Siemens has delivered the first two units from Swiss freight operator BLS Cargo’s order for 15 multi-system Vectron MS locomotives.

The new locomotives will be known as Re 475 and are planned for operations between the Netherlands and Italy. The trains will undergo extensive testing over the coming weeks before entering service in July.

Three more units will be delivered by the end of the year, followed by another five next year and the remaining five in 2018.

BLS Cargo placed the order at the end of March. CEO Dirk Stahl said: "We are happy that we have been able to acquire the new locomotives in such a short time.

"The Re 475s are the ideal addition to our fleet and will bring us even closer to our clients along the Rotterdam-Genoa corridor."

"Fitted out for international use, the Re 475s are the ideal addition to our fleet and will bring us even closer to our clients along the Rotterdam-Genoa corridor."

BLS Cargo intends to improve and develop its position with regard to new production concepts along the freight corridor. The DACHINL multi-system locomotives are fitted with the necessary traction and train safety systems to allow them to travel through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and the Netherlands.

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According to BLS Cargo, the Re 475s will satisfy the increased requirements arising from anticipated growth on the freight corridor, as well as replace older existing locomotives.

Siemens sales and projects Europe head Christian Schlegel said: "The BLS Cargo contract is very important to us in a number of ways.

"We are more than happy to be supplying BLS Cargo with locomotives for the first time. Moreover, these will be the first Vectron locomotives to be kitted out for all five countries along the north-south corridor from Holland through to Italy."

In order to finalise the operating documentation, BLS Cargo and Siemens will test the locomotives more intensively in Spiez and on the Lötschberg axis.