introduction
The current diesel loco building operation in Valencia at Albuixech is the culmination of the earlier heavy engineering firm (Material y Construcciónes, SA (MACOSA) in gaining a licence from the Electromotive Division (EMD) of General Motors for Spanish manufacture of locomotives utilizing the diesel engines, electrical components and control systems supplied from La Grange, Illinois in the USA. Local erection was commenced in 1962 by Macosa.
Initially Macosa used body and frame designs adapted from the standard export range of EMD. Later Macosa, and its more recent entity Meinfesa, gained considerable expertise in the specialist manufacture of monocloque body designs and low stress bogie design more suitable for European conditions, overcoming the tendency of the American “lugging and slugging” designs to be overly heavy and generally with poor riding characteristics at speed. Examples of this is the almost complete metamorphosis of the RENFE series-319, having had three different body styles and two different bogies.
Under the stewardship of Alsthom-GEC/Alstom, the locomotive range incorporated the move from using the EMD 645-series diesel engines to installing the current larger capacity 710-series engine range, although the earlier range is still sold utilizing re-conditioned, re-manufactured units. Interesting to note similarity of the Albuixech-designed body to that of Alstom’s contemporary Prima series of export diesel locomotives out of Belfort fitted with non-EMD engines.
With the sale of the Spanish concern to Vossloh, there has arisen some conflicts in locomotive types, with the German division intending to concentrate on locomotives fitted with hydraulic transmissions and those eminating out of Spain with electrical transmission. The desire to introduce the larger capacity locomotives in the 4000 hp power range has seen the EURO4000 introduced by the Spanish factory using the V-16 configuration of the 710 engine and new body and bogie design conforming with latest European standards. The plans for an equivalent diesel hydraulic have not been by realized by Vossloh’s German operation, although a serious competitor has emerged in the form of the Voith Maxima.

The name ‘Euro’ for the current platform was deliberately chosen, as Vossloh is aiming on the complete European market for mainline diesel locomotives with 2,3 to 4 MW duration power with this new product. It combines a lightweight Spanish construction with robust American engineering.

Euro 4000 at Innotrans 2008
At the 2008 Innotrans fair, a EURO4000 wearing the corporate colours of Angel Trains Cargo was present. The machine with production number 2505 has normal gauge bogies and will finally be part of a ATC batch approved for commercial services in France, Belgium and Germany.

Demonstrator in Sweden
On 07.01.2008, a white painted EURO4000 arrived per boat in the Swedish harbour of Halmstad, which was then transported to the Tagab works in Kristinehamn for ‘winterization’. Under the licence of this Swedish rail operator, the T68 901 numbered machine then was evaluated in the sometimes harsh Scandinavian weather conditions. The machine was not fully painted by its arrival; aluminium side plates at both front ends were still uncoated.
This machine had to be delivered to Alco leasing, but as it sold its European leasing activities to BTMU cc in the mean time, this unit came back to Vossloh. Finally it was sold to Railcare from Sweden.

Demonstrator in Germany
On 28.01.2008, a second white painted EURO4000 passed the French-German border on its way to Minden. Since then this demonstrator is extensively tested by FTZ Minden, which performed electromagnetic current disturbance measurements and adhesion trials at the Geislinger Steige for example. Also traction effort, braking and starting performances were analyzed. This engine is also sold to Railcare in Sweden in 2009.

In May 2005 it was announced that Allco decided to focus on the Australian and US market for locomotive leasing only, and therfore the European fleet had to be sold. The European activities finally were acquired by a combination of to the Bank of Tokyo and Mitsubischi from Japan, in short BTMU. BTMU itself had its residence in Boston, USA. On 14.01.2009 BTMU announced that it had established Beacon Rail Leasing Limited (Beacon Rail), a wholly-owned subsidiary, to be its business entity for freight rolling stock leasing in the European market.

Remarkable is the destiny of the Swedish and German demonstrator locomotive that Allco originally ordered. When BTMU took over the Allco European fleet, these two machines were not included and they came back to Vossloh. In 2009 they were sold to Railcare from Sweden.

first order; CargoNet 312 series
Together with the establishment of Beacon Rail, the purchase of six new Euro 4000s was published, all to be operated by CargoNet AS from Norway. First two units arrived in Norway on 17.03.2010.

second order; locomotive 4001-4004 for Europorte
In 2010, Beacon Rail got another four Euro 4000s, originally built for Alpha Trains. These F/B/D configurated units were then rented to Europorte from France.

third order; six units for VFLI
Voies Ferrées Locales et Industrielles (VFLI) ordered six locomotives. The order was published in December 2011. The delivery will start in January 2013. - Morgenpost.de

These plans were changed during delivery as 24 units were built for the Iberian market, and only six got the configuration for France, Belgium and Germany.

Later on, Alpha Trains appearantly decided to focus on the Iberian market only with the Euro 4000s. The six units for F/B/D were never delivered. In stead, four machines were sold by Vossloh to Beacon Rail. The status of the remaining two units is still unknown.

First unit representing this sub serie was released from Albuixech in August 2008 and presented at the Innotrans 2008 fair in Berlin. It’s turquoise/silver livery was the standard for Angel Trains' international vehicles by then. The machines for Spain/Portugal are like the Comsa units designated as 335 series (according to the Spanish numbering system) and the first units are numbered from 003 onwards. ATC 335 003 was present at Innotrans 2006, but is now in service of Comsa, painted in blue and silver. Comsa has taken an option on buying this machine from ATC.

First machine being used was Vossloh 2505, the machine re-appeared in France in June 2009. It got an French NVR-number; 92 87 0004 001-9. On 05.08.2009 the machine was spotted near Bebra, Germany, arriving in Munich on 06.08.2009. The days after that the machine was spotted in a test train with two ECR class66 diesel-electrics and two 152 series electrics of DB Schenker, one of them being the 152 005 with Claas livery. On 13.08.2009 the '4001' arrived in Belgium for test runs on lign '94' from Ath to Silly.

These test runs were performed at the end of August.

In August 2009 a second machine arrived in France, to perform trials over there. On 01.02.2010 the French rail safety authority (Etablissement Public de Sécurité Ferroviaire or EPSF) officially authorised the EURO4000 to run in France.

Both test units in Alpha colours ended up in Kiel in 2010, which were then repainted into silver and blue and sold to Beacon Rail. Europorte from France will use them now in central Europe.

In August 2010, a EUROlight locomotive (unit 284.002) was seen outside of Spain for the first time. It was parked in Hendaye from 08.08.2010 to 20.08.2010 and then continued a journey towards Germany. In September 2010 it was at display during the international Innotrans 2010 railway fair in Berlin. - PC/Mafex.es

In Januari 2011, homologation tests with the EUROlight were started in Germany. For this purpose, unit 284.001 was sent upnorth.