DB Cargo ordered 150 Vectron Dual Mode light locomotives from Siemens Mobility. The new locomotives are several tonnes lighter than the usual Vectron Dual Mode. As DB Cargo mentioned, they can be used “on branch lines and sidings with a lower load capacity”.
The company stated that this initiative will favour single wagonload traffic in Germany. The locomotives are hybrid, meaning they can switch from electric to diesel operations. The first locomotives will be deployed at the marshalling yard in Halle, 170 kilometres southwest of Berlin.
The initiative has been in the works since February 2022, when DB Cargo announced a meha plan to rejuvenate its fleet. In addition to the 150 locomotives from Siemens, the company tasked Vossloh Locomotives with the construction of 50 heavy hybrid shunting locomotives. Finally, this year should also see the rollout of 50 hybrid shunting locomotives from Toshiba.
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