SWITZERLAND: Transports Montreux-Vevey-Riviera has awarded Stadler a contract to supply two custom-made electro-diesel Abt rack locomotives to haul engineering trains on the steep 800 mm gauge mountain railway between Montreux and Rochers-de-Naye.
The 13.5 m long and 2 234 mm wide four-axle HGem 4/4 locomotives will have a maximum speed of 25 km/h, a maximum power output of 1 320 kW and starting tractive effort of 220 kN.
Stadler said there would be an emphasis on ergonomics and a functional workplace, with large front and side windows to offer good visibility for the crew.
The locos are to be built at Stadler’s Bussnang factory for entry into service in 2029, at the same time as eight three-car panoramic electric multiple-units which MVR ordered from Stadler in May 2025. The supplier also has a contract to equip the 11 km line with its Nova Pro communications-based train control system.
‘With these two new locomotives, we are reaching an important milestone in the comprehensive modernisation of our Rochers-de-Naye line’, MVR Managing Director Yves Marclay said on October 1. ‘Not only are we renewing our passenger trains, but at the same time we are laying the foundations for reliable and efficient infrastructure maintenance. Together with the new signalling technology and the renewal of the railway infrastructure, this creates an integrated system that will equip us for the coming decades.’
Frédéric Evequoz, Head of Sales for the Tailormade product segment at Stadler, said supplying the line ‘is an exceptional project’, and ‘beautifully illustrates how we develop rolling stock and signalling technology to meet the specific requirements of a railway’.
MVR is also making extensive investments in the line’s infrastructure, including renewal of the overhead electrification with conversion from an 850 V DC supply to 1.5 kV DC.
Source: rg
