Alstom, and European rail vehicle leasing company RAILPOOL, have signed a contract worth up to €260 million for 50 Traxx Universal multi-purpose locomotives.
The Traxx Universal locomotives are designed for both freight and passenger corridor services and are characterized by high reliability and flexibility, as well as optimized power consumption.
The locomotives will be delivered to RAILPOOL in two batches, with the first batch entering service in 2025 and the second batch in 2026. They will be used to operate services in France, alongside other key European corridors including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and Poland.
All locomotives will be equipped with the leading signalling system Atlas, Alstom’s onboard solution for the European Train Control System (ETCS). The system which is currently being installed on the East Coast Main Line as part of the East Coast Digital Programme.
It is hoped this will enable operation on extended corridors with the broadest coverage of countries and lines, both in ETCS as well as for legacy system operation.
Kevin Cogo, Vice-President, Rolling Stock, Locomotives & Components, Alstom DACH, said: “We are delighted that RAILPOOL has chosen Alstom to expand their operations in several parts of Europe. This contract marks the continuation of a long-standing and successful partnership. With our proven Traxx locomotives and our state-of-the-art Atlas signalling solution, we are proud to contribute to a more efficient and sustainable freight and passenger transport.”
CEO of RAILPOOL, Torsten Lehnert, added: “With this purchase we solidify our commitment to develop our one-of-a-kind full-service offering in the French market on top of the recent office opening in France under the leadership of Frédérique Erlichman.
“All 50 locomotives ordered from our partner Alstom will cover operations in France and along the most important European corridors, contributing to the further advancement of sustainable high-performance rail transportation out of France.”
It was further announced that the engineering of the locomotives will be done at the Alstom site in Mannheim, Germany, while final assembly is planned to take place in Kassel, Germany. However, further work on components will be carried out at sites across Europe, including are Wroclaw, Poland, Siegen, Germany and Zurich, Switzerland.
Photo Credit: Alstom
