European Railroad Discussion > Europe: Vossloh Rail Vehicle Division Radical Changes

Finally back writing articles to trainorders.com during an extremely busy fall :)

I did some corrections to this text based on waht SOO told us below.

Europe: Vossloh Rail Vehicle Division Radical Changes
Vossloh in best known for all of us as a builder of very large diesel locomotives for European market. Often these are diesel-hydraulic, but company also "inherited" a plant in Spain, specializing on "EMD hearted" large cowled locomotives. In addition, we have seen Vossloh trams as well as planned high speed solutions. While rail vehicles division has been struggling for years economically as diesel locomotives in Europe seem to be in decline (counting number of active units). In contrast, Vossloh rail maintenanace division is doing extremely well.

Vossloh has now announced that:
- Spanish plant (inherited from Alstom) has been permanently closed September 30th 2015 according to one news, others quote more likely as it being strengthened as sales are soaring from 2014 to 2015 significantly. (They have many interesting orders in books too). Stadler Rail will buy this part of Vossloh Vehicles for 48 million euros, and take resposibility for 124 million in debt too.
- Company has just finished in Kiel, Germany, a modern locomotive building plant. (strange timing, unless you count the above line happening been known in advance)
- Vossloh will continue in its other business areas as today.

I will take a closer look at each of the above mentioned in the following parts of this thread.

Pictures:
1) CargoNet leased (Alpha Trains owned?) Vossloh Spain built Euro4000 seen at the northern end of Norwegian rail network in Bodö (not counting Malmbana, which is still further north, but is not connected to other network). This is one of the Vossloh flagship models. Usage with intermodals is typical here as well as in other parts of Europe where these popular d-e locos are used. Euro 4000 has a Caterpillar-EMD 710G3B or C main engine, either 12 or 16 cylinder. Picture by Deane.

2) Similar looking Spanish Vossloh Euro loco at use in Tel Aviv. Israel Railways also has additional units in order, as rail traffic is growing. Picture by Ilkka.

3) If I'm not mistaken (I take the risk here), this is one of the earlier product line vehicles from the same Valencia factory seen in Spain. It is actually a rebuilt model, but already sharing some common looks with the current models. Picture by Ilkka. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/15 09:31 by McKey.

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Mowing focus from Spain to Germany, what you most of the time see are Vossloh road switcher style 4 or 3 axles designs. Some of these below:

1) DE18, most powerful diesel-electric model for German plant, seen here at Innotrans 2014.

2) Ever popular and quite powerful three axle G6.

3) Bahala (Berlin Harbor Authority) Vossloh G 1700 BB 1500 kW diesel-hydraulic along with older cousin parked at their depot in Berlin, Germany.

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/15 09:32 by McKey.

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Next, three batch of Vossloh diesel-hydraulic locomotives outside Germany: 

1) SBB Am843 is actually a Vossloh G1700 BB too (plant was earlier operated by MaK, thus MaK in the loco). This is the heaviest diesel-hydraulic loco in use in Switzerland for SBB and BLS. Pictures by Ilkka.

2) Almost ten years has passed since the Vossloh double end cab G2000 models were pictured at the border of Switzerland and Italy. Now, if I've read right, the future of these excessively heavy diesel-hydraulic locomotives looks bleak, as they've started to disappear from previous assignments. Maybe the hydraulic transimmsion designed was not up to long term use with 2250/2700 kilowatt engines? 

3) ÖBB Austrian variant of Vossloh G 1000 BB. Still going strong (although with dirtier paint). This picture was taken back in 2003.
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/15 09:33 by McKey.

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We are also not to forget about the very interesting models from Vossloh Spain and its predecessor to U.K. in the form of class 68 and and class 67. Pictures by Nick.

There will also be another bigger half electric - half diesel class 88 model to U.K. later this decade. (When will btw. these be available for service?)

 

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Meanwhile on the Stadler Rail side:

What strikes here is that although Vossloh has found out that diesel-electric and diesel-hydraulic locomotive manufacturing is not profitable, Stadler has been willing to take over these operations. However, there does not seem to be significant overlapping in product lines.

One can think of that Stadler being willing to invest in manufacturing capacity, but it also appears they already have sufficiently of this in Switzerland, Germany, Poland and Belarus. Additional factories appear not to bring any cost benefits.

Vossloh Rail Vehicles Spanish product line is definitely also not one of a kind, worth buying the company for it  - nor is servicing existing vehicles tempting.  

This might lead to thinking other reasons. As it often has turned out, Stadler with its very convincing product development department has had an ace in the sleeve. What would that be this time? What do you think of the reasons for the acquisition?

Below two Stadler made switchers: Ee 922 is a light electric switcher for local coach movements of SBB. Eem923 is a hybrid road switcher that is surprisingly powerful for a two axle design. 923 works for SBB Cargo. First picture by Ilkka.

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/15 09:34 by McKey.

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McKey Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Next, three batch of Vossloh diesel-hydraulic
> locomotives outside Germany: 
>
> 1) SBB Am843 is actually a Vossloh G1700 BB too
> (plant was earlier operated by MaK, thus MaK in
> the loco). This is the heaviest diesel-hydraulic
> loco in use in Switzerland for SBB and BLS.
> Pictures by Ilkka.
>
> 2) Almost ten years has passed since the Vossloh
> double end cab G2000 models were pictured at the
> border of Switzerland and Italy. Now, if I've read
> right, the future of these excessively heavy
> diesel-hydraulic locomotives looks bleak, as
> they've started to disappear from previous
> assignments. Maybe the hydraulic transimmsion
> designed was not up to long term use with
> 2250/2700 kilowatt engines? 
>
> 3) ÖBB Austrian variant of Vossloh G 1700 BB.
> Still going strong (although with dirtier paint).
> This picture was taken back in 2003.
>

The G2000 BB locomotives just seemed to have a lot of problems, they lost a lot of sales to Class 66, and various other Bombardier and Alstom products. The Austrian Class 2070 series locomotives are actually little brother Vossloh G1000 BB with less horsepower. 

Vossloh sold the Spanish plant and its product line to Stadler. So far the Kiel plant with its line of switching locomotives is still for sale by Vossloh.

Aha, so then it makes sense, Stadler can enter the Southern markets and can access the big locomotive manufacturing!  Thanks for corrections! 

SOO6617 Wrote:
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> Vossloh sold the Spanish plant and its product
> line to Stadler. So far the Kiel plant with its
> line of switching locomotives is still for sale by
> Vossloh.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/15 09:26 by McKey.