Dispolok

Siemens Dispolok Ltd. (abbreviation: Dispolok) was a locomotive leasing company wholly owned by Siemens Transportation Systems offering locomotives for hire to European rail operators. On the 21st of September 2006 it was bought by Mitsui Rail Capital Europe BV (MRCE) a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Mitsui & Co. Ltd..

On 24 January 2008 the organisation was renamed MRCE Dispolok Ltd..

History

Due to technical problems with different locomotives, including the diesel electric Locomotive ME26 (see NSB Di 6) Siemens found itself with locomotives that had been returned from the original purchaser,

In order to avoid a total loss, and with the deregulation of rail transport in Europe taking place it was decided to offer these locomotives to private companies on a leased basis.

Since the new privately owned rail companies were almost all entirely new companies with no experience or infrastructure to deal with locomotive maintenance the leasing agreements included full servicing to be provided by Siemens (or its associates). In addition Siemens offer the leasers an option to buy the locomotives later if they so wished.