Alstom Traxx (sold as Bombardier TRAXX before 2021) is a modular product platform of mainline
diesel-electric and
electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or on-board energy storage such as a battery or a supercapacitor. Locomotives with on-board fuelled prime movers, such as diesel engines or g ...
s produced originally by
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation was a Canadian-German rolling stock and rail transport manufacturer, headquartered in Berlin, Germany.
It was one of the world's largest companies in the rail vehicle and equipment manufacturing and servicing industry ...
and later
Alstom
Alstom SA is a French multinational corporation, multinational rolling stock manufacturer operating worldwide in rail transport markets, active in the fields of passenger transportation, signalling, and locomotives, with products including the A ...
, which was built in both freight and passenger variants. The first version was a dual-voltage AC locomotive built for German railways from the year 2000. Later types included DC versions, as well as quadruple-voltage machines, able to operate on most European
electrification schemes: 1.5/3.0 kV DC and 15/25 kV AC. The family was expanded in 2006 to include diesel-powered versions. Elements common to all variants include steel bodyshells, two bogies with two powered axles each, three-phase asynchronous
induction motor
An induction motor or asynchronous motor is an AC electric motor in which the electric current in the rotor needed to produce torque is obtained by electromagnetic induction from the magnetic field of the stator winding. An induction motor ...
s, cooling exhausts on the roof edges, and wheel disc brakes.
The TRAXX brand name itself was introduced in 2003. The acronym stands for ''Transnational Railway Applications with eXtreme fleXibility''.
Locomotives were primarily made for the railways of Germany, with orders coming from other countries including
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
,
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
,
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...
,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...
,
Luxembourg
Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...
,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, ...
,
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
and the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
.
The TRAXX locomotives were developed at Bombardier plants in
Mannheim
Mannheim (; Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (german: Universitätsstadt Mannheim), is the second-largest city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg after the state capital of Stuttgart, and Germany's 2 ...
,
Zürich Oerlikon
, neighboring_municipalities = Adliswil, Dübendorf, Fällanden, Kilchberg, Maur, Oberengstringen, Opfikon, Regensdorf, Rümlang, Schlieren, Stallikon, Uitikon, Urdorf, Wallisellen, Zollikon
, twintowns = Kunming, San Francisco
Züric ...
in
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
and
Vado Ligure
Vado Ligure ( lij, Voæ), in antiquity Vada Sabatia, is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Savona, Liguria, in northern Italy.
Economy
Vado has a large industrial and commercial port.
Vado Ligure is home to a railway construction plant, ...
in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
. The final assembly of the vehicles takes place at Bombardier's locomotive production centres at
Kassel
Kassel (; in Germany, spelled Cassel until 1926) is a city on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Kassel and the district of the same name and had 201,048 inhabitants in December 2020 ...
in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and Vado Ligure (only the DC Variant).
Development
AEG 12X, ABB Eco2000 platform
In the early 1990s, West German federal railway
Deutsche Bundesbahn
The Deutsche Bundesbahn or DB (German Federal Railway) was formed as the state railway of the newly established Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) on 7 September 1949 as a successor of the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft (DRG). The DB remained ...
(DB) sought to replace its ageing electric locomotive fleet with a single type. In the previous decade, DB introduced its first universal locomotives with three-phase asynchronous induction motors and two bogies with two powered axles each, the
DB Class 120
The DB Baureihe 120 is a class of electric locomotives operated by DB Fernverkehr in Germany. From 5 July 2020, almost all locomotives (except for one from the 120.2 subseries) have been withdrawn.
Background and design
The locomotives' prototyp ...
, which had been successful. In 1991, DB requested bids
for about 1000 more universal locomotives with an improved design and increased power, the planned DB Class 121. The railway industry began developing new locomotives, but in October 1992, DB cancelled the tender
due to the high price of the offers and the changed situation.
In 1994, Deutsche Bundesbahn merged with the former East German
Deutsche Reichsbahn
The ''Deutsche Reichsbahn'', also known as the German National Railway, the German State Railway, German Reich Railway, and the German Imperial Railway, was the German national railway system created after the end of World War I from the regiona ...
, creating
Deutsche Bahn
The (; abbreviated as DB or DB AG) is the national railway company of Germany. Headquartered in the Bahntower in Berlin, it is a joint-stock company ( AG). The Federal Republic of Germany is its single shareholder.
describes itself as the se ...
, bringing over 600 modern
DR Class 243
The DR Class 243 is a universal electric locomotive of the Deutsche Reichsbahn which is used for general rail service. Deutsche Bahn lists the locomotive as Class 143. The locomotives of class 143/243 still belong to the most successful class o ...
locomotives into the joint locomotive fleet. In addition, the merger coincided with a railway reform, dividing the rolling stock of Deutsche Bahn between its regional passenger, long-distance passenger and freight business areas, making the universal locomotive plans obsolete.
From late 1993, the business areas of Deutsche Bahn and their predecessors called new bids for electric locomotives tailored for their specific needs.
The competitors for the DB Class 121 included two of the forerunners of Bombardier Transportation: German locomotive manufacturer
AEG Schienenfahrzeuge, a part of
AEG
Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft AG (AEG; ) was a German producer of electrical equipment founded in Berlin as the ''Deutsche Edison-Gesellschaft für angewandte Elektricität'' in 1883 by Emil Rathenau. During the Second World War, AEG ...
which was controlled by
Daimler-Benz
The Mercedes-Benz Group Aktiengesellschaft, AG (previously named Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler and Daimler) is a German Multinational corporation, multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It ...
at the time; and ABB Henschel, a German locomotive manufacturing branch of Swedish-Swiss company
ABB
ABB Ltd. is a Swedish- Swiss multinational corporation headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland. The company was formed in 1988 when Sweden's Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget (ASEA) and Switzerland's Brown, Boveri & Cie merged to crea ...
. Components of both the AEG and ABB concepts were built into the prototypes of the DB Class 120 for trials from late 1991.
AEG followed up its development effort by building an experimental universal locomotive, the ''12X''.
This locomotive can be considered the predecessor of the TRAXX family. The 12X was delivered in June 1994
and, although owned by AEG, was designated Class 128 by DB. The 12X featured several innovations compared to the Class 120,
including water-cooled
inverters
A power inverter, inverter or invertor is a power electronic device or circuitry that changes direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). The resulting AC frequency obtained depends on the particular device employed. Inverters do the opp ...
based on
GTO thyristors, a new final drive concept with pivot axle bearings on both sides,
and a new bogie concept with a short
wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. For road vehicles with more than two axles (e.g. some trucks), the wheelbase is the distance between the steering (front ...
of .
The locomotive also had a modular design, allowing the derivation of different versions for different operational needs,
and thus it formed AEG's basis to compete for the new orders of Deutsche Bahn's business areas.
Meanwhile, ABB developed its own design of a modular electric locomotive platform, the ''Eco2000'' concept.
ABB's concept included a version of its Flexifloat high-speed bogie family with a wheelbase of ; and
biodegradable
Biodegradation is the breakdown of organic matter by microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi. It is generally assumed to be a natural process, which differentiates it from composting. Composting is a human-driven process in which biodegradati ...
ester
In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an oxoacid (organic or inorganic) in which at least one hydroxyl group () is replaced by an alkoxy group (), as in the substitution reaction of a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. Glycerides ar ...
cooled inverters with GTO thyristors and an also ester cooled main transformer,
which can be considered the origin of the inverters and transformer of the first generation of TRAXX locomotives.
The 12X was later used as testbed for new technologies, becoming the first locomotive in the world with
IGBT
An insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is a three-terminal power semiconductor device primarily used as an electronic switch, which, as it was developed, came to combine high efficiency and fast switching. It consists of four alternating lay ...
based converters in 1997
and testing the MITRAC traction control electronics from 1998.
Both of these technologies would later find their commercial application in TRAXX locomotives.
DBAG Class 145 family, Adtranz Octeon platform
In November 1994, Deutsche Bahn chose ABB and AEG for two of its orders: ABB was to deliver 145 express locomotives for DB's long-distance business area
DB Fernverkehr
DB Fernverkehr AG ( German for "DB Long-Distance Traffic") is a semi-independent division of Deutsche Bahn that operates long-distance passenger trains in Germany. It was founded in 1999 in the second stage of the privatisation of Deutsche Bahn, ...
, the
DB Class 101
The DB Class 101 is a class of three-phase electric locomotives built by Adtranz and operated by DB Fernverkehr in Germany. 145 locomotives were built between 1996 and 1999 to replace the 30-year-old and aging DB Class 103, Class 103 as the fla ...
, while AEG was to supply DB's freight business area
DB Cargo
DB Cargo (previously known as Railion and DB Schenker Rail) is an international transport and logistics company. It is responsible for all of the rail freight transport activities of the German railway company Deutsche Bahn (the DB Group) both ...
with eighty locomotives for medium-weight freight trains, the
DBAG Class 145.
The original Class 145 design was a cheaper derivative of the 12X, omitting components for higher speeds, including hollow-shaft drives, which were replaced by simpler axle hung drives.
In January 1996, ABB and Daimler-Benz merged their railway business areas into a joint venture,
ADtranz. The final design of the locomotive was adapted for more commonalities with the DBAG Class 101.
The biodegradable
ester cooled inverters with GTO thyristors and the also ester cooled main transformer of the DBAG Class 145 was derived from those of the DBAG Class 101, but with less components for the lower maximum power, providing for individual bogie control rather than individual axle control.
The bogie design was also adapted and merged into the ABB-originated Flexifloat family, with wheelbase increased to .
Due to the shared features, the Class 145 was sometimes described as a member of the Eco2000 family.
Adtranz rolled out the first Class 145 in July 1997.
In addition, 17 identical locomotives were built for lease to private railways. A further six locomotives were built for the Swiss railway MittelThurgauBahn.
[145 concept based locomotives](_blank)
''railcolor.net''
In March 1998, Adtranz announced its intent to consolidate its product range into seven modular product platforms.
The electric locomotive platform with the brand name ''"Octeon"'' was to be based on Adtranz's newest types for Germany (the Class 145 and Class 101).
Adtranz originally intended to introduce ''Octeon'' types alongside existing products,
and applied the name to its new products outside Germany at the end of the nineties, like the
FS Class E464
The E.464 is a class of Italian railways electric locomotives. They were introduced in the course of the 1990s for hauling light trains, especially for commuter service. They were acquired by FS Trenitalia to replace the old FS Class E.424, E.424 ...
or the heavy-haul locomotive
Iore. The GTO thyristor based converters of these locomotives were from the water-cooled ''Camilla'' family,
which was developed by ABB as successor for the oil-cooled converters in the
SBB-CFF-FFS Re 460
The Re 460 (popularly known as the Lok 2000) series are modern four-axle electric locomotives of the Swiss Federal Railways. Upon their entry into service in the early 1990s, they replaced the , Ae 4/7, and series units, and displaced many of th ...
. The ''Octeon'' brand name did not catch on and was abandoned when Bombardier acquired Adtranz in 2001.
Between 2000 and 2002, a version of the DBAG Class 145 for passenger trains, with hollow shaft final drive and a higher top speed of 160 km/h, was produced for DB's regional business area
DB Regio
DB Regio AG is a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn which operates regional and commuter train services in Germany. DB Regio AG, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. It is a 100% subsidiary of the Deutsche Bahn Group and there part of the DB Regio bus ...
.
[TRAXX P160 AC - Germany](_blank)
''bombardier.com'' The top of the front of the carbodies was modified to provide space for a
flip-disc display
The flip-disc display (or flip-dot display) is an electromechanical dot matrix display technology used for large outdoor signs, normally those that will be exposed to direct sunlight. Flip-disc technology has been used for destination signs in ...
.
These locomotives were given the designation ''DBAG Class 146.0''.
Although the production of the DBAG Class 145 ended by the time Bombardier bought Adtranz in 2001, and even the production of the Class 146.0 locomotives ended by the time the TRAXX brand name was introduced in 2003, in Bombardier's own publications, the Class 145 was included in the TRAXX F140 AC, the Class 146.0 in the TRAXX P160 AC type.
The still in-production FS Class E464 got the designation TRAXX P160 DCP, while TRAXX H80 AC was applicable to the Iore class,
however, these then still in production types were excluded from the TRAXX family in publications after 2007.
DBAG Class 185 family, Bombardier TRAXX platform
In July 1998, Adtranz received a follow-on order for 400 more locomotives for medium-weight freight trains, the ''DBAG Class 185''.
The double voltage Class 185 was meant for international operation, and was also dubbed ''Europalok''.
The basic concept of the running gear, the axle hung motors, the ester cooled inverters and transformer was maintained from the Class 145.
In addition to the electronics for double voltage operation, modifications included the provision for the installation of the full variety of
train protection system
A train protection system is a railway technical installation to ensure safe operation in the event of human error.
Development
Train stops
The earliest systems were train stops, as still used by the New York City Subway, the Toronto subway, t ...
s in use in Europe, and the lowering of the roof by 105 mm to fit the vehicle in the international
UIC 505-1 loading gauge.
In 2001 Bombardier bought Adtranz, thus acquiring locomotive building technology. Under Bombardier, the Class 185 was developed into a family like that of the Class 145, with private railway and passenger (''DBAG Class 146.1'') versions. In May 2003, Bombardier also received an order for a quadruple system version from the
Swiss Federal Railways
Swiss Federal Railways (german: link=no, Schweizerische Bundesbahnen, ''SBB''; french: link=no, Chemins de fer fédéraux suisses, ''CFF''; it, Ferrovie federali svizzere, ''FFS'') is the national railway company of Switzerland. It is usuall ...
(SBB).
In September 2003, Bombardier gave the Class 185 family a brand name, ''TRAXX'', intended to allude to the terms 'traction', 'track' and 'attraction'. The acronym stands for ''Transnational Railway Applications with eXtreme fleXibility''.
The first letter of TRAXX type designations provides for differentiation according to the area of application, with ''F'' for freight and ''P'' for passenger.
The original system also tentatively included ''H'' for heavy-haul and ''S'' for
high-speed,
but no actual vehicles were delivered under this designation. The number following the first letter indicates the top speed of the locomotive in kilometers per hour.
The next two letters indicate the supply system, with ''AC'' for
alternating current
Alternating current (AC) is an electric current which periodically reverses direction and changes its magnitude continuously with time in contrast to direct current (DC) which flows only in one direction. Alternating current is the form in whic ...
electric locomotives, ''DC'' for
direct current
Direct current (DC) is one-directional flow of electric charge. An electrochemical cell is a prime example of DC power. Direct current may flow through a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through semiconductors, insulators, or even ...
electric locomotives, ''MS'' for multi-system locomotives capable of operating both under AC and DC overhead wires, and ''DE'' was foreseen from the start for an eventual
Diesel-electric version.
An extra ''P'' letter at the end was to designate powerheads (traction heads), that is locomotives with one driving cabin for push-pull operation.
An also optional number at the end designates different versions,
later used for the designation of generations.
In the new system, the factory designation of the DBAG Class 185 and its sisters with other railways became ''TRAXX F140 AC'', that of the DBAG Class 146.1 ''TRAXX P160 AC'', and that of the planned quadruple voltage SBB locomotive ''TRAXX F140 MS''.
When Bombardier introduced the first TRAXX 2 types, the original family was also designated ''TRAXX 1'',
and the number ''1'' was added at the end of the type designation of first-generation locomotives still in delivery.
TRAXX 2 and TRAXX 2E platforms
In 2004, the basic TRAXX design was subjected to a major overhaul, with the carbody and the front redesigned to suit current
crashworthiness
Crashworthiness is the ability of a structure to protect its occupants during an impact. This is commonly tested when investigating the safety of aircraft and vehicles. Depending on the nature of the impact and the vehicle involved, different crit ...
standards, and the replacement of GTO thyristor based inverters with
IGBT
An insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is a three-terminal power semiconductor device primarily used as an electronic switch, which, as it was developed, came to combine high efficiency and fast switching. It consists of four alternating lay ...
based inverters.
The option of individual axle control in place of individual bogie control was also introduced.
The coolant of the inverters and the main transformer was also changed from ester to water.
The carbody design was completely standardised, by default providing a space for the mounting of a
flip-disc display
The flip-disc display (or flip-dot display) is an electromechanical dot matrix display technology used for large outdoor signs, normally those that will be exposed to direct sunlight. Flip-disc technology has been used for destination signs in ...
above the windshield, which is covered by a non-structural hood in freight versions.
The bogie frame was strengthened, to allow an increase of
axle load
An axle or axletree is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to the vehicle, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearing ...
s to 22 tons.
This generation of the family is also referred to as the ''TRAXX 2'' platform,
and is sometimes also indicated with a number ''2'' at the end of the type designations.
The TRAXX carbody design and internal configuration was modified again in 2006 when the first actual Diesel-electric version was built, to provide the same layout for Diesel and electric versions.
[ In the electric versions, the central location of the diesel engine was used for the AC transformer or the DC chokes. The weight of the component at the central location is supported on a horizontal mounting plate that fits onto the main frame using the same fixtures.] This generation of the family is also referred to as the ''TRAXX 2E'' platform, the type designations themselves didn't change. The TRAXX 2E generation also included the first actual deliveries of the DC versions of the TRAXX platform. The AC version of the TRAXX 2 remained in production in parallel with the 2E versions of other types.
Traxx Africa
In March 2014 Transnet
Transnet SOC Ltd is a large South African rail, port and pipeline company, headquartered in the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg. It was formed as a limited company on 1 April 1990. A majority of the company's stock is owned by the Department ...
ordered 240 dual-voltage Traxx Africa locomotives, to be built in South Africa. The first locomotive was handed over to Transnet in December 2017, with revenue service planned to begin early in 2018. This model's appearance more closely resembles its predecessors than the European TRAXX.
Production
All Traxx locomotives are assembled and tested at Alstom's (originally Bombardier) plant in Kassel
Kassel (; in Germany, spelled Cassel until 1926) is a city on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Kassel and the district of the same name and had 201,048 inhabitants in December 2020 ...
Germany, except the DC only versions which are assembled at Vado Ligure
Vado Ligure ( lij, Voæ), in antiquity Vada Sabatia, is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Savona, Liguria, in northern Italy.
Economy
Vado has a large industrial and commercial port.
Vado Ligure is home to a railway construction plant, ...
and some RENFE Class 253
Alstom Traxx (sold as Bombardier TRAXX before 2021) is a modular product platform of mainline diesel-electric and electric locomotives produced originally by Bombardier Transportation and later Alstom, which was built in both freight and passen ...
, which have been assembled by RENFE in its shop in Villaverde (Madrid)
Villaverde is one of the 21 districts of the city of Madrid, Spain.
Geography and history
The municipality was absorbed by Madrid in the 1950s as a result of the plans that the Franco government made to simplify the structure of big city adminis ...
.
The individual components are sourced from a variety of sites:[TRAXX 4 environment](_blank)
''bombardier.com''
* Traction and auxiliary converters (inverters): Alstom, Mannheim
Mannheim (; Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (german: Universitätsstadt Mannheim), is the second-largest city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg after the state capital of Stuttgart, and Germany's 2 ...
, Trapaga Spain
* Bogies: Alstom, Siegen
Siegen () is a city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly sho ...
* Driver desks: Alstom Hennigsdorf
Hennigsdorf () is a town in the district of Oberhavel, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated north-west of Berlin, just across the city border, which is formed mainly by the Havel river.
History
The municipality shared its borders with the form ...
, Alstom Kassel
Kassel (; in Germany, spelled Cassel until 1926) is a city on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Kassel and the district of the same name and had 201,048 inhabitants in December 2020 ...
* Locomotive bodies and frames: Alstom, Wroclaw (Poland)
* Cooling components: Behr GmbH & Co, Stuttgart
Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...
* Brakes: Knorr, Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
* Transformer: ABB Sécheron, Geneva
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...
(Switzerland)
* Climate control systems (heating, humidity, etc.): Liebherr
Liebherr is a German-Swiss multinational equipment manufacturer based in Bulle, Switzerland, with its main production facilities and origins in Germany.
Liebherr consists of over 130 companies organized into 11 divisions: earthmoving, mining, ...
in Korneburg (Austria)
TRAXX dual voltage AC versions
TRAXX F140 AC
The TRAXX F140 AC operates on AC overhead lines. They can work under both the 15 kV/16.7 Hz and the 25 kV/50 Hz AC systems. As built they are configured for future ETCS
The European Train Control System (ETCS) is the signalling and control component of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). It is a replacement for legacy train protection systems and designed to replace the many incompatible s ...
/ ERTMS
The European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) is the system of standards for management and interoperation of signalling for railways by the European Union (EU). It is conducted by the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) and is the o ...
train control and safety systems.[TRAXX AC F140 - Germany](_blank)
''bombardier.com''
The 200 units built between 2001 and 2003 for Deutsche Bahn were classified as ''DBAG Class 185'', or ''DBAG Class 185.1'' once production switched to the TRAXX F140 AC2 design. A further 57 units were built for various European leasing companies, and were classified in Germany as ''Class 185.5''.
Another 35 units were produced for the freight business area of the Swiss Federal Railways, SBB Cargo
* it, FFS Cargo SA
, type = Subsidiary
, logo = SBB CFF FFS Cargo logo.svg
, logo_size = 300px
, foundation = 1999
, location_city = Olten
, location_country = Switzerland
, industry = Rail Transport
, revenue = CHF 953 million (2013)
...
(''SBB Re482''), and 20 units for Swiss private railway '' BLS AG'' (''BLS Re485''). The Swiss locomotives differ from the German versions in details such as pantographs (2 more, with smaller contacts for running under Swiss catenary (not because of tunnels)) and Switzerland specific safety systems in addition to the German systems.
TRAXX P140 AC
In Luxembourg CFL
The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...
operates 20 locomotives.
TRAXX P160 AC
The TRAXX P160 AC is the passenger version of this class, with a correspondingly higher top speed of 160 km/h. A lower unsprung mass was achieved by using hollow shaft final drives instead of the axle hung motor arrangement of the 140 km/h maximum speed versions. The bogies and drive unit are the same as used in the DBAG Class 146.0.
In Germany, DB Regio
DB Regio AG is a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn which operates regional and commuter train services in Germany. DB Regio AG, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. It is a 100% subsidiary of the Deutsche Bahn Group and there part of the DB Regio bus ...
acquired 32 units between 2003 and 2005, where they are designated ''DBAG Class 146.1''.
Additionally, ('' Landesnahverkehrsgesellschaft Niedersachsen mbH'' (LVNG), (Hannover) ) has 10 units which are leased to the railway company metronom
Metronom Eisenbahngesellschaft mbH is a German non-entirely-state-owned railway company based in Uelzen, Lower Saxony since December 2005. The company's activities focus exclusively on passenger transport, operating services from Hamburg to Bre ...
(operating as ''ME146'').[LNVG 146.1 series](_blank)
''railcolor.net''
TRAXX F140 AC2
The first AC member of the TRAXX 2 family, which featured carbodies with improved crashworthiness and water-cooled IGBT
An insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is a three-terminal power semiconductor device primarily used as an electronic switch, which, as it was developed, came to combine high efficiency and fast switching. It consists of four alternating lay ...
-based inverters, was the demonstrator loco ''185 561'', delivered in May 2004. It was produced ahead of the main tranche of TRAXX F140 AC2 locomotives for homologation
Homologation (Greek ''homologeo'', ὁμολογέω, "to agree") is the granting of approval by an official authority. This may be a court of law, a government department, or an academic or professional body, any of which would normally work fr ...
of the class in Germany.
Another demonstrator TRAXX F140 AC2, ''185 568'' was used for tests on the then new HSL-Zuid
The HSL-Zuid ( nl, Hogesnelheidslijn Zuid, en, High-speed Line South), is a 125 kilometre-long (78 miles) Dutch high-speed railway line running between the Amsterdam metropolitan area and the Belgian border, with a branch to Breda, North ...
in 2006. Subsequently, it was used for tests of the ETCS
The European Train Control System (ETCS) is the signalling and control component of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). It is a replacement for legacy train protection systems and designed to replace the many incompatible s ...
system.
Both demonstrator locomotives were eventually sold to private operators for normal use.
The remaining 200 of the 400 Class 185 freight locomotives ordered for DB Cargo
DB Cargo (previously known as Railion and DB Schenker Rail) is an international transport and logistics company. It is responsible for all of the rail freight transport activities of the German railway company Deutsche Bahn (the DB Group) both ...
were to be of this type, and the new versions were given the subclass designation ''DBAG Class 185.2''. Since this large order represented the main body of production at Bombardier's Kassel
Kassel (; in Germany, spelled Cassel until 1926) is a city on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Kassel and the district of the same name and had 201,048 inhabitants in December 2020 ...
plant, any further private orders for the AC locomotives would be included into the F140AC2 production line - thus the original F140 AC type effectively ceased production when the production of DB Cargo's (by then renamed Railion
DB Cargo (previously known as Railion and DB Schenker Rail) is an international transport and logistics company. It is responsible for all of the rail freight transport activities of the German railway company Deutsche Bahn (the DB Group) bo ...
) Class 185.2 began.
The locomotives operated by SBB Cargo are designated Re482.2.
TRAXX P160 AC2
Alongside the F140 AC2 locomotives, the passenger versions received the same improvements. DB Regio received 47 units between 2005 and 2006; as with the freight version the '.2' subclass was used to distinguish these new versions - the Deutsche Bahn locomotives being classified as Class 146.2, following on from the Class 146. A number of smaller orders have been received, including more units for the metronom
Metronom Eisenbahngesellschaft mbH is a German non-entirely-state-owned railway company based in Uelzen, Lower Saxony since December 2005. The company's activities focus exclusively on passenger transport, operating services from Hamburg to Bre ...
railway - procured via LNVG. DB Fernverkehr
DB Fernverkehr AG ( German for "DB Long-Distance Traffic") is a semi-independent division of Deutsche Bahn that operates long-distance passenger trains in Germany. It was founded in 1999 in the second stage of the privatisation of Deutsche Bahn, ...
, the German Railways branch which operates Intercity services, ordered 27 more Class 146.2 locos on 12 January 2011. The locos will start service in December 2013.
Operators and leasing companies
As of 2010, production of the AC2 versions is still ongoing, with the DB Schenker order expected to be completed in late 2009. Along with German companies the AC locomotives have orders from Scandinavian countries and from Hungary – where the Hungarian State railways (MÁV) (''Magyar Államvasutak'') has placed an order for 25 (and optional 25) P160 AC2 machines.
TRAXX AC/DC versions
TRAXX F140 MS
The first multi-system TRAXX unit that could operate under AC and DC electrified catenaries, ''SBB Re484 001'', was introduced at the same time ''185 561'' was introduced as demonstrator locomotive for the F140 AC2 type. In addition to the 15 kV/16.7 Hz and 25 kV/50 Hz AC supplies, the new model could also be operated under 3 kV DC overhead electrification. Later models also supported a 1.5 kV DC supply. This locomotive for SBB was also the first TRAXX variant with individual axle control in place of individual bogie control. The general type name given by Bombardier was TRAXX F140 MS.[TRAXX MS Multi-system Locomotives](_blank)
''bombardier.com''
Apart from the different pantographs, electrical systems for DC operation, the F140 MS types are identical to the contemporary dual voltage versions. However, under 1.5 kV DC, the maximum available power is limited to 4.0 MW, although this does not affect the maximum tractive effort, which is limited by other factors. As a consequence of the additional equipment required, the locomotives weigh approximately 1 tonne more than their dual voltage relatives.[Sources vary on the mass of the locomotives, with the builders documentation also giving contradictory data. The relative masses are constant -with the diesel and DC versions being the lightest, the AC version weighing more, and the AD/DC version being the heaviest]
The locomotives are designed for cross border operations; the addition of 1.5 kV and 3 kV DC operability potentially allows the locomotives to operate in Poland and Italy. In practice the delivered locomotives were used for work into Switzerland and Italy, and equipped with either the Italian safety system SCMT
Sistema di Controllo della Marcia del Treno (SCMT) is a discontinuous train cab signalling system used in Italy. It shares many features with the Ripetizione Segnali (RS) system, the two systems co-existing and working together. The main pur ...
or ETCS
The European Train Control System (ETCS) is the signalling and control component of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). It is a replacement for legacy train protection systems and designed to replace the many incompatible s ...
.
Post 2006 many more of these multi-system locomotive
A multi-system locomotive, also known as a multi-system electric locomotive, multi-system electric multiple unit, or multi-system train, is an electric locomotive which can operate using more than one railway electrification system. Multi-system ...
s were produced, this time with some for use in the Benelux
The Benelux Union ( nl, Benelux Unie; french: Union Benelux; lb, Benelux-Unioun), also known as simply Benelux, is a politico-economic union and formal international intergovernmental cooperation of three neighboring states in western Europe: B ...
countries, as well as France and Poland, with further units being produced for Swiss/Italian traffic. In Poland, locomotives used by PKP Cargo
PKP Cargo () is a logistics operator and a part of the PKP Group in Poland. It is the largest railway freight carrier in Poland and second largest in the European Union. PKP Cargo is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. The company's largest shar ...
have been designated as the EU43 class. Units hired from Alpha Trains
Alpha Trains is a rolling stock leasing company operating in the European Union and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) regions of mainland Europe.
It was created as ''Angel Trains International'' as a spin-off from the British rolling stock ...
cargo to SNCB
french: Société nationale des chemins de fer belgesgerman: Nationale Gesellschaft der Belgischen Eisenbahnen
, type = Statutory corporation
, industry = Rail Transport
, foundation = 1926
, founder = Government ...
(Belgium) have also received the class number SNCB Class 28
In July 2018, Bombardier introduced the third generation of TRAXX multi-system locomotives, named the MS3, which in addition to carrying over compatibility with the four electrification systems introduced an onboard engine to enable travel over short distances of non-electrified track.
TRAXX DC versions
Once Bombardier completed the first TRAXX F140 MS, a single-voltage version for DC overhead wires could be produced cost effectively by leaving away the AC equipment of a multi-system locomotive, and Bombardier began seeking a launch customer in 2004. In 2005, Angel Trains
Angel Trains is a British rolling stock company (ROSCO). Together with Eversholt Rail Group and Porterbrook, it is one of the three original ROSCOs.
Angel Trains was established in March 1994 as part of the privatisation of British Rail. In No ...
(today Alpha Trains) placed an order for 10 DC electric locomotives with Bombardier. The first machine, designated ''E483 001'', was produced in August 2006 at Bombardier's plant in Kassel.
Later machines were built at Bombardier's plant in Vado Ligure
Vado Ligure ( lij, Voæ), in antiquity Vada Sabatia, is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Savona, Liguria, in northern Italy.
Economy
Vado has a large industrial and commercial port.
Vado Ligure is home to a railway construction plant, ...
in Italy, which has become the official site for production of DC versions of the TRAXX locomotives.[Angel Trains Cargo E483: Introduction](_blank)
''railcolor.net''
The weight of the TRAXX F140 DC is slightly reduced compared to the AC machines which require a particularly heavy high-voltage transformer for use with the low 16.7 Hz frequency of the 15 kV AC system.
The machines are built to the same specifications as the rest of the TRAXX family, but only have equipment for 3 kV DC - making them suitable for internal work in Italy, Spain and Poland. If necessary the machines can be rebuilt for multi-system use.
Renfe Mercancías, the freight division of Renfe Operadora ordered 100 locomotives for freight use to be designated RENFE Class 253; these are the first TRAXX locomotives to be built to anything other than standard gauge.
Additionally Trenitalia
Trenitalia is the primary train operator in Italy. A subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, itself owned by the Italian government, the company was established in 2000 following a European Union directive on the deregulation of rail transp ...
has ordered 42 locomotives for freight use, which will be operated at up to 160 km/h.
TRAXX diesel versions
The diesel version of the TRAXX platform was introduced with the 2E version of the TRAXX platform. In the diesel version, the fuel tank occupies the same space as the transformer in the electric versions, centrally and below the main frame members. Installed motor power is 2.2MW. The diesel and electric TRAXX locomotives share the same driver cabin and control desk, body, bogies, and drive system.[The TRAXX Locomotive Platform](_blank)
Bombardier publication via ''unife.org'' The maximum tractive effort is slight reduced by 30 kN to 270 kN due to the lower power of the diesel engine.
The first order for the diesel passenger version (designated as Class 246, Bombardier's designation TRAXX P160 DE) came from metronom
Metronom Eisenbahngesellschaft mbH is a German non-entirely-state-owned railway company based in Uelzen, Lower Saxony since December 2005. The company's activities focus exclusively on passenger transport, operating services from Hamburg to Bre ...
via the leasing company LNVG. The company already used TRAXX electric locomotives and required locomotives for the non-electrified Hamburg-Cuxhaven line. 11 locomotives were ordered in 2005, delivery would take place in 2007. The first three engines were built in 2006 for type certification, with one machine being presented officially at the InnoTrans 2006 railfair;Bombardier unveils Traxx diesel
International Railway Journal, Nov. 2006 ''findarticles.com'' they were in service by late 2007.
[LNVG 246 series](_blank)
''railcolor.net''
Leasing company
CBrail was the first to order the freight version (as Class 285, Bombardier's designation TRAXX F140 DE) in 2006, the first locomotive was delivery in mid-2007, and had been certified for use by 2008.
[CBRail 285 series](_blank)
''railcolor.net'' On 5 December 2008,
SNCF Fret
SNCF Logistics was the division of the SNCF group responsible for freight transportation and logistics.
The division included the activities of: Geodis (and subsidiaries), general land transport and logistics; Fret SNCF the national rail freigh ...
placed an order for 45 TRAXX F140 DE locomotives, the order being valued at 160 million Euros.
[SNCF places Traxx order](_blank)
5 December 2008. ''Railway Gazette International
''Railway Gazette International'' is a monthly business magazine and news website covering the railway, metro, light rail and tram industries worldwide. Available by annual subscription, the magazine is read in over 140 countries by transport p ...
'' The class are to be designated as SNCF Class BB 476000.
[SNCF Fret BB 76000: introduction](_blank)
''railcolor.net'' The contract includes an option for a further 35 locomotives.
[TRAXX Locomotive Contract for Bombardier](_blank)
''bombardier.com''
In April 2011
DB Regio
DB Regio AG is a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn which operates regional and commuter train services in Germany. DB Regio AG, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. It is a 100% subsidiary of the Deutsche Bahn Group and there part of the DB Regio bus ...
awarded Bombardier a framework agreement for up to 200 Traxx DE Multi-Engine locomotives worth a total of €600m; an initial 20 locomotives will be delivered from mid-2013 at a cost of €62m.
These
genset locomotive A genset locomotive is a locomotive in which a number of smaller diesel engines are used rather than a single large engine. The term is short for "generator set."
Aspects of gensets
A genset uses one to three small diesel engines to provide powe ...
s will have four diesel engines in place of one large engine, with the aim of reducing fuel consumption and exhaust emissions because the engines can be shut down when not needed.
TRAXX dual-mode version
On 10 May 2011, Bombardier announced a new TRAXX
electro-diesel model, dubbed the "Last Mile Diesel", that combined a standard AC propulsion system with a diesel engine to power the locomotive in light-duty applications such as operating on non-electrified sidings or yards.
The design was based on Bombardier's experience with building the
ALP-45DP
The Bombardier ALP-45DP is a type of single cab dual-mode locomotive built by Bombardier Transportation (later Alstom) and operated by New Jersey Transit and Exo.
Operators
New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit (NJT) purchased 26 ALP-45DP ...
.
At the time the new model was introduced, a launch order for five units was announced by
Railpool
Railpool is a European rolling stock leasing company based in Munich, Germany. It provides rolling stock financing and leasing, along with maintenance, consultancy, and other services.
Railpool was launched in 2008 via a joint venture between HSH ...
, which had signed the order in late 2010.
See also
A number of other locomotives built by Bombardier have been derived from or share some technical features with the TRAXX platform:
*
DBAG Class 101
The DB Class 101 is a class of three-phase electric locomotives built by Adtranz and operated by DB Fernverkehr in Germany. 145 locomotives were built between 1996 and 1999 to replace the 30-year-old and aging DB Class 103, Class 103 as the fla ...
- ABB-ordered, Adtranz-built express locomotive with electronics similar to that of early TRAXX locomotives except for individual axle control
*
FS Class E412 - DC locomotive built at Vado Ligure works, first-delivered member of the Eco2000 family
*
FS Class E464
The E.464 is a class of Italian railways electric locomotives. They were introduced in the course of the 1990s for hauling light trains, especially for commuter service. They were acquired by FS Trenitalia to replace the old FS Class E.424, E.424 ...
- single cabin Italian locomotive also built at Vado Ligure
*
Iore - twin section heavy-haul twin locomotive with three axles per bogie and a 30 t axle load
*
AVE Class 102
The Renfe Class 102 or S-102S-102 denotes 'Serie 102 de Renfe', the 1xx series is used for fixed passenger high speed electric trains (nicknamed "Pato" in Spanish, because of its nose that looks like the beak of a duck) is a high-speed train u ...
- Spanish manufacturer Talgo's Talgo350 high-speed trains for Spanish railways
RENFE, with powerheads made by a consortium led by Adtranz/Bombardier
*
ALP-46
The Bombardier ALP-46 is an electric locomotive built in Germany by Bombardier Transportation, Bombardier between 2001 and 2002 for use in the United States. It is derived from the German DBAG Class 101, Class 101. New Jersey Transit (NJT) is the ...
- built for
New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit, and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey, along with portions of New York State and Pennsylvania. It operates bu ...
, based on the DBAG Class 101
*
ALP-46A - also being built for NJ Transit, based on the ALP-46 and the TRAXX 2E
*
ALP-45DP
The Bombardier ALP-45DP is a type of single cab dual-mode locomotive built by Bombardier Transportation (later Alstom) and operated by New Jersey Transit and Exo.
Operators
New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit (NJT) purchased 26 ALP-45DP ...
electro-diesel locomotive
An electro-diesel locomotive (also referred to as a dual-mode or bi-mode locomotive) is a type of locomotive that can be powered either from an electricity supply (like an electric locomotive) or by using the onboard diesel engine (like a diese ...
- also being built for Montreal's AMT and New York-area commuter hauler NJ Transit, based on the ALP-46A
*
List of České dráhy locomotive classes
The following is a list of locomotives and multiple units numbered in the system used by České dráhy, ČD.
Electric locomotives 1.5 kV DC electric locomotives
3 kV DC electric locomotives
25 kV 50 Hz AC electric locomotives
Multi-system ...
Notes
References
Sources
Bombardier Transportation''bombardier.com''
Railcolor - modern locomotive Power! Website about post 1990s European mainline electric and diesel locomotives ''railcolor.net''
External links
Drehstromloks.de - A comprehensive site about TRAXX and other Neubaulok series(German)
High quality gallery of TRAXX family @ Trainspo
{{Use dmy dates, date=September 2019
Standard gauge locomotives of Austria
Standard gauge locomotives of Belgium
Standard gauge locomotives of Denmark
Standard gauge locomotives of France
Standard gauge locomotives of Germany
Standard gauge locomotives of Hungary
Standard gauge locomotives of Italy
Standard gauge locomotives of Luxembourg
Standard gauge locomotives of the Netherlands
Standard gauge locomotives of Norway
Standard gauge locomotives of Poland
Standard gauge locomotives of Romania
Standard gauge locomotives of Sweden
Standard gauge locomotives of Switzerland
5 ft 6 in gauge locomotives
Railway locomotives introduced in 1996
Diesel-electric locomotives
Electric locomotives
Diesel-electric locomotives of Germany
Mixed traffic locomotives