French State Railway CC 14100

The CC 14100 was one of the electric locomotives ordered by the SNCF to find the right type of traction electrics for their new 25,000 V AC lines. In contrast to the CC 14000's complex three-phase system, it only had DC traction motors. But in this case, the 25,000 V current was first transformed to 3,000 V and fed into an electric motor that was connected to two generators. The power from these two generators was then used to feed the six traction motors. 

Like all its sisters, it had a crocodile-like appearance with a central cab and two long and low hoods. Due to this, these were all called “fer à repasser” (flatiron). These locomotives showed to be more reliable than the CC 14000. Despite their lower power, they managed to haul trains of 1,850 tonnes up a 1.1 percent incline and up to 3,500 tonnes on 0.5 percent, although at low speeds.

But since their area of operation was to haul heavy trains loaded with coal, ore, steel or scrap on winding secondary lines, these characteristics were well suited. In the seventies when transport volumes in this area sank, it was hard to find many other tasks due to the low top speed of 60 km/h. The first withdrawals took place in 1984, but it took until 1997 for all locomotives to disappear.