Vossloh Euro

Vossloh Euro is a class of diesel-electric locomotives built by Vossloh for the European market. It is available in two basic variants, the four-axle Euro 3000, and the six-axle Euro 4000.

History and background

At the beginning of the 2000s numerous private train operators emerged in mainland Europe, as open-access freight operation was already granted in some European countries before complete liberalization in 2012. These mainly used second-hand diesel locomotives formerly in use with the state railways of the respective country, or new medium-powered diesel locomotives like the Class 66 or Vossloh G2000. With the success of these operators rising and trains getting heavier, the need of a complete new high-powered diesel locomotive series was becoming high, especially for cross-border freight traffic where absence of, or changes in electrification voltage made electric traction impossible or problematic.

Primarily due to environmental issues and high costs, developments for such a new locomotive series were pushed back whenever possible. In the mid-2000s development of a new series finally seemed economically viable; becoming part of Alstom's locomotive programme Prima. Development of the programme was started under Alstom supervision, but as the Alstom Valencia plant was bought by Vossloh this series got the Vossloh name: Vossloh Euro.