FRANCE (Metro Rail News): Alstom, a renowned global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, has joined hands with RAILPOOL, one of Europe’s leading rail vehicle leasing companies, to sign a significant contract for 50 Traxx Universal multi-purpose locomotives. This substantial deal is valued at up to 260 million euros.
The Traxx Universal locomotives are designed to operate for both freight and passenger corridor services. Noted for their exceptional reliability and flexibility, coupled with optimized power consumption, these locomotives are known to deliver efficient cross-border operations. Additionally, they boast extended maintenance intervals, easing operational planning and reducing costs, ultimately enhancing their overall availability.
The deployment of these locomotives will span eight European countries, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Poland.
Kevin Cogo, the Vice-President of Rolling Stock, Locomotives & Components for Alstom DACH, expressed delight at RAILPOOL’s decision to partner with Alstom in expanding their operations across several parts of Europe. This contract is a testament to the long-standing and successful partnership between the two companies. The use of the proven Traxx locomotives, along with Alstom’s state-of-the-art Atlas signalling solution, reflects Alstom’s commitment to promoting more efficient and sustainable freight and passenger transport systems.
Torsten Lehnert, the CEO of RAILPOOL, also shared his excitement regarding this purchase. He emphasized that it solidifies their commitment to developing their unique full-service offering in the French market, following the recent opening of an office in France under the leadership of Frédérique Erlichman. These 50 locomotives ordered from Alstom will not only enhance operations in France but also significantly contribute to the advancement of sustainable, high-performance rail transportation throughout Europe.
All locomotives will be equipped with Alstom’s leading signalling system Atlas, which is the onboard solution for the European Train Control System (ETCS). This advanced system enables seamless operation on extended corridors, providing the broadest coverage of countries and lines, both for ETCS and legacy system operation.
Engineering of the locomotives will be carried out at Alstom’s site in Mannheim, Germany, while the final assembly is planned to take place in Kassel, Germany. Other locations involved in the project include Wroclaw, Poland for carbody shell production, Zurich, Switzerland for project management, and Siegen, Germany for bogies production.
