Stadler enters the Lithuanian market with freight locomotives
Bussnang/Vilnius/Valencia - The Lithuanian freight state railway LTG Cargo is buying 17 electric freight locomotives from Stadler that are designed for the harsh Baltic winters. For the train manufacturer from the Swiss canton of Thurgau, it is the first contract in the Lithuanian market. The locomotives will be manufactured in Stadler's Spanish factory in Valencia.
Stadler is entering the Lithuanian market. The freight railway LTG Cargo is purchasing 17 electric freight locomotives, including spare parts and a three-year maintenance period, as well as an option for 17 further locomotives, according to a statement from the Thurgau-based train manufacturer. LTG Cargo is a subsidiary of the state railway Lietuvos gelezinkeliai (LTG) that also operates beyond the country's borders.
The locomotives belong to the Eurodual family, but for the first time, they are being designed for the harsh Baltic winters. According to the statement, they should be able to operate reliably in snow and ice as well as in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Celsius.
The locomotives are being built in Valencia in Spain. “We are very proud of this new development of our Eurodual family,” Iñigo Parra, Executive Vice President Stadler Division Spain, is quoted as saying. “This new locomotive shares the same high performance with the rest of the family, promoting a modal shift to rail.”
The new locomotives will reportedly transport freight between Lithuania’s capital city Vilnius and the port city Klaipeda. “The purchase of electric locomotives marks the start of a new era of even more sustainable and reliable rail freight transport in Lithuania,” Eglė Šimė is quoted as saying. According to the CEO of LTG Cargo, electric locomotives are about three times more efficient than diesel locomotives. ce/stk