The Yugoslavian class 642 locomotives were a version of SNCF class BB63000 built under licence from the French firm of Brissoneau et Lotz by Đuro Đaković in Slavonski Brod initially in the early 1960s.
643 015 at Ptuj, 24/08/10 (JW)
These 825hp, four-axle diesel-electrics were built with mixed traffic and shunting duties in mind, and were almost identical to the French machines except for having roller bearings instead of plain bearings. A total of 104 class 642s (642 001 to 642 036, 642 137 to 642 203 and 642 301) were eventually built.
From 1967, JŽ also procured 51 locomotives of class 643 (643 001 to 643 051). These were slightly more powerful, at 910hp. The first 22 were actually built in France and imported; the remaining batch of 45 were manufactured in Slavonski Brod.
Since 1991
With the break-up of Yugoslavia, members of these classes passed to all of the railway administrations with the exception of Kosovo. However, by a quirk of fate, two of the machines upon which these were based – SNCF BB63000 – can be found in the compound of derelict locomotives at Fushë Kosovë (see here).
While all of the other locos retained their JŽ classification, the Croatian machines were renumbered to class 2041 (642) and 2042 (643); not retaining the last three digits of their original numbers either. From 2009, ten 2041s have been re-engined with Caterpillar 3805-series power units, and have become class 2041.1.
European Traction 