Model of the new MS3 at the booth of Bombardier during Transport & Logistic 2017. Photo: Henk Zwoferink

Bombardier Transportation presented its new product platform for the locomotive sector at the Transport Logistic trade fair in Munich today. Alongside the Bombardier TRAXX AC3 locomotive (series 187/487), which is powered by alternating current, the product platform is now complete with the introduction of new Bombardier TRAXX MS3 (multi system) and DC3 (direct current) locomotives.

While the MS3 can be used under the four voltages commonly found in Europe, the DC3 version can operate on direct current routes, for example in Italy and Poland. With the new locomotive platform, Bombardier now has the rail market's most modern and comprehensive range of electric locomotives.

Michael Fohrer, President of Locomotives and Light Rail Vehicles, Bombardier Transportation, says, "Our new locomotive platform offers operators suitable solutions for all electrification systems. The advantages are mainly in the areas of tractive power, economical and ecological operation and tailor-made service variants. Our new platform will enable operators to rely upon the Last Mile Feature across all of Europe, making it possible to bridge non-electrified track sections in harbours and borders as well as compensate for power failure."

Compared to similar locomotives in their class, the new TRAXX locomotives will offer greater performance. They will be able to pull one additional carriage each and their degree of efficiency will be 1.9 per cent higher. Improved traction effort and adhesion control makes it possible for a TRAXX MS3 locomotive to deliver 20 tons more traction load per 1.000 tons of train. This means that operators can save around 170,000 euro over the locomotive's 30-year service life. Plus, an Ecomode can cut overall energy consumption by five per cent by switching off individual traction motors. Also, the new TRAXX will be able to generate 15% of the energy it needs by itself via better recuperation systems and improved energy efficiency.

The locomotives are designed condition-based and with modular maintenance downtime is being reduced by making mechanical service faster and easier.

Railcolor: we have the general technical specs of the new TRAXX MS3 platform, with some interesting characteristics:

• Max. traction power: 6 MW (6.4 MW power boost). This is slightly more than the standard 5.6 MW older TRAXX types have.
• New is that a multi-system locomotive will be available with a shunting diesel engine and remote radio control. The Last Mile diesel power module is of course optional, but will be slightly more powerful than the unit now used in the AC3 Last Mile with approx. 230 kW of power
• The max. starting traction effort in electric mode is slightly higher than before: 340 kN (approx. 300 kN in Last Mile mode)
• Max. speed: 160 km/h
• ETCS Baseline 3
• Countries for homologation mentioned by Bombardier are the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia and Romania.