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Switzerland : 7 new shunting locomotives for the RhB
Publish Date : 11-Sep-2018
The Rhaetian Railway (RhB) is renewing its shunting fleet in the coming years. On September 3, 2018, she signed the purchase contract for seven new shunting locomotives with Stadler Bussnang AG. The order volume amounts to 21.5 million Swiss francs. The new vehicles are scheduled to go into operation in 2020. In return, eleven old shunting vehicles can be taken out of service.
Procurement was realized in close cooperation with the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGBahn), which also ordered two new shunting vehicles of this type. This allowed synergies to be exploited and procurement costs reduced by around 1 million Swiss francs.
The two railways are innovative in terms of procurement: The new shunting locomotives are electric hybrid battery-powered vehicles. They are primarily electrified. When used in construction work with the overhead line disconnected, line breaks or non-electrified tracks, the auxiliary drive is used. Lithium-ion batteries are now so well developed that they are also an appropriate alternative to existing diesel locomotives or diesel and electric locomotives for rail shunting vehicles as an auxiliary drive. The battery auxiliary drive is more environmentally friendly and more cost efficient. So far, there are only a few twin-engine locomotives that have a comparable battery auxiliary drive. The two railways and Stadler Rail are playing a pioneering role with this procurement. At the same time, the new vehicles will also significantly reduce noise and exhaust emissions. The order for shunting locomotives was awarded to Stadler Bussnang AG. The new vehicles will be operational from spring 2020. The order volume amounts to 21.5 million Swiss francs.
The eleven shunting locomotives that are being retired have reached their intended service life. The most frequently used vehicles were increasingly prone to failure and maintenance. For them, an extensive refit would have been necessary. However, despite this measure, the operating and maintenance costs could not have been significantly reduced.
