EURODUAL
is a series development platform for hybrid electric locomotives launched by
Stade to build its "most powerful" locomotive family. Since the
announcement of the development plan in 2017, Stade has developed a series of
high-power multi-system hybrid electric locomotives including EURODUAL,
EURO6000, EURO9000 and 99-class dual-mode locomotives specially designed for
Britain based on EURODUAL platform. Most of the EMUs on this platform are Co-Co
axle type, which adopt diesel and electric hybrid dual power. The top speed is
in the range of 120 km to 160 km, and the starting traction is as high as
500kN, among which the rated power of EURO6000 can reach 6.2 MW. These
locomotives generally adopt multiple power supply systems such as 25 kV AC and
1.5 kV DC, which can meet the customized requirements of different customers
and meet the actual operation requirements of corresponding lines. EURODUAL
series locomotives adopt compact design, lightweight single body structure, and
apply the most advanced adhesion control system and bogie technology to
effectively reduce wheel-rail wear. Among them, EURO9000 is equipped with the
latest generation of vehicle control system, advanced remote diagnosis system,
modern maintenance system with optimal service interval, and central buffer
automatic coupler specially designed for digitalization. Class 99 locomotive
adopts the latest generation of innovative three-stage converter topology,
which ensures high reliability and optimal energy consumption. The new
locomotive has friendly environment characteristics, and the internal and
external noise generated by operation is very low, and it has the advantages of
high transportation capacity and low energy consumption.
In May
2017, Stade first outlined the development plan of its EURODUAL series of
electric diesel locomotives at the Transport Logistics Fair held in Munich, and
launched the EURODUAL six-axle dual-mode locomotive. This locomotive can be used
for both passenger and freight transportation. It has both electric drive and
diesel-electric drive. It can be used on electrified and non-electrified
railway lines, especially without electrification, so as to meet the operation
requirements on secondary freight routes, which is the development purpose of
EURODUAL. The EURODUAL locomotive platform can provide operators with greater
flexibility. For the restrictions faced by different markets, operators can
order EURODUAL locomotives with different configurations. Previously, German
freight operator HVLE, as the first customer of EURODUAL, ordered 10 EURODUAL
six-axle locomotives from Stade in March 2017; In July 2018, VFLI also ordered
13 EuroDual dual-mode locomotives from Stade; In August 2018, European Loc Pool
AG (ELP) acquired the first batch of 10 EURODUAL locomotives, of which 8 will
operate in Germany and 2 will operate in Norway and Sweden. At the end of 2018,
ITL Eisenbahngesellshaft Railway Freight Company of Germany also ordered four
EURODUAL locomotives, which were deployed in Germany for heavy-duty freight
transportation with a maximum running speed of 120 km/h.
In July
2020, Captrain Spain ordered 11 EURO6000 six-axle multi-system electric
locomotives from Stade, among which five locomotives will have a running track
gauge of 1435mm, which can be certified to run in Spain, France and Luxembourg.
As these locomotives are intended to be used in the North Sea-Mediterranean
Mediterranean and Atlantic All-European Transport Network (TENT-T) corridor.
The locomotive can pull heavy freight trains with a total weight of more than
1800t, and the other six locomotives will be put into operation in Spain's
1668mm gauge network, which will be used to pull heavy freight trains on
electrified routes, especially the Pajares baseline tunnel, which is powered by
25kV 50Hz power supply. As one of the EURODUAL series, EURO 6000 locomotive
adopts three-voltage design and can operate in AC (25 kV) or DC (3 kV and 1.5
kV) electrified system. In August, 2021, Stade Company was ordered by Renfe, a
Spanish state-owned operator, for 12 EURO6000 freight locomotives. The
multi-system locomotive is designed to run on Iberian gauge, capable of towing
1800-ton trains and providing better and high-capacity transportation services.
At present, Stade has sold nearly 100 Euro 6000 locomotives with different
configurations, and its running lines include Spain, France, Belgium, Germany,
Sweden, Norway and Turkey.
In 2019,
Stadler received the first order for EURO9000 locomotive from European Railway
Company (ELP). EURO9000 is a new hybrid multi-system freight locomotive
improved by Stade on the basis of EURO4000 locomotive, which is equipped in six
countries including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands and
Belgium, and is suitable for the whole of Europe.
In April
2022, GB Rail freight, British leasing company Beacon Rail and Stade signed an
agreement to order 30 99-class six-axle electric-internal combustion dual-power
locomotives, which are expected to be put into use in 2025. The 99-class
dual-mode locomotive is designed based on Schneider's previous EURODUAL
six-axle dual-mode locomotive, which is especially suitable for British loading
gauge and specifications. It aims to replace EMD 66 diesel locomotives from ports
such as Felixstowe to logistics hubs, and is expected to reduce emissions per
trip by about 50%. In April 2023, Stadler formally signed a service agreement
with British Railway Freight Company for 99-class dual-mode Co 'Co'
locomotives, which will become the first batch of electric-diesel locomotives
capable of pulling heavy goods on trunk lines in British railway network. Up to
now, ELP has purchased 30 EURO9000 locomotives and provided comprehensive
service lease agreements to European railway freight operators from different
countries.