Global provider of integrated urban solutions with over 50 years of experience, Alstom, and leasing provider and asset manager of rolling stock in Europe, Northrail AG, have completed a framework contract for 50 multisystem Traxx Universal locomotives with a full-service maintenance package for up to 16 years.

The investment was arranged and structured by Northrail for the Paris-based infrastructure investment company RIVE Private Investment. Northrail will, on behalf of RIVE, act as asset manager and lessor of the locomotives.

The base order includes 15 multi-system locomotives and eight years of full-service maintenance. The maximum contract value amounts to €370-million. The production of these locomotives will take place at the Alstom site in Kassel, Germany, and is scheduled to start in 2025.

These multiystem Traxx Universal locomotives will be the first of their kind to be approved in France and are set to achieve a running speed of up to 160 km/h in a European corridor comprising the following six countries: Germany, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria and Poland.

The multisystem locomotives are usable as freight and passenger transport. The services package will provide for a high availability of the locomotives and, thus, good reliability. As a result of the network of depots and mobile service teams across Europe, the locomotives will have full cross-country maintenance.

All the locomotives will be equipped with ATLAS, Alstom’s onboard solution for the European Train Control System. The Europe-wide standardised train control system for seamless cross-border traffic enables higher speeds and frequencies on the railways. It saves time and energy and thereby enables an even cleaner freight transport.

Alstom’s Central European region (specifically the German-speaking countries, being Germany, Austria and Switzerland) president Müslüm Yakisan said: “The Traxx locomotives are an innovative investment in the future of rail transport. “With more than 150 years of experience and worldwide references, Alstom is pleased to further contribute to the digitalisation and sustainability of rail transport. “Given the long-term maintenance agreement, Northrail will also benefit from optimised and plannable life cycle costs as well as maximum availability of the locomotives.”

One of Northrail’s executive board members Michael Trentzsch added: “With this innovative new multi-system locomotive, which in particular includes the homologation for France, we are very pleased to again be a first mover in the locomotive leasing industry. “Thus, we very much look forward to receiving the first locomotive in 2025 and therewith further fostering our relationship with Alstom.”