During the past week, former ES 64 U2-031 has completed its metamorphosis in Västerås (SE). Now it reappears, fresh and shiny as 242.001 'LaMotta' in the livery of its new employer, Hector Rail. According to unofficial sources, the 242.001 will complete various test runs in Sweden in week 35-39, then return to Linz (AT) in week 40, where it will get a technical overhaul in week 41 to 49. So revenue service with 242.001 in Sweden is not expected to start before the end of 2010. - postvagnen.com / AS
Today, the sounding D express has set of for a 19-day journey across Germany. This special train will collect typical sounds from different German cities and combine those into characteristic soundscapes. Along the way, the sounding D train will be in the center of many musical activities and concerts. Alpha Trains' 185 517 has become sounding D locomotive for this occasion, including a special livery and three special coaches.
Today, the orange E 189 801 has arrived at Lippstadt, home of the Westfälische Landes-Eisenbahn (WLE). Now driver-training can start. The 189 801 came from Nürnberg, where it was parked. - CK/MT
Today, two new Traxx MS units for Railpool completed their maiden run: 186 272 and 273. Most likely, they will go to Poland, so that operator LOTOS can extend its fleet. - CK
A newsflash from the south of France, where diesel-Prima 475402 is subjected to dynamic tests to get the new, more powerful subserie it is representing, homologated for France. In the first weeks of August, the ran from Marseille to Nice vv. Right now the trials have moved to the Toulouse and Narbonne connection. For some background information on the 475400 series, check our item on this topic from last January - AG
Today, Innotrans has published a draft list of all vehicles that will be on display at the 3,5 km of tracks available in Berlin.
For the close followers of this website, it doesn't offer many surprises, but still interesting, especially for the fans of diesel-hydraulic and diesel-electric locomotives. The hightlights for us:
Bombardier: The Traxx-platform will be there of course, at least the diesel-version will be present. Impressive will be the world première of the first ALP-45 Dual Power locomotive; This massive hybrid unit, stuffed with interesting technology, will run in the USA soon.
Siemens: the well-announced Vectron armada will set sail for Berlin; four prototypes will be on display. The known 193 901 MS high power and 193 921 AC high power versions will get company from two other units, of which one most likely will be a DC-version.
Alstom: anounces a hybrid unit, most likely to be the welknown 203-concept based on old V100 units of the German railways. Next to that the PrimaII will be present. Let's see which unit will represent this nicely designed platform.
Skoda: of course will bring the 109E again.
Voith: a new version of the Gravita will make its debute: the 15BB. All units in service at this moment represent the less powerful 10BB version. The Maxima is present on the stand of Wiebe.
Vossloh: comes in big, five diesel units will be present of which three are new. The
EUROlight, a 2800kW version of the Euro-platformen with less then 20t axle weight. The G12 will extend the 5th generation of Vossloh locomotives. It will be accompagnied by the G6, which was presented at Innotrans 2008. Then there will be the welknown Euro4000, in a surprising new trim we hope. Last but not least there is the DE18, which will really bring the knowledge of the Kiel and Valencia sites together we think.
GE: For the first time a Powerhaul-unit will pay the European continent a visit.
ZNLE: the new Dragon locomotive will be exhibited at the Newag S.A. stand, we think.
And then there are some new devopments, mostly coming from the East of Europe. GREDELJ, LOSTR, RTS, Remarul 16 Februarie and SNCF will also bring some locomotives.
Also, much to see, but also, when you compare it to the 2008-edition, some things are missing. The crisis for sure has put a hold on many developments (or at least has slowed them down). No Maxima-20BB, no new EU-version of the class66 by EMD, would the new Powerhaul be the announced European version or it it the UK-version for Freightliner? (We expect Freightliner unit 70007 at the fair) And the Bitrac from CAF, sure would like to see that one close-by. We will have to wait and see! As stated, the list is only a draft, version, sure there is still space for a nice surprise right?
This link goes to the website of Hector Rail, operator from Sweden. They have acquired one ES64U2 from MRCE Dispolok, with an option for four more. On 16.08.2010 already, homologation runs will have to start. MRCE plans on selling the ES 64 U2-031 to Hector Rail, which is indeed 10 years old, as said in the press statement. In fact, it's the oldest locomotive in the MRCE Dispolok fleet. It was the first ES64U2 delivered to Siemens Dispolok in the yellow and silver Dispolok livery, back in August 2000.
Unit 031 will travel to Sweden by boat, via Rostock. When looking at the Hector Rail numbering scheme, 242.001 would be the most logical new designation for this engine. - KAR/GA/Hector Rail
Also DB Schenker is going green with its Eco Plus program, and found a first customer for its CO2 neutral services. Locomotive 185 389 got a special livery celebrating Eco plus. It was presented yesterday. - IW
The new locomotive orders from China keep on amazing us. Delivery pace is unmatched, the numbers are impressive.
Railway Gazette International reports on a supplemental order for 590 HXD1 units.
Here we're talking about single body derivates of the HXD design originally developed by Siemens Mobility, with 'only' 7200 kW duration power. The Chinese railways now have the (for European standards) amazing number of 1710 HXD1 units in service or on order. An overview:
The first dynamic test runs on public tracks with a Siemens Vectron locomotive have started. With a test train of FTZ Minden, AC-unit 193 921 is making its first meters on the German network.
Unit 193 921 is configurated for services on AC-networks only, and has to compete with the Traxx AC2 (185.2 series) built by Bombardier. The UIC raster of the 921 gives us an example of what Siemens thinks is an important service domain fur such a locomotive: the Germany-Austraia-Hungary-Romania-Slovakia corridor.
We also get a lot of questions whether or not the Belgian 18 series locomotives are related to the Vectron. Of course, both units are built by Siemens and because the Vectron is fitted with a similar looking cab-module, it's logical to think they have many things in common. Nevertheless, Siemens emphasizes that the Belgian units are derived from the EuroSprinter ES64U4 concept, and that the Vectron platform is completely revised. The keyword of the Vectron is flexibility, which has replaced the old adagium of the EuroSprinter: multifunctionality.
Only weeks ago, Siemens published the news they got awarded with an order for four new ES64U4 electrics by the Austrian freight operator Wiener Lokalbahnen Cargo (WLC). Yesterday the first new unit was seen out in the open; Locomotive no. 1216 951 currently marked as sub type C. Some extra numerical information: NVR no. 9180 6183 704-6 D-WLC, EBA no. EBA 03J14B 053 - HP
Okay, no locomotive news today, but as I am very glad that one of my favorite sites of the past is back in business, I have to mention this! Hochgeschwindigkeitszuege.com is THE website about high speed rail and rolling stock. It gives a clear and clean overview of every high speed train world wide, in a structured way. I wish Mr. Werske, webmaster of the site, good luck with his come-back!
SIEMENS
