Vossloh Rolling Stock and RAILPOOL Sign Contracts

Vossloh Rolling Stock and RAILPOOL have signed several contracts for the delivery of 45 Modula locomotives in two versions with the option to purchase a further 142. RAILPOOL is thus expanding its ultra-modern fleet for the German market. With the Modula, which epitomises intelligent and sustainable mobility, RAILPOOL is providing its customers with future-proof traction solutions for both heavy shunting work and freight transportation.

On 20th October 2023, RAILPOOL and Vossloh Rolling Stock in Kiel signed several framework agreements for the delivery of 45 Modula locomotives and the option of a further 142 locomotives. The delivery of the firm order for Modula locomotives begins in mid-2026 and runs until the end of 2027. The optional call-off locomotive orders will be filled by mid-2029, and both locomotive versions will also be available with German-Dutch approvals for use.

As one of the leading European rail-vehicle leasing companies, RAILPOOL has one of the most extensive and modern fleets for European cross-border rail transport comprising around 500 electric mainline locomotives. As an entry into the shunting locomotive market and to achieve its growth targets in the German market, the Munich-based company has opted for the Modula platform in the 1000 kW hybrid (dual engine plus battery – BDD) and the EDD-Modula rated at 2.5 MW (catenary plus 1000 kW diesel engine).

“Around 60 percent of the locomotives in Europe are over 30 years old and at the end of their product life cycles. Shunting locomotives, in fact, are on average over 40 years old,” said Torsten Lehnert, CEO of RAILPOOL. “By purchasing the Modula locomotives, we aim to offer our customers the attractive prospect of being able to switch easily to leasing new, sustainable and energy efficient vehicles and providing their operations personnel with a modern working environment while still enjoying the usual RAILPOOL service quality.

“Both Modula versions can run on synthetic fuels and therefore meet the highest environmental standards. Their innovative vehicle designs allow the best possible use of the track infrastructure, and they’re also perfectly designed for both heavy shunting work and freight transport,” Lehnert added.

“Our shared values unite us. The desire to assure the best availability coupled with the responsibility of making a significant contribution to the shift in modes of transport and make freight transport climate-neutral over the long term form the basis of trust on which our sustainable collaboration is built,” said Dr. Bernd Hoppe, Executive Director, and General Manager of Vossloh Rolling Stock.

With the most versatile platform concept on the European market, the Modula offers a high number of non-variable parts and extensively flexible, usage-based maintenance that depends on the number of kilometres the locomotive has travelled and the time it has spent in operation. RAILPOOL will be making the new locomotives available to lease on the German market in conjunction with its proven full-service model. ln so doing it will profit from its own network of workshops – a prerequisite for anticipatory maintenance and dependable vehicle scheduling of the vehicles.

Sensors achieve low maintenance costs and the optimal use of the “lifespan reserve” for the critical locomotive components that analyse and evaluate the condition of the systems using threshold values and monitoring logic. In the event of a malfunction, the interactive service team can patch into the locomotive to find the root cause and a solution to the problem quickly in conjunction with the virtual back office comprising Fleet Management, Engineering, or the supplier. At the same time, the uninterrupted data evaluation during operation of the most important locomotive parameters facilitates constant analysis to identify problems before they occur and develop the appropriate technical solutions early to improve the product. Analyses of sensor data make it possible to better anticipate and schedule maintenance, thus reducing vehicle downtime.

In addition to securing the reliable provision of replacement parts, the long-term partnership concluded between RAILPOOL and Vossloh Rolling Stock also covers the further development of technical features and maintenance based on the experience gained during the Modula fleet’s operations. The high level of flexibility to accommodate future modifications and improvements is also evident in the redesigned driver’s console. The classic controls and instrumentation specified in the standards combined with modern displays to control the locomotive’s various functions provide very good operability and meet the highest ergonomic standards.