Stadler to supply 34 locomotives for TRA in Taiwan

Stadler has won a tender for the supply of 34 diesel-electric locomotives to Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) in Taiwan.

For Stadler this is the first major series of rail vehicles to be delivered to the Pacific region. The locomotives will be built at the Stadler plant in Valencia.

The tender is part of a larger TRA fleet renewal programme, and the contract is valued at approximately €165 million. The locomotives are intended for passenger and freight traffic on the narrow gauge network – 1,067mm – in Taiwan.

“We are proud to be able to supply a larger rolling stock series to Asia for the first time,” commented Thomas Ahlburg, Group CEO at Stadler. “The locomotives will be used in demanding mountainous topography – similar to that of Switzerland – and in extreme climatic conditions. Stadler is very familiar with adapting rail vehicles to such specific challenges. Combined with the ability to build lightweight yet environmentally-friendly locomotives, these are important reasons for our success in Taiwan.”

The six-axle narrow-gauge locomotives for TRA are powered by a Cummins diesel motor with an output of 2,700hp. The starting tractive effort is up to 430kN, and the maximum speed is 120km/h. The locomotives are specially designed for the tropical and subtropical climate in Taiwan. High humidity of up to 100 per cent and extreme temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius are to be expected in the operating area. The new locomotive for TRA can also run in multiple traction.