Paris-Orléans E 1 to 80

The first electric mainline locomotives used by the PO relied on experiences from General Electric in the USA due to a lack of experience in the own country. Accordingly, the locomotives had an appearance that resembled the boxcabs. They stood on two two-axle bogies with one traction motor for each axle. Maximum power for one hour was 1,236 kW or 1,680 hp. Continuous output was 972 kW or 1,322 hp. Some locomotives were later given contact shoes so that they could be used with third rail either on the Paris city lines with 600 V or on the Maurienne line in double with 1,500 V. The locomotives had many shortcomings, such as uneven load distribution on the axles when starting. Nevertheless, it took until 1980 for all 80 locomotives to be retired.