Stadler has been awarded a contract by the Lithuanian freight operator LTG Cargo to supply seventeen electric locomotives, spare parts, and three years of maintenance, with an option for seventeen additional units.

This is Stadler’s first locomotive contract for Lithuania and is for seventeen 25kV AC electric locomotives based on Stadler’s EURODUAL six-axle platform.

They will include a winterisation package designed for operation in temperatures as low as -40 C, and to operate reliably in snow and icy conditions.

Built at Valencia in Spain to operate on Lithuania’s 1.520-metre gauge, the locomotives provide 500 kN of maximum tractive effort, with up to 6.15 MW tractive power at the rail, and a maximum speed of 120 km/h.

To increase efficiency, the locomotives will incorporate an electric brake with regenerative brake functionality.

The locomotives will be equipped with automatic coupler SA3s, and are designed for heavy haul freight operations aligned with current European trends such as decarbonisation of transport, digitisation, and operation of longer freight trains.

Both driver cabs are designed in line with the latest ergonomic standards, comply with the European requirements for noise and comfort, and provide excellent outside visibility from both cab directions.

Each cab has two rear-view cameras providing video surveillance (CCTV), allowing drivers to observe the back of the locomotive from the central driving position, and a forward-facing camera.

An onboard restroom is also provided.

This is the first time that Stadler has supplied cargo locomotives to Lithuania, and the new locomotives share the same high performance with the rest of Stadler’s EURODUAL range, promoting a modal shift to rail.

In September, Stadler unveiled a new interoperable and multisystem Bo-Bo locomotive for operation in continental Europe, and last year secured a contract from the Italian national rail operator, Trenitalia, to supply up to 50 Eurolight Dual locomotives.

“The purchase of electric locomotives marks the start of a new era of even more sustainable and reliable rail freight transport in Lithuania. The new electric locomotives will transport freight between Vilnius and Klaip?da – a corridor that carries half of all rail freight in Lithuania annually. Electric locomotives are about three times more efficient than diesel locomotives, so we can offer our customers greener and more competitive freight transport services”.

Eglė Šimė, CEO at LTG Cargo