The BB 63000, which was known as the 040 DE before it was redesignated in 1962, was created to replace medium-powered steam locomotives. They were four-axle diesel-electric locomotives with one driver's cab and asymmetrical hoods. A six-cylinder inline engine from Sulzer was used as the power plant, which delivered 600, 725 or 750 hp depending on the production batch. 250 examples of this series were built, but there were also almost identical locomotives in other railway administrations, which were either delivered from France or were manufactured under license. These were the class 850 in Luxembourg, the class 642 in Yugoslavia, the class 10700 in Spain (later renumbered 307) and the class 1200 in Portugal. The BB 63400 and 63500 are variants with a V12 engine from the Société Alsacienne de Constructions Mécaniques (SACM). Of the latter, 603 pieces were made.

The locomotives were also called “Deux Cheveaux” due to their large number and their wide range of applications in reference to the also ubiquitous Citroën 2CV. Although the design with a single driver's cab is more associated with shunting locomotives in Germany, they were also used in mainline service with passenger and freight trains. After a few decades in service, the area of application shifted to freight trains and finally they were used almost exclusively for shunting tasks and with work trains. The Sulzer locomotives were phased out by 2006, but 61 of the SACM locomotives were still in use at the end of October 2019. A total of 23 units were converted into the BB 64700 shunting locomotive between 1989 and 1993, with new MTU 8V 4000 engines. In another 19 units, the diesel engine and driver's cab were removed and the frame was shortened so that they now only have the traction motors. These vehicles, designated as TBB 64800, were each coupled to a BB 64700 and received the power for propulsion from their diesel engine.

As a stronger addition to the BB 63000, the BB 66000 was created with basically the same structure. The first 40 locomotives still bore the designation 040 DG and were re-designated in 1962, a total of 318 units were built. While the BB 63400 and BB 63500 got a V12 engine from SACM, the BB 66000 had a V16 from the same family with 1,400 hp. The first engines were delivered with a top speed of 105 km/h, but they were soon subsequently approved for 120 km/h and all others as well ex works.

From 1968, 106 BB 66400 were built, which were based on the latest BB 66000 series and were equipped for electric train heating. Already between 1960 and 1962 13 BB 66600 had been completed, which had a Pielstick engine. The first three of these were created by conversion and ten others were newly built. Between 1985 and 1991 a total of 34 BB 66000 were equipped with the same engine and designated BB 66700. They had a modified gear ratio for 80 km/h in order to increase traction and use it for shunting.

The locomotives were initially used in regular service with passenger and freight trains. Like the BB 63000, they were considered “jack of all trades”. The capabilities for multiple working were somewhat limited, since the sub-series were partly not compatible with each other. Over time, the engines were phased out of passenger service and were primarily only used for lighter freight trains.

In 2005, a total of 91 locomotives were fitted with new MTU 12V 4000 engines to extend their service life. In 2019, 64 of these were still in use, mainly in the SNCF freight and infrastructure areas. The BB 66600 with Pielstick engines had already been retired in 1997 and the last BB 66700 disappeared in 2018. At that time some of the unconverted locos with SACM engines were still assigned to the STF Infrarail.