The Nez Cassé series of locomotives is a large family of electric and diesel locomotives intended primarily for fast passenger service on the French SNCF railway system. Produced by Alsthom for use under multiple electrification networks and unelectrified lines, they have been in widespread use from the 1960s into the 21st century. Classes produced in the main series were BB 7200/7600 and CC 6500 under 1.5 kV DC, BB15000 under 25 kV 50 Hz AC, BB 22200 (7200+15000) and CC 21000 under dual 1.5 kV DC and 25 kV 50 Hz AC, and the diesel CC 72000/72100.

The locomotive series was developed from the 1964 quadruple-voltage CC 40100, designed by Paul Arzens, which was mainly used for Trans Europ Express international service. The CC 40100 featured a forward-leaning nose and windshield that drew comparisons with a broken-nose facial profile ("Nez Cassé"). A greater emphasis on crash protection for engine drivers in the following series added depth to the nose and changed the broken-nosed profile.

The first versions for the SNCF that were introduced in 1969, the 1.5kV CC 6500 and the 1.5/25kV CC 21000, used a Co'Co' bogie arrangement on account of their substantial weight. The unique BBB 8000 used by Korail from 1972 used a Bo'Bo'Bo' bogie arrangement due to track loading requirements and Korean rail geometry requirements. The later BB 7200, BB 15000 and BB 22200 were substantially lightened, and could use a Bo'Bo' arrangement. These later series, introduced by the SNCF from 1971–1976, were also less costly to procure.

List of Nez Cassé locomotives

Below is a list of locomotives around the world built in this style.

Class Country Operator(s)Build Date(s)Wheel Arrangement (UIC)Wheel Arrangement (AAR) Image SNCF Class BB 7200 France SNCF1976-1985Bo'Bo'B-B SNCF Class BB 15000 France SNCF1971-1978Bo'Bo'B-B SNCF Class BB 22200Class 22 (II) SNCF1976-1986Bo'Bo'B-B SNCF Class CC 6500 France SNCF1969-1975Co'Co'C-C SNCF Class CC 21000 France SNCF1995-1996Co'Co'C-C SNCF Class CC 72000 France SNCF1967-1974Co'Co'C-C SNCF Class CC 40100 France SNCF1964, 1969-1970Co'Co'C-C SNCB Class 18 (Alsthom) Belgium NMBS/SNCB1973-1974Co'Co'C-C Amtrak X996 United States Amtrak1977Co'Co'C-C CP Class 2600 Portugal Comboios de Portugal1974-1975Bo'Bo'B-B CP Class 2620 Portugal Comboios de Portugal1987-1989Bo'Bo'B-B CP Class 1900 Portugal Comboios de Portugal1981Co'Co'C-C CP Class 1930 Portugal Comboios de Portugal1981-1982Co'Co'C-C NS Class 1600 Netherlands 1981-1983Bo'Bo'B-B NS Class 1700 Netherlands Nederlandse Spoorwegen1990-1994Bo'Bo'B-B NS Class 1800 Netherlands Nederlandse Spoorwegen1981-1983Bo'Bo'B-B SŽ Series 363 Slovenia Slovenian Railways1975-1977Co'Co'C-C Korail Class 8000 South Korea Korail1972-1990Bo'Bo'Bo'B-B-B FEPASA 2200 (pt) Brazil Ferrovia Paulista1984Bo'Bo'B-B ONCF Class DF 100 Morocco ONCFN/ACo'Co'C-C ONCF Class DF 115 Morocco ONCFN/ACo'Co'C-C ONCF Class E 1300 Morocco ONCFN/ABo'Bo'B-B ONCF Class E 1350 Morocco ONCFN/ABo'Bo'B-B

Other operators

The Nederlandse Spoorwegen NS Class 1600 and NS Class 1700 versions of BB 7200 continue in use on the Dutch railway system under 1.5 kV DC. The Belgian Railways Class 18 was the Belgian equivalent of CC 40100, and was in service from 1973 to 1999.

Moroccan operator ONCF uses diesel locomotives similar to CC 72000, the ONCF DF 100. The ONCF E 900 is similar to the CC 6500 and the ONCF E 1300/1350 is similar to the BB 7200, both under 3 kV DC . The Portuguese CP Class 1900 and CP Class 1930 were built under license by Sorefame in 1981 as versions of CC 72000 and CP Class 2600 (electric) as version of BB22200. The South Korean Korail Class 8000 is a development for 25 kV 60 Hz AC with a Bo-Bo-Bo arrangement. Slovenian Railways uses 3 kV DC versions of CC 6500 (identical to the ONCF E900 and using the same transmission) as SŽ series 363.

FEPASA in São Paulo State, Brazil ordered 80 3 kV DC locomotives in the mid-1980s for its metre gauge and Irish gauge network called FEPASA 2200 series (or Alsthom EC-386) for use on the and other prospective electrified lines on its network. The locomotives were to be assembled by Brazilian manufacturer EMAQ using knock-down kits imported from France, however, the bankruptcy of said manufacturer and severe financial difficulties at FEPASA meant that only two locomotives were actually completed. Both locomotives were used by FEPASA until its privatization in the late-1990s and were abandoned, because its successor concessionary companies Ferroban and Rumo Logística have largely abandoned further electrification work on the rest of the FEPASA network.

A single CC 21000 locomotive, CC 21003, was temporarily allocated to the U.S. Amtrak system as X996 in 1977 for testing on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor.

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