At the end of the 19th century the
Compagnie du chemin de fer de Paris à Orléans (PO) was seeking to extend its railway into a more central location in
Paris: an extension from the
Gare de Austerlitz to the new
Gare du Quai d'Orsay was constructed, including covered sections; the new section was similar to the recently constructed
Baltimore Belt Line (USA), constructed by the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) and operated by electric locomotives built by
General Electric, which had worked well, and achieved speeds of 80 km/h. Locomotive E.1 was exhibited at the
1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris. The first eight units were a single cab
steeplecab design. Further units were acquired as the system's electrification spread beyond the initial Orsay-Austerlitz line; five units were acquired, with a twin cab design, with a baggage compartment (
locomotives-fourgon). In service the locomotives were used throughout the PO system where electrified; the initial specifications of the design, matching those used for the tunnel shuttle service on the
Baltimore Belt Line were too low geared for the general network, and in 1904 seven locomotives were upgeared and the top speed raised to 100 km/h. In the late 1920s/1930s 1500 V DC began to be used on the PO rail system; the locomotives were converted for 1500 V operation at workshops at
Vitry-sur-Seine using a
Metadyne for traction control. A new pantograph as well as sand boxes were added. After conversion the class were renumbered E.281 to E.293. During the second half of the units operational life they were used for shunting at depots to the southwest of Paris. In 1949 the units were renumbered BB 1280 to BB 1293 as part of the SNCF. The class were withdrawn between 1965-7. One unit, numbered E.1 is preserved at the
Musée français du chemin de fer in Mulhouse. ==Models==