Bi-mode capability

Traxx is the well-stablished locomotive design, based on a modular platform. A number of variants have been produced since their introduction in 1996. To date, Bombardier has manufactured over 2000 units. The MS3 is the latest generation of the multi-system locomotive, equipped with a last-mile capability to bridge non-electrified track sections, such as ports or freight terminals.

The order was placed almost two years ago, when ČD Cargo stated its intentions to deploy the locomotives for freight and passenger duties across its domestic network. The operator intends to deploy the versatile motive power also in Slovakia, Germany, Austria, Poland and Hungary. Ivan Bednárik, the ČD Cargo chairman, said the new locomotives would be the most modern in the fleet.

Compliant with stringent standards

With delivery underway, Bednárik restated their intentions to offer customers additional services. He said the power and efficiency of the design would allow ČD Cargo greater commercial scope. “We are also proud to be the first ones to operate the Traxx MS3, the first locomotive to be fully compliant with the new Czech Electromagnetic Compatibility standard, which is one of the most stringent in Europe”, he said. “This recently achieved authorisation shows that our new locomotive is at the forefront of modern rail vehicles in Europe.”

Bombardier is equally pleased with the results so far. “Our Traxx 3 platform is our latest product development in the locomotives segment”, said Tomáš Holý, regional representative for Bombardier. ”The vehicle addresses our customer’s need for a forward-looking product based on a proven platform.”

Internationally successful

To date, more than 2000 Traxx locomotives are at work in 20 countries. According to Bombardier they cover a combined distance of 300 million kilometres per year. The contract between ČD Cargo and Bombardier has a first call-off order for 10 locomotives. The new traction will allow the ambitious operator to build upon their current portfolio, which carries around 65 million tonnes of goods annually.

Bombardier already has significant business interests in Czechia. It is the second largest rolling stock manufacturer, with around 1300 employees at its Ceska Lipa site in the north of the country.

The headline picture shows the first locomotive, designated by the operator as Class 388 001 at work near Mondi Hněvice, halfway between the German border and Prague (Photo: Pavel Polak).

The wayside tests were conducted in close collaboration with Swedish Transport Administration Trafikverket, between 20-23 August with an ERTMS Baseline 3-equipped Bombardier Rc6 test vehicle. It followed the official approval of the INTERFLO 450 rail solution by Trafikverket and Swedish Transport Agency, Transportstyrelsen, in 2017. Sweden’s 40-km Corridor B ERTMS test track, located in southern Sweden, is being used to test the system without disrupting existing rail services.

Milestone

Project Director Anders Åkeson from Trafikverket stated: “This is a major step towards ERTMS roll-out in Sweden. The results of these tests with Bombardier show we are getting ready to progress from testing to implementation. Our real-life test environment demonstrates the reliability of the standard as well as interoperability between sub-systems. The ERTMS installed base demonstrates four to six times higher reliability than the conventional systems operational today.”

“For Bombardier, these successful tests mark another major milestone towards building an ERTMS-enabled rail network in Sweden. This reflects our technical capabilities and commitment towards Trafikverket in delivering future-proof, high-technology mainline rail control solutions,” added Anna Hojer Head of Nordic / Managing Director, Bombardier Transportation Sweden.

ERTMS Level 2

Initially created to enable European cross-border rail traffic, the globally-adopted digital ERTMS Level 2 standard provides accurate and continuous radio-based, automatic train protection. ERTMS Level 2 can optimise higher-speed operation and supports network interoperability, while reducing maintenance costs. Bombardier commissioned the first ERTMS Level 2 worldwide and today its solutions are used in 26 countries.

Bombardier has supplied solutions to the Swedish railway system for over 100 years. Its local presence includes its regional business, project delivery and engineering hub for rail control, production centre for propulsion systems and network of service centres. Bombardier has equipped over 130 vehicles with its BOMBARDIER EBI Cab onboard ready for the ERTMS upgrade.

The first call-off is for 10 Traxx MS3 locomotives. CD Cargo will employ these locomotives for freight and passenger transport in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Austria, Poland and Hungary while extending the fleet’s operability to Slovenia and Croatia. Ivan Bednárik, Chairman of the Board of Directors, CD Cargo, said: “The new Traxx MS3 locomotive will be the most modern in our fleet. Its powerful traction and cost-effective long-distance performance will support our international business strategy and be fully interoperable in both the domestic market and neighbouring countries.”

Traxx MS3

The new multi-system locomotive will be equipped with the latest version of the European Train Control System, Baseline 3, ensuring seamless operation from day one. It addresses customers’ need for improved profitability, increased flexibility as well as for more reliable performance and availability throughout the locomotive’s entire lifecycle, explained the manufacturer.

For greater planning efficiency and most economical operation, the new Traxx 3 platform has been designed around the freight industry’s latest digital maintenance solutions. Intelligent platforms based on Conditional Based Maintenance, Big Data and IoT technology correlate data coming from the vehicle and the rail infrastructure to monitor the vehicle’s health in real-time, predicting maintenance interventions, while guaranteeing maximum fleet performance and availability.

East-European market

“With this success in the Czech Republic, the order marks the entry of our new locomotive platform in the Central, Eastern and South Eastern European market”, commented Michael Fohrer, President for the regions Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, Israel, CIS and China at Bombardier Transportation. “We are proud of the trust and confidence that our new customer CD Cargo has placed in our innovative Traxx MS3 locomotive”,

Bombardier is the second largest rolling stock manufacturing company in Czech Republic. It has more than 1,000 employees in its Ceska Lipa manufacturing site, which is key supplier of welded components for Bombardier’s regional and commuter trains, trams and metros. The Traxx MS3 locomotives will be assembled at Bombardier’s site in Kassel, Germany, with the carbodies coming from Wroclaw, Poland and the bogies produced in Siegen, Germany.

Peter Amman, Head of Global Ecosystem Freight at Bombardier Transportation commented, “We are happy to present this innovative locomotive to the Italian and global freight market. Its flexibility and our strong maintenance offering will not only reduce total cost of ownership, but also enable Italian freight operators to expand their business.”

“The new TRAXX DC3 represents a generational leap in the market, a state-of-the-art locomotive, able to maximize energy efficiency, ensuring greater load, traction capacity and lower energy consumption. One of the locomotive’s most interesting features is its Last Mile function that offers new logistical concepts by enabling the locomotive to easily bridge non-electrified track sections often found in ports or freight terminals. This optional feature can even be installed as a post-delivery upgrade”, said Luigi Corradi, CEO and Managing Director of Bombardier Transportation Italy.

For greater efficiency and lower operation costs, the TRAXX DC3 has also been designed around the freight industry’s latest digital maintenance solutions. Intelligent platforms based on Conditional Based Maintenance, Big Data and IoT technology correlate data coming from the vehicle and the rail infrastructure to monitor the vehicle’s health in real-time, predicting maintenance interventions, while guaranteeing maximum fleet performance and availability.

On the rails

Italian rail operators Mercitalia Rail, Captrain Italy and GTS are the first to have enhanced their freight service by purchasing the new TRAXX DC3. In addition to the 190 BOMBARDIER TRAXX DC locomotives delivered, there are currently fifty locomotives in the pipeline at Bombardier’s Vado Ligure production site.

The locomotives will be equipped to run on 15 and 25 kilovolt alternative current, as well as 1.5 and 3 kilovolt direct current electrification systems and will be certified to operate in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. They will be assembled at Bombardier’s facility in Kassel, Germany.

Traxx locomotives

Traxx locomotives are characterised by their steel bodyshells, the two bogies with two powered axles each, the three-phase asynchronous induction motors, the cooling exhausts on the roof edges and the wheel disc brakes. Due to their compatibility with alternative and direct current electrification systems, the vehicles are very suitable for the European railway market, which knows a large system variety.

The sole manufacturer of the locomotive is Bombardier, a leading rolling stock manufacturer in the world and provider of the European railway security system ERTMS. Bombardier has been delivering Traxx locomotives to the market since 1998, although the Traxx brandname was only introduced in 2003.

Two decades in its construction, the 57km (35-mile) twin-bore tunnel – the longest railway tunnel in the world – provides a high-speed rail link under the Swiss Alps between northern and southern Europe and is set to revolutionise European freight transport. Goods currently carried on the route by a million lorries a year will now go by train.

Marshalling yards

Around 160 freight trains can currently travel on the Gotthard north-south axis daily, but from the start of the new timetable on December 11th, this will increase to 210. Swiss rail operator SBB, which accounts for around a quarter of all the country’s road/rail transport volume, is also making improvements to its freight capacity.

SBB Cargo says customers will receive efficient, congestion-free and environment-friendly solutions for their logistics requirements. With up to 750-metre-long trains, SBB Cargo will be able to operate even more efficiently. As of the 2016/2017 timetable change, up to give freight trains will be able to run every hour in each direction – almost twice as many as today.

Up to three deliveries and collections will thus be made every day at busy operating points in Ticino. Successful test runs were held last week and the first official service, a special train with both passenger and freight wagons, departs from Basel at 4.55am on Sunday December 11th.

Train protection software

Bombardier Transportation has confirmed that its Bombardier Traxx locomotives, which have been upgraded with the latest automatic train protection software, have been approved for operation on the new tunnel. It is a partnership that also involves the Swiss Federal Office of Transport (FOT), SBB Infra and BLS Cargo.

Albert Bastius, Head of Product Line Locomotives at Bombardier, said: “We thank the FOT, SBB Infra and BLS Cargo for the constructive teamwork that will enable our TRAXX locomotives to operate reliably and efficiently in the Gotthard Base Tunnel. We are now continuing to see that the implementation of our latest software progresses well on the many locomotives in operation, so that our customers benefit from this updated version.”