In order to be able to cope better with the steadily increasing flow of passengers and goods over the Gotthard after the Second World War, the Swiss Federal Railways SBB procured a total of 120 units of the six-axle electric locomotive Ae 6/6 from 1952. The locomotives, which were equipped with hollow-shaft drives, were fitted with the N 28 i high-voltage switchgear, which was state-of-the-art at the time and was also suitable for difficult hill climbs. The elegant locomotives were also fitted with the electric brakes, which are indispensable for ramp service. With a top speed of 125 km/h, the locomotive was increasingly used in flat area from the 1980s, since the even more powerful Re 6/6 and Re 460 had meanwhile taken over service on the Gotthard. Nevertheless, the Ae 6/6, some of which were fitted with revised driver's cabs and repainted for SBB Cargo in the late 1990s, remained in regular service until the 2010s.
Engineer/driver mode: Engineer/driver mode switch on with CV170 = 1, Engineer/driver mode switch off with CV170 = 0)
The Engineer/driver mode serves as a prototypical control of the train. The realistic start up process and the current-dependent processes are activated.
***Please note! In Engineer/driver mode, the train only reacts when one or both pantographs are up***
Heavy load operation:
F28 - Activates heavy load operation. The acceleration now takes noticeably longer and the electric motors work harder.
Braking functions:
F30 - Brake function 1 with brake valve sound. Trains brakes to a standstill.
F10 – Station announcements:
(CV 168 value 0 = announcements change automatically, value 1 = St. Gallen, value 2 = Lucerne, value 3 = Chur, value 4 = Olten)
F11 – radio communications:
(CV 166 value 0 = radio communication change automatically, value 1 = radio communication 1, value 2 = radio communication 2, value 3 = radio communication 3, value 4 = radio communication 4)
F14 – Station announcements:
(CV 169 value 0 = announcements change automatically, value 1 = Milano, value 2 = Romanshorn, value 3 = departure track 3, value 4 = departure track 4)
F20 - radiator fan button:
3 x short press = radiator fan step 2 / 2 x short press = stop radiator fan while stationary. If radiator fan step2 is permanently active = radiator fan remains in radiator fan step 2 until button is switched off. Above a certain speed, radiator fan step 2 is forced to switch on.
*** Attention: After switching on while driving from radiator fan step 1 to radiator fan step 2, the radiator fan step 2 remains switched on until radiator fan function is switched off! ***
Deactivate braking Sound:
F9 - Deactivates brake squeal Sound when the train stops.