As one of three types of flatland universal locomotives, the SBB introduced the Ae 3/5 built by the SLM from 1922 onwards. Since the electrical part came from SAAS, it was nicknamed “little Sécheron”. The power came from a twin motor per axle. With only five axles in total, it had a better power-to-weight ratio than its six-axle competitors, but poorer running characteristics at higher speeds.
Since the express trains tended to be pulled by six-axle machines, the Ae 3/5 was primarily used in regional traffic. In the 1960s, nine locomotives were converted for use with car trains. The first retirements due to wear and tear took place in the late 1960s. However, the majority of the locomotives were retired between 1979 and 1983. 