The TRAXX Platform: A New Way to Build Electric and Diesel Locomotives

The opening of the European market for freight and passenger services has initiated the need for cross-border locomotives which fulfill the specific requirements of each country and comply with new European standards. The TRAXX locomotive platform addresses this new market with four locomotive types. Each type is configured with standard building blocks. The TRAXX platform covers both electric and diesel 4-axle locomotives. A high level of standardization allows manufacturing of all types in a single assembly line, thus also reducing manufacturing costs for small production lots. The key to the TRAXX platform is a high level of system integration. Important innovations are in the traction chain, carbody, air supply, in the development of automatic train protection (ATP) systems based on the future European standard ETCS (European Train Control System) and in system integration. Today, the TRAXX platform covers all major mainline traction needs in continental Europe with more than 1′200 locomotives so far sold. Further developments are needed to optimize the ATP systems for new and important cross-border freight corridors and to streamline the homologation procedures throughout Europe.