Rolling stock manufacturer Siemens Mobility has revealed that its Vectron Dual Mode locomotive has been authorised to operate across the border between Germany and Austria.
Austria has now joined its neighbour Germany in authorising the locomotive’s operation, and Siemens has delivered the first two Vectron locomotives to Stern und Hafferl Verkehr, an Austrian transport company which operates regional passenger and freight rail, bus, and boat services.
As a dual-mode locomotive, the Vectron can draw on electric traction power to operate without emissions where there are overhead lines, and also to operate using diesel power on routes that are not electrified.
Siemens Vectron // Credit: Siemens MobilitySiemens Mobility is manufacturing the locomotives at its plant in Munich-Allach in Germany, and has developed them using components of its Vectron platform.
The locos are fitted with the European Train Control System (ETCS) using the modular Siemens On-board Unit Trainguard Basic, which includes ETCS Baseline 3.6.
The Vectron locomotive has a track gauge of 1,435 mm and a service weight of 90 tonnes. It is designed for use with 15-kilovolt alternating-current power systems. The loco delivers a maximum power output of 2,400 kW using catenary (overhead line) supply and 2,000 kW when using diesel mode. Its diesel tank holds 2,600 litres of fuel. Siemens has also developed a version of the locomotive that supports both 15 kV and 25 kV AC systems.
The Vectron can run at speeds of up to 60 km/h.
Siemens dual mode locomotives // Credit: SiemensSiemens already has contracts to supply the locomotives to European rolling stock leasing companies, including fifty locos to Northrail and two hundred to European Locomotive Leasing.
“We recognised the potential of the Vectron Dual Mode locomotives early on and made a deliberate decision to adopt them. The recently granted Austria-wide authorisation and the complete handover of all six locomotives mark an important milestone for us. They enable seamless, efficient operations right through to the last mile and make a significant contribution to environmentally conscious freight transport – with the goal of shifting even more traffic from road to rail and strengthening our region sustainably.”
GĂĽnter Neumann, Chief Executive Officer, Stern & Hafferl Verkehr