Hybrid locomotive now in use at Tata Steel

Recently, an interesting article (in Dutch) was published on Tata Steel’s website about the commissioning of a new hybrid locomotive, built here by us at Bemo Rail.

A hybrid locomotive can be compared to a hybrid car, as it features both a combustion engine and a large battery pack.

This new generation is designed to be less prone to malfunctions and requires less maintenance. Additionally, transitioning to hydrogen power in the future will be made easier.

Although the first hybrid locomotive was delivered back in July, it took some time before it could officially be put into service.

This delay was due to the hybrid drive being a completely new addition to the design.

While the locomotive may look the same from the outside, a lot has changed “under the hood.”

Several tests were necessary to ensure all systems worked properly and that any fault notifications were correctly logged, allowing for troubleshooting.

Bemo Rail is building a total of ten of these modern locomotives for Tata Steel. We are responsible for constructing the locomotives, with Tata Steel providing the frames and wheelsets.

The project also has a local advantage: most of Bemo Rail’s subcontractors and suppliers are based in the Netherlands, which not only reduces transport costs but also contributes to a smaller carbon footprint!

In the video below, you can see how the transport of the locomotive from our facility in Warmenhuizen to Tata Steel in IJmuiden began >