On 7 February the Italian railway safety authority ANSF permitted operation of the E494, or the Bombardier Traxx DC3 locomotive. This was an important milestone for the rolling stock manufacturer.

“As a next step, Bombardier will apply for the Authorization to Put In Service (APIS) per conformity, which makes it possible to put the locomotive series into operation. This would enable customers and operators to register and begin operating their Traxx DC3 locomotive fleets. Commercial service is planned to begin in March 2019.

Units ordered

Oscar Vazquez, Head of Sales and Delivery for Iberia, Italy, Middle East and Africa at Bombardier Transportation explained the importance of the decision: “After the first contract for 40 Traxx DC3 Italy locomotives was signed in December 2017, other customers began placing firm orders for these locomotives in 2018. These dependable locomotives support freight operators moving goods between cities, harbors and terminals and we are pleased to increase our presence in Italy’s rail sector with this trusted product from our broad portfolio of mobility solutions.”

With the new generation of locomotives, Bombardier offers the rail industry a range of electric four-axle locomotives. Its three models – Traxx AC3, Traxx MS3 and Traxx DC3 – cover Europe’s mainline applications under all four catenaries. They alsp offer optional Last Mile functionality, a support diesel engine which bridges non-electrified sections. The new locomotives are based on Bombardier’s highly successful TRAXX platform, with 18 years of experience and more than 2 thousand vehicles currently in operation in Europe.