In their external appearance, the Ge 4/4 II locomotives, supplied by Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works (SLM) and Brown, Boveri & Cie (BBC), are reminiscent of the Re 4/4II of the Swiss Federal Railways.
The permissible towing capacity of the class is on a 4.5% gradient, and on a 3.5% gradient; with double heading it is a maximum of .