TX Logistik, the German subsidiary of Italian freight operator Mercitalia, together with parent company Italian State Railways (FS), have signed a contract with Siemens Mobility for the supply of 40 Vectron multi-system (MS) locomotives.

The order, with a value of around €300m, was signed at the Transport Logistic trade fair in Munich. It includes full service maintenance for 15 years with an option to extend this term in the future, plus the option of ordering up to 25 additional locomotives, including both MS and ac variants.

The locomotives will be built at Siemens Mobility’s plant in Munich-Allach and their intended role is to haul freight along the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. The locomotives will have a top speed of 160km/h and will be equipped with ETCS.

TX Logistik says that to help it achieve its aim of continuing to expand its operations, and those of FS’s Mercitalia Logistics Group, in international rail freight, the Vectrons will be fitted with various equipment packages to suit different combinations of cross-border operations. So while 20 of the locomotives will be equipped for the Germany-Austria-Italy (D-A-I) corridor, the other 20 will receive the cross-border equipment package for the Germany-Austria-Switzerland-Netherlands (D-A-CH-I-NL) corridor.

Of the 40 Vectrons, 20 will be equipped for operation in Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands and 20 for the Italy-Austria-Germany corridor. Photo credit: Siemens Mobility

The first locomotives are due to be delivered to TX Logistik from September 2024, and delivery of the final Vectrons is scheduled for December 2025.

“With the Vectron, we are delivering a state-of-the-art, digitally networked locomotive that makes it possible to operate through five different countries stretching from the River Rhine to the Alps,” says Siemens Mobility CEO, Mr Michael Peter. “Railigent X applications, part of the open, digital Siemens Xcelerator business platform, will enable condition-based, predictive maintenance of the Vectron fleet to secure its optimal reliability and availability.”

FS says the order forms part of its business plan aimed at providing €2.9bn in investment over the next 10 years to promote the operational and economic development of sustainable logistics assets related to rail freight transport in both Italy and more widely across Europe.

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