DB Cargo orders 50 hybrid locomotives from Toshiba

Credit: @DB_Cargo

Deutsche Bahn has ordered 50 hybrid locomotives from Toshiba. The company also plans to lease a further 50 locomotives as it renews its shunting fleet.

Preparation of series assembly of the locomotives will start in 2021 at DB Cargo’s maintenance depot in Rostock, Germany.

The 50 new hybrid locomotives will replace 61 legacy locomotives and are a component of DB’s ‘Strong Rail’ strategy, which promotes growth in rail freight transport.

The new diesel battery hybrid locomotives boast reduced diesel consumption and lower maintenance costs, resulting in higher average fleet availability. Furthermore, the battery modules can be charged via external power supply, further increasing the proportion of renewable energy used in rail freight transport.

“The new drive systems will allow our shunting yards to work in a more resource-efficient way, with annual energy savings of 30 per cent and diesel fuel savings of 1 million litres per year,” commented Dr Sigrid Nikutta, Board Member for Freight Transport and CEO of DB Cargo. 

Dr. Stefan Rudolph (left), Secretary of State, Ministry of Economics, Employment and Health in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern shakes hands with Dr. Stefan Rudolph, Secretary of State, Ministry of Economics, Employment and Health in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (right)

Takayuki Konno, Corporate Senior Vice President of Toshiba Corporation and President/CEO of Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation, said: “This is the start of a brilliant collaboration. Our Toshiba HDB 800 is equipped with state-of-the art technologies including our SCiB™ lithium-ion battery system¹ which was certified by TUV Rheinland².”

“The decision in favour of Rostock is a worthy negotiation success and a commitment to the innovation site Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,” stated Dr. Stefan Rudolph, Secretary of State, Ministry of Economics, Employment and Health in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. “We need more long-term investments in machines and plants as well as in research and development.”

The order from DB Cargo comes following Deutsche Bahn’s recent successful feasibility study on the joint development of a new hybrid locomotive.

References

1. SCiB™ is a trademark of Toshiba Corporation, registered in Japan and other countries.
2. The battery system consisting of i.a. SCiB™ TypeS-20 battery modules and SSU fulfills the qualitative and quantitative safety requirements according to EN 50129 for SIL4 applications (highest safety integrity level defined in EN 50129) based on the assessment according to EN 50126 and EN 50129.

Source: Certificate “Functional Safety” of TÜV Rheinland Rail Certification B.V. (TRRC/CB 18/471, 02/08/2018), www.tuv.com, ID: 0000064266