The 6.4MW locomotives have a maximum speed of 160km/h, and will be used to haul trains on the Rhine-Alpine freight corridor connecting the Netherlands and Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. As a result, they will be equipped with ETCS as well as the national signalling systems.

Delivery of the locomotives will start at the end of 2020 and continue through to 2025. The order will add to 15 Vectron locomotives which BLS Cargo ordered from Siemens in 2015.

“With the new locomotives, we will be accessing the Belgian market and can coordinate our operations even better and closer with our Belgian subsidiary Crossrail,” says Mr Dirk Stahl, CEO of BLS Cargo.