Introduction

The Norwegian El16 is based on the Swedish Rc4. For many years they ran the Express-trains from Oslo to Bergen and Trondheim. The first 10 (of the 17 built) came in the brown NSB colours (nowadays called "gammel design"). NSB Gods, later CargoNet, gave them a grey/black colour scheme. Nowadays they are part of CargoNet and have a silver colour scheme.

NSB El16.2210
El16.2210 in Finse with train from Bergen to Oslo.
Roco El16 lineup
The three colour schemes that were available from Roco.

Models

Number: El16.2201
Manufacturer: Roco
Catalogus no: 43668 (modified)
Era: IV (11/1977-12/1984)
El16.2201 in 1982
Description: This model started out as Roco 43668 but it had the wrong number (2211), so I renumbered it to El16.2201.
Number: El16.2203
Manufacturer: Roco
Catalogus no: 72506
Era: IV (12/1977-09/1984)
El16.2203 in 1978
Description: The second serie of Roco of the brown gammel design is a model of the El16.2203. Compared to the original Roco series it has some internal upgrade, including a new PCB with DCC socket.
Number: El16.2205
Manufacturer: Roco
Catalogus no: 43668 (modified)
Era: IV (02/1978-06/1984)
El16.2205 in old colors
Description: This model started out as Roco 43668 (2209) but I renumbered it to El16.2205.
Number: El16.2206
Manufacturer: Roco
Catalogus no: 63876
Era: V (1994-2002)
El16.2206 in 1995 in Dombås.
Description: Roco has issued a new series of El16 locomotives. The roof and sidewalls have been changed to reflect the additional cooling vents that were installed in mid 1990's.
Number: El16.2208
Manufacturer: Roco
Catalogus no: 43668.2
Era: IV (09/1980-11/1987)
El16.2208 in 1982
Description: The El16 is the classic 'gammel design' from the late 1970's. The Roco 2208 was a smaller series than the 2209 and 2211.
Number: El16.2209
Manufacturer: Roco
Catalogus no: 43668.4
Era: IV (09/1980-1987)
El16.2209 in 1985
Description: The El16 is the classic 'gammel design' from the late 1970's. The 2209 also made a demo tour to Austria. Roco sold this version as ÖBB El16.
Number: El16.2209
Manufacturer: Roco
Catalogus no: 63877
Era: V (2008-)
El16.2209 in 2008
Description: The latest CargoNet color scheme is a combination of silver and yellow. (This model is no longer in my collection)
Number: El16.2210
Manufacturer: Roco
Catalogus no: 73382
Era: IV (10/1980-10/1985)
El16.2210 in 1980
Description: The El16 is the classic 'gammel design'. This is the new Roco version which has is technically very different from the older version.
Number: El16.2211
Manufacturer: Roco
Catalogus no: 43668
Era: Never
Description: Another version in the brown colours. This version is an error though. Only the 2201-2210 were delivered in brown so the 2211 has never been brown.
Number: El16.2211
Manufacturer: Roco
Catalogus no: 63875
Era: V (09/1996-07/2016)
Description: NSB Gods (the freight division of the Norwegian Railways) became CargoNet. This version shows the El16 is the CargoNet colours of grey and brown. This colour scheme has been replaced already by a new scheme with lighter grey, Roco has announced a version already.
Number: El16.2212
Manufacturer: Roco
Catalogus no: 43559
Era: IV (03/1984-05/1997)
Description: The classic 'new design' version. This model doesn't have the extra details installed.
Number: El16.2213
Manufacturer: Roco
Catalogus no: 43559 (modified)
Era: IV (05/1984-06/1996)
El16.2213 in 1997
Description: This model started as the 2212 but I renumbered it to 2213 and installed single arm pantographs. The NSB installed these different pantographs on some models.
Number: El16.2214
Manufacturer: Roco
Catalogus no: 43559
Era: IV (06/1984-1998)
El16.2214 in 1993
Description:
Number: El16.2215
Manufacturer: Roco
Catalogus no: 43559
Era: IV (08/1984-1994)
Description:
Number: El16.2217
Manufacturer: Roco
Catalogus no: 43559
Era: IV (11/1984-1994)
El16.2217 in 1995 (after cooling changes)
Description:

DCC

The Roco El16 has seen four different printed circuit board designs. The first series (catno 43559, ny design) had a printed circuit board without any DCC plug. The picture to the right shows the first two designs of the printer circuit board.
The second serie, 43668 (gammel design) had a 8 pin DCC connector (see top board of the picture to the right). The third serie had a variation of this board. The last serie, the new gammel design El16 has a complete new design with PLUX decoder. (See picture to the right).

Because the earlier Roco models didn't have any DCC sockets. Over the years I've installed DCC decoders in all the El16 models and have used different techniques. In the beginningI cut part of the printed circuit board and that gave space to a DCC decoder, see Install DCC decoder in Roco El16 (old). Nowadays different options are available, including a replacement board that has as PLUX22 interface, see Install DCC decoder in Roco El16 (new)

Last update: 2020-12-07