EUROPE: The first of 10 Siemens Mobility Vectron MS locomotives which Hamburger Hafen & Logistik subsidiary Metrans ordered in April was handed over at the operator’s Praha container terminal on November 11. It entered service the following day, hauling a container train from Česká Třebová to Krems an der Donau.
The remaining nine are scheduled to be delivered by spring 2020, and will be deployed on international freight services in central and eastern Europe. The contract includes options for 20 more locos.
The 6·4 MW Vectrons have a maximum speed of 160 km/h. They are equipped with ETCS and national train control systems for use in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. There is the possibility of upgrading them for operation in Bulgaria, Croatia, the Netherlands, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia.
‘The expansion of our locomotive fleet to nearly 100 vehicles highlights our commitment to grow with the transport flows of the future’, said Metrans Chief Operating Officer Martin Horinek. ‘The flexibility of the Vectron locomotives makes it possible for us to deliver on our promises to customers even faster and more reliably.’
Roman Kokšal, CEO of Siemens Mobility in the Czech Republic, said ‘our work does not end with the production and handover of the locomotive’, explaining that the supplier would be providing spare parts with guaranteed delivery within 24 h.
Metrans has also taken delivery of the last of six Bombardier Transportation Traxx F140 AC3 electric locos which it is leasing from Akiem for use on intermodal services in Germany. It now has 40 of its own Traxx MS2e locos delivered in 2014–18, plus 11 leased Traxx locos and seven leased Siemens Class 189s.
