The HGe 4/4II is a metre-gauge electric locomotive that combines a top speed of 100 km/h in adhesion drive with an Abt rack drive for inclines of up to 12.5 percent. The key for this was the new differential drive that allows to split the power between the wheels and the cog wheels in a variable way. The first five locomotives were built in 1986 for an order from the FO and the Brünig line. They had been ordered mainly for heavy passenger services and are hauling trains like the Glacier Express. Good experiences led to the order for eleven more locomotives, followed by five additional ones for the BVZ. Between 2018 and 2022 nine locomotives, which are today part of the MGB, were rebuilt. Among other modernizations, they got a new three-phase drive that increased the output from 1,732 to 2,800 kW.
