SNCF Class BB 36000

The SNCF Class BB 36000, named Astride, is a class of triple voltage electric locomotives with four axles and twin bogies, built by GEC-Alsthom, later Alstom, between 1996 and 2001 for SNCF. Sixty were built. They came from changing an order for 264 BB 26000 locomotives: the last 30 were instead built to run on 3 kV DC as well, with AC induction motors and GTO power electronics, for the cross-border freight corridors the European Union was encouraging. Thirty were later converted to subclasses 36200 and 36300 with extra safety equipment for trains between France and Italy, where they are classed FS E436. The four traction motors are force-ventilated three-phase induction motors, and the name comes from Asynchrone Tri-system Drive Engine.