Lithuania to Become Locomotives Leaders

Lithuania is to have the most powerful locomotive base in Eastern Europe, according to state owned-Lithuanian Railways which has just started trial runs of a new freight locomotive.

Manufactured by German rail technology company Siemens Transportation Systems, the six-axle, 138t diesel-electric Eurorunner can haul carriages of up to 6,000t, transporting 50% more freight per route than before.

The new locomotives are also fitted with an on-board computer and diagnostics system which can be operated by one driver at all times.

Delivery of 34 Eurorunner locomotives is scheduled for 2009.

The four-axle Eurorunner is in use by Austrian Federal Railways and by Kowloon-Canton-Railways in Hong Kong, among others.

By staff writer