-trains.fr - much recommended) shipped it to our place in Leipzig upon my asking him to. I recently reconsidered this idea for a French outline scenario I once developed, and therefore thought it might be a sensible idea to begin assembling a basic inventory of suitable SNCF motive power. And as the class BB 26000 dual system electrics, also known as the "SYBIC", have appealed to me for a long time now I chose one of these as the starting point!

 

As usual, allow me to give a brief outline of this locomotive's history first. Back in the 1970s the SNCF had begun to renew its inventory of electric locomotives with the types BB 7200, BB 15000 and BB 22200, all of which were based on thyristor controls - the 7200 being equipped for 1.5 k DC only, the 15000 for 25 kV AC only and the 22200 for both systems. However, as the 1980s began, three-phase locomotives had become a viable design, and thus the SNCF decided to have all future electric engines designed not only with dual voltage capability, but also on the basis of three-phase traction equipment. Unlike most other countries, however, the French initially preferred synchronous AC motors rather than the asynchronous types which German loco builders chose. All TGV types up till the PBKA type (with the exception of the PSE and Postal, which had more basic thyristor-based inverters and DC motors) were fitted likewise, with only the 2nd batch Duplex and the POS type being fitted with asynchronous motors. The later class BB 36000 locomotive was designed with asynchronous motors as well.

 

The first type of locomotive to be designed under these new requirements was presented on 1 April 1988 and designated as class BB 26000. However, it became equally well known under the apronym "SYBIC", which consists of the two statements "synchrone" and "bicourant" in reference to the engine's synchronous motors and dual voltage capability.

 

Among all modern European locomotives, the SYBIC is probably one of the most recognizable designs - in my view, it does remind me a lot of the DeLorean DMC-12 . It is 17.71 metres (58.1 ft) long, weighs in at 90 tonnes - thereby exactly maxing out the axle load limit of 22.5 tonnes on most European mainlines - , provides a maximum tractive effort of 320 kN, a maximum power output of 5,600 kW and has a top speed of 200 kph (124 mph). Interestingly, it has only one large traction motor for each bogie, as many French electrics and diesel-electrics from about the 1960s through the early 1980s do - which I read was described by designers as providing an advantage in poor adhesion conditions. As such, its wheel arrangement is B'B' rather than Bo'Bo'. A total of 234 engines was built between 1988 and 1998.

 

 

 

This model has the reference number HJ2053 and represents locomotive 26008, one of seven which have been given this rather striking "en voyage" livery - the other SYBICs which I know to be wearing this livery being 26001, 26002, 26003, 26005, 26163 and 26164. The leading "1" is a reference to the locomotive belonging to SNCF's long distance passenger branch, or VFE (Voyages France-Europe). Other branches obviously have other prefixes: Corail-Intercités (CIC) has "2"; Fret (the goods branch) has "4"; Action Régionale (AR - the regional branch serving all regions except for Île-de-France) has "5", and the Île-de-France branch has "8". The permanent way branch, finally, has the "6". Several other engine types have also been given this livery, including much older ones like the BB 9200 - however, in my view it does look good even on these types.

 

 

 

One small issue with all Jouef SYBICs is that they have all been fitted with protective glass screens in front of the headlights - which I understand only a very small number of real SYBICs have, and none of these are among the engines Jouef have done thus far. However, they are easily removed: Remove the body from the chassis, carefully take out the lighting conductors right below the cab parts, and then gently spread the body to both sides. This will allow you to remove the frontside element between the windshield and the buffer beam. Then, gently push out the glass screens, which are one transparent part held in place with eight small locating pins. After doing so, just reassemble the body in reverse order. If you like, you can then carefully highlight the headlight rims with some aluminium paint, as these parts are bare metal on the real thing. I will need to do that once I return home.

Interestingly, late SYBICs from about BB 26200 onwards have an additional centre headlight. Jouef also did a model of this variant before they went bust several years ago, though none of the models released under Hornby's ownership have this feature yet. But I would think chances are a later SYBIC with three headlights will eventually appear.

 

 

 

 

Lateral view on the Cab 1 side. I cannot find any fault with either the paint or the lettering, which look clean and crisp to me. The small inscriptions to the top left of the bogie are the braking weights and engine weight. They read: V 111 tonnes, M 58 tonnes, and V+E 111 tonnes - where "V" appears to equal the German (and UIC) "P" setting and "M" the "G" setting. M, of course, would thus mean "marchandises", and "V" would be "voyageurs". "E", of course, would be the electric brake. Oddly, no "R" setting is mentioned anywhere on the engine, which I would have thought to be a requirement for any speed in the range of more than 140 kph.

 

 

 

 

And the Cab 2 side. There are surprisingly few operational inscriptions on the SYBIC, if you ask me.

 

 

 

 

And finally a roofside view. There are two different pantographs on the SYBIC, both of course being Faiveley types. The one above Cab 1 (left) is for 1.5 kV DC and has a head with four contact strips to distribute the thermal load which may occur due to the high currents under DC power. The one above Cab 2, then, is for 25 kV AC. Interestingly, many drivers appear to raise both pans when starting under 1.5 kV, though it would not really be necessary due to an automatic current limiter, as a French modeller who works with the SNCF once told me. So, I guess this is just a matter of habit from DC only engines, where raising both pans is a standard procedure. It does, however, also indicate that the 25 kV pan appears to be meant to serve as a backup under 1.5 kV, and thus sufficiently strengthened against high currents.

The SYBIC is, however, not cleared for the entire 1.5 kV network due to differences in the OHLE geometry south of Bordeaux - the pantograph heads being too narrow for the lateral wire deflection found there. The majority of the remaining 1.5 kV network has been adapted to the narrower pantograph heads, though.

The rheostats belonging to the electric brake are located under the gridded superstructure between the pantographs.

 

Also note that fourteen SYBICs (nos. 26140 through 26153) have been refitted with push-pull controls for use on reversible regional services and newer Faiveley AX type pantographs which are even better suited for high speed running. In addition, a small number of SYBICs allocated to the "Fret" branch are fitted with MU controls.

 

The SYBICs are (to my knowledge) allocated as follows: Fret has 139 engines, VFE has 61, CIC has twenty and AR has fourteen. Original plans were for a total of 264 engines to be built, the last thirty of these having been meant to be fitted with additional 3 kV capability for Italy. However, this batch was never built, and 3 kV capability was later provided on the BB 36000.

The SYBIC can be seen in four other liveries aside from the "en voyage" one: Classic orange and grey, probably derived from the "Béton" livery, "Multiservice", TER Alsace (only 26070, if I'm not mistaken), and the (in my view) somewhat ungainly "Fret" livery.

[samkiller42]

Looks like a very nice model.

Shame European models are pretty pricey here in blighty, although, granted not massively more than UK stuff.

 

Sam

[NGT6 1315]

They are more expensive than most UK models, I grant you that.

 

One additional note about the leading digits on French locomotive numbers: These are frequently written out less bold and/or in a lighter colour than the rest of the number, thus making it obvious that they are a later addition - and perhaps with the intention of avoiding any confusion as to what is the actual engine number. After all, the class remains the BB 26000, for example - regardless to which branch it has been allocated and whether it is thus numbered 126005, 226005, 426005 or 526005.

[Talltim]

The Sybics have been a favorite of mine since they were introduced. Not keen on the en Voyage ivery on them tho, although it suit some other locos. I do like your mini reviews with all the protoype info, keep up the good work

[Colossus]

The Sybics have been a favorite of mine since they were introduced. Not keen on the en Voyage ivery on them tho, although it suit some other locos. I do like your mini reviews with all the protoype info, keep up the good work

 

 

1216 025. Thanks for the enjoyable and thorough resume of the SYBIC. I've quite enjoyed seeing them operate on my forays into Europe though I've always been a big fan of the 7200, 15000 and 22200 series BB's - great looking engines! Don't know whether you have case histories on these types 'in your locker'? A few pointers to more about these engines that I've admired from afar would be appreciated.

[NGT6 1315]

Yes, I also much like those "broken nose" engines such as the 7200. Actually, LS Models have announced an entire new line of 7200s, 15000s and 22200s for release next year - definitely something to consider as LS have done a number of very interesting and well engineered Belgian and French outline locomotives by now. On the other hand, the Roco "broken noses", while mechanically sound, do begin to show their age by now.

 

Images of an early prototype of the LS Models BB 15000 can be found on lsmodels.com, in their update from 4 December 2009.

[Colossus]

Yes, I also much like those "broken nose" engines such as the 7200. Actually, LS Models have announced an entire new line of 7200s, 15000s and 22200s for release next year - definitely something to consider as LS have done a number of very interesting and well engineered Belgian and French outline locomotives by now. On the other hand, the Roco "broken noses", while mechanically sound, do begin to show their age by now.

 

Images of an early prototype of the LS Models BB 15000 can be found on lsmodels.com, in their update from 4 December 2009.

 

 

Haven't come across LS Models before but I had formed the opinion that models of the lovely "broken nose" SNCF locos and French stuff in general, seem a bit scarce - at least compared to german outline. So any up and coming releases will be welcome. I take it these are HO scale locos you refer to?

[NGT6 1315]

Haven't come across LS Models before but I had formed the opinion that models of the lovely "broken nose" SNCF locos and French stuff in general, seem a bit scarce - at least compared to german outline. So any up and coming releases will be welcome. I take it these are HO scale locos you refer to?

 

 

Well, Jouef have reestablished a rather good range of SNCF stock, with other brands like Roco also making some contributions - if you're focusing on the two rail DC system. From what I was able to see thus far, LS Models tend to make very delicate models with many fine details and even very small inscriptions, which I guess justifies their prices. But of course that is up for everyone to decide themselves.

 

And yes, the LS Models broken noses are H0 scale .

[NGT6 1315]

Well, I also have some items which I would add to this thread by way of an update. First of all, I made a new series of photos and corrected some diacritic characters which appear to have been garbled at the time when Andy had been struggling with server problems .

 

As I was recently told, and confirmed through a French railway forum, the "en voyage" livery is to be deleted from all motive power within the next several months due to licencing issues with the public relations enterprise which developed it. Actually, several SNCF engines which had been given this livery have already been spotted with the "en voyage" adhesives removed, leaving them with an all silver body and resulting in these engines being called "fantômes" (ghosts) by railfans. I figure this means having an "en voyage" liveried SYBIC will soon get a historic value of sorts! In my opinion, it is a pity that the livery is about to go, as I felt it to be conveying a positive mood, addressing the enjoyable aspects of travelling (especially on rails).

 

I also found a couple of SYBIC-themed Youtube videos:

 

 

- note the weirdly monotonous inverter noise.

 

 

[NGT6 1315]

And another small amendment I did this evening:

 

 

 

I finally got around to highlighting the headlight rims with a tiny amount of aluminium paint - using a toothpick for application as I thought a brush might have resulted in a mess.

[Gordonwis]

In my opinion, it is a pity that the livery is about to go, as I felt it to be conveying a positive mood, addressing the enjoyable aspects of travelling (especially on rails).

 

IMHO a large proportion of enthusiasts hate the livery - as I do. So I'm afraid my opinion is good riddance.

 

The En Voyage livery Sybic does not represent a good long term model for those modellers who want their model to show as realistic a day-to-day scene as possible as only 6 sybics made it into En Voyage livery out of 233, a tiny proportion. Unusually for latter-day SNCF the vast majority are still in the same livery (the original beton/orange).

[NGT6 1315]

The En Voyage livery Sybic does not represent a good long term model for those modellers who want their model to show as realistic a day-to-day scene as possible as only 6 sybics made it into En Voyage livery out of 233, a tiny proportion.

 

 

That probably is true, as with most any kind of promotional livery. As a matter of fact, looking at those layout ideas I have, I would tend to operating only one or possibly two promotional liveries per scenario for the sake of diversity, but definitely not more - for that very reason of such liveries usually being deleted again after one or two years, give or take.

[Patrick]

Lovely model. I'm slowly collecting SNCF stuff in HO scale (slowly - due to the cost!) in the hope of building a French-outline layout at some stage - a Sybic or two are on the 'to buy' list. I'm a big fan of the En Voyage livery and it's a pity more Sybics haven't received it (although not surprising when you see French locos still running around in colour schemes dating back to the '70s and '80s)...

 

Pity there's no Teoz-branded Corail coaches available yet to compliment it.

[NGT6 1315]

Well, I treated my SYBIC to a bit of superdetailing yesterday, based on some input I got from a fellow modeller from France . Specifically, I highlighted several roofside and headstock details:

 

 

 

On the fronts, the brake lines and associated cut-off valves were highlighted with black, white and yellow. Apparently, the SYBIC also has what I believe is an ECP socket on the right side of the headstock, which Jouef chose not to add to the model, however. I might add this at a later date, provided I can find a suitable part - perhaps the MU socket from Bemo's RhB Ge 4/4''' might do the job. This socket appears to be bright green when it is not dirtied up.

 

 

 

 

The roofside equipment was also treated to some highlighting. The antenna on the Cab 1 roof was painted white. The busbar, circuit breaker, separating contactor as well as all supporting insulators were a uniform dark brown by default - much as on the BB 36000 from my other thread - and were thus treated to some dark and light grey, copper, leather brown and white. Sure looks a lot more interesting that way!

 

 

 

 

And that's 26008 after emerging from the shop anew .