Renfe Mercancías has received six of the 12 powerful EURO6000 multi-system electric locomotives for the Iberian gauge. The locomotives are manufactured completely by Stadler Valencia at its Albuixech plant.
Stadler was able to deliver these six units ahead of schedule, with the remaining six units expected to be delivered in the first four months of this year. The new locomotives will allow Renfe Mercancías to strengthen its commitment to increasing productivity among its main customers, who are part of the steel and miscellaneous products market and who typically use the Pajares Tunnel to transport their goods.
The new electric locomotives will use 100% renewable energy, which means they will produce no air emissions. In addition to being environmentally friendly, the locomotives have low track aggressiveness, low levels of internal and external noise, and no vibration. The locomotives have a traction capacity of 1,800 tonnes on 18,000 ramps. They will be three-voltage (25 kV AC, 3 kV DC and 1.5 kV DC) and have six shafts.
Locomotives with higher load capacity and greater reliability are expected to help Renfe Mercancías increase its activity and share in rail transport. Increasing Renfe Mercancías' activity would also mean significant cost savings due to externalities, since, as the European Commission recognizes, rail is the mode of freight transport that produces the least pollutant emissions.
