RailPictures.Net Photo: 11393 (421 393) IRSI (International Rolling Stock Investment Gmbh, Frauenfeld) Re 4/4 II (Re 421) at Bellinzona, Switzerland by Georg Trüb
In autumn 2019, the International Rolling Stock Investment Gmbh (IRSI) bought the two Re 421 # 387 and # 393 from SBB Cargo for the sugar beet traffic mainly. Today, the # 393 left the large hall of the industrial plant Bellinzona of the SBB (IW Bellinzona) after a revision as # 11393 in a wonderful red/cream paint scheme, as a reminiscence of the golden years of the TRANS EUROP EXPRESS trains, with the original numbers in chromium on the front and the sides. This locomotive was built in 1985 by SLM/BBC/MFO and SAAS for the SBB in red paint scheme and was rebuilt in may 2004 for SBB Cargo as Re 421 # 393 with certification for Switzerland, Germany and Austria and in the blue/red Cargo paint scheme. In 1969, the 4 Re 4/4 II # 11158 to # 11161 were delivered in this TEE paint scheme for pulling the TEE "Helvetia" between Basel and Zürich and the "Roland" between Basel and Chiasso and vice versa. In 1972 another 5 Re 4/4 II # 11249 to # 11253 were delivered in this paint scheme for pulling the TEE "Lemano" between Domodossola and Geneva and the "Cisalpin" between Vallorbe and Domodossola and vice versa. After the discontinuation of the TEE trains in the early 1980', this 9 locomotives lost their special paint scheme and 6 are now running in red, # 11160 as Re 420 # 160 in the blue/red Cargo paint scheme, # 11161 in green and # 11253 as Re 420 # 253 in the Cargo paint scheme blue/red. The Re 421 # 393 (Re 4/4 II # 11393) of the IRSI will mainly run for the TR Trans Rail railway for charter, transfer and special trains. The Re 4/4 II # 11393 or Re 421 # 393 is standing in the large hall of the Hauptwerkstätte (industrial plant) Bellinzona, built in 1919 and called "cathedral". In the background is sister locomotive Re 421 # 387 of the IRSI, which will undergo a revision also.
