Czechia: The Spanish manufacturer’s electric locomotive arrived at the VUZ Velim test centre in Czechia.
In December, the TRA locomotive, powered by 1.5 kW DC catenary and nickel-cadmium batteries, is planned to be forwarded to the Île-de-France region for further testing. The vehicle is going to enter service next year. Yet, the technical specifications have not been disclosed.
A contract for the delivery of 12 such electric locomotives was signed with RATP, the Paris public transport administration, back in 2017. The contract worth €65 mln also included an option for another six vehicles. The deliveries were to commence in 2019, but now the shunters are scheduled to be supplied by 2026.
The reason for the delay has not been publicly commented by the Spanish manufacturer. While CAF has some experience in manufacturing of shunting locomotives, this type of rolling stock is not currently included into the official portfolio. In 1971, under licence from American General Electric, the company produced three GE-35 locomotives for Uruguay.
