Roco 7510183 H0 - Rc4 1173 Electric Locomotive , SJ, era IV, DCC with sound

Model of the Rc4 Electric Locomotive in the Livery of the Swedish State Railways

A digital model of the Rc4 electric locomotive – a member of the Swedish Rc family, the first thyristor-controlled electric locomotives in Sweden and one of the most influential designs in the history of European electric traction. The H0-scale model was developed by Roco. It reproduces a specific prototype – Rc4 number 1173 of the Swedish State Railways (SJ) – in its original (as-delivered) condition, characteristic of Era IV.

The model is finely detailed and features many separately applied plug-in parts that enhance the fidelity of the reproduction. The locomotive has a factory-fitted PluX22 sound decoder and LED lighting that follows the Swedish lighting change convention. In digital operation, the switchable high beam as well as the switchable head and tail lights are available. The drive is provided by a five-pole motor with a flywheel acting on four axles, one of which is fitted with traction tyres to increase pulling power, ensuring smooth and steady running.

Model specifications:

• Scale: H0 (1:87)
• Catalogue number: 7510183
• Manufacturer: Roco
• Length over buffers: 179 mm
• Era: IV
• Operator: SJ (Swedish State Railways)
• Power supply: direct current DC (digital version)
• Decoder interface: PluX22 (electrical interface for motive power units)
• Digital decoder: PluX22 included
• Sound effects: yes
• Drive: five-pole motor with flywheel, 4 driven axles
• Axles with traction tyres: 1
• Coupling: NEM 362 pocket (without close-coupling kinematics)
• Minimum operating radius: 358 mm
• Lighting: LED, Swedish lighting change; switchable high beam and switchable head/tail lights in digital operation
• Additional lighting function: yes
• The model is painted and ready to run
• Recommended age: 15 years and over

Please note: a DCC digital command station and a track with power supply are required to operate the model.

This model is not a starter set and does not include track or a controller. To use all the digital functions – sound and independent control of the lighting – you need a DCC command station (e.g. the Roco Z21 or another controller compatible with the DCC protocol) connected to a powered track. The model can also be run on a conventional analogue layout supplied with direct current (DC), but only if the decoder has the alternative power source function (analogue operation – controlled by bit 2 of register CV29 under the DCC standard) switched on. This function is usually active by default, but if it has been disabled, supplying the track with DC current may damage the decoder. In analogue mode only basic running is available – without sound and digital functions.

Model railways – digital or analogue control?

The DCC digital control system allows several locomotives to run independently on the same track. Each vehicle receives individual commands while the voltage in the rails remains constant, which makes it possible to realistically reproduce movement and to control the lights and sound effects of each locomotive separately. In an analogue system, all vehicles on a given circuit are controlled simultaneously by varying the supply voltage. The Roco 7510183 model has a factory-fitted DCC sound decoder and is intended primarily for digital control.

About the Rc4 locomotive:

The Rc family is a series of Swedish electric locomotives built by the ASEA group, which were the first in Sweden to use thyristor control. In total, around 360 locomotives of this family were built and operated throughout the country in both passenger and freight service. The Rc4 was the fourth and also the largest series of the design – 130 examples were delivered between 1975 and 1982.

The Rc design proved to be one of the most successful and most widely emulated in the history of European electric traction. Locomotives for railways around the world were built on its licence and basis – including the American EMD/ASEA AEM-7 for Amtrak, the Austrian ÖBB Class 1043, and units exported to Iran. These four-axle, Bo'Bo' locomotives with an output of 3,600 kW combined high reliability with versatility, which kept them in service for decades.

The model reproduces Rc4 number 1173 in its original (as-delivered) condition, in the SJ livery characteristic of Era IV. It is a rewarding subject both for enthusiasts of Swedish railways and for collectors who appreciate classic ASEA designs.

Prototype specifications (SJ Rc4):

• Manufacturer: ASEA (Sweden)
• Production years of the Rc4 series: 1975–1982 (130 units)
• Entire Rc family: approx. 360 locomotives
• Wheel arrangement: Bo'Bo' (4 driven axles)
• Length: approx. 15.4 m
• Weight: approx. 78 t
• Power output: 3,600 kW (approx. 4,800 hp)
• Tractive effort: approx. 290 kN
• Power system: 15 kV, 16.7 Hz alternating current (overhead line)
• Control: thyristor-based
• Maximum speed: 135 km/h
• Intended use: passenger and freight trains

About the manufacturer – Roco:

Roco is an Austrian manufacturer of model railways, founded in 1960 in Salzburg, and one of the leading European producers of H0- and N-scale models. The brand became renowned for its prototype-faithful, richly detailed models of German, Austrian, Scandinavian and also Polish (PKP) rolling stock. Today Roco is part of a group that also includes the Fleischmann brand, and it consistently develops modern digital technology – with factory-fitted DCC and sound decoders in selected models. Roco products are valued by modellers and collectors worldwide for their precision and quality of reproduction.