Siemens Mobility has accomplished the manufacture of the first Vectron Dual Mode locomotive. The vehicle will be capable to use both electric energy and diesel fuel. The Dual Mode locomotive was designed and developed primarily for rail freight operations in Germany.

The concept of the Dual Mode type was presented at the InnoTrans2018 Trade Fair in September 2018. The first unit was produced at the factory of Siemens Mobility in the vicinity of Munich. The company will demonstrate the new type of locomotive at the Transport & Logistic Trade Fair to be held in Munich in June. “Our Vectron Dual Mode becomes reality! Only six months after we presented the concept at InnoTrans2018, the first completed locomotive is ready to leave our Munich-Allach factory in Germany”, Siemens Mobility reported.

Dual Mode features

“It unites all the advantages of diesel and electric (locomotive)”, the producer shortly defined the main feature of the new locomotive. This type was developed primarily for freight operations on the German railway network. “Because Germany will continue to have many non-electrified sections of track for a long time to come, many diesel locomotives continue to operate under a contact line. This makes very little economic or ecological sense”, Siemens Mobility explained the reason to create the Dual Mode type.

The new locomotive has a length of almost 20 metres, a 2,500-litre fuel tank and weighs 90 tonnes (when it is totally fueled). The vehicle is equipped with a diesel engine with a power of 2,400 kilowatts. The traction power is 2,000 kilowatts while starting tractive effort is 300 kilonewtonnes. The axle load of the locomotive is 22.5 tonnes. The Dual Mode vehicle is capable to run on the railways with a gauge of 1,435 millimetres.

Vectron family

Currently, Siemens Mobility produces three types of Vectron locomotives in accordance with the power supply system. The diesel type is used on non-electrified lines, the AC type serves lines electrified with alternating current, while the DC type runs on lines electrified with direct current. The multisystem locomotives are operated on the lines with various types of electrification. They are mostly used to transport goods between the countries with different voltage systems such as from Poland via Germany to the Netherlands.