More then two weeks ago, in the industrial plant (IW = Industriewerk) of the SBB in Bellinzona, this locomotive was handed over to the IRSI after a revision with new paint scheme. It is still standing there and was not seen on the line til now. In autumn 2019, the IRSI (International Rolling Stock Investment Gmbh) from Frauenfeld bought the two Re 421 # 387 and # 393 from SBB Cargo, mainly for the sugar beet traffic. The former Re 4/4 II # 11387 and # 11393 were rebuilt to Re 421 with approval to run in Germany and Austria too in 2002/2005. This year, first the Re 421 # 393 (former Re 4/4 II 11393 of the SBB) got a revision R2 in the industrial work Bellinzona and was finished in february in the former TRANS EUROP EXPRESS colors red/cream. On may 19th, 2020, the second locomotive was handed over to the IRSI in Bellinzona after revision R2, the Re 421 # 387 (former Re 4/4 II # 11387) in a elegant steel blue/cream paint scheme, sympathized with the express train "Rheingold" (Amsterdam-Basel) colors of the years 1962 to 1965 (the Rheingold used cobalt blue/cream). The "Rheingold" was the fastest train of the Deutsche Bundesbahn at this time with a maximum velocity of 160 km/h. Initially, in Germany six locomotives of the class E 10 (with "angular" ends, E 10 # 1239 to # 1244) were used as traction units, which were given special bogies designed for 160 km/h and painted in cobalt blue/cream to match the cars for their special operations. The class E 10.12 electric locomotives that were actually intended for the Rheingold with the more elegant front ("Bügelfalte") (crease form), whose colour scheme corresponded to that of the cars from the beginning, were used when delivered from autumn 1962. The provisionally used locomotives were then rebuilt to normal E 10. The "Rheingold" was then classified as TEE (TRANS EUROP EXPRESS) from summer timetable 1965 and prolonged from Basel to Geneva. In Switzerland, the train was pulled by a green Re 4/4 I and there was not a appropriate locomotive in term of colors available for the cobaltblue/cream cars. The cars were soon painted red/cream (about 1966/67) and in Switzerland, the Re 4/4 I # 10033, 10034, 10046 und 10050 got an appropriate red/cream paint scheme for this service not until 1972. In the background of the picture is the former SBB Re 6/6 # 11604 "Faido" prototype built in 1972, not operational in the moment, and sold to the RailAdventure. The future of this locomotive is not decided yet. Sister # 11603 (Re 620 # 003) is operational for RailAdventure.
