EURODUAL Locomotive: Approval in Germany

The rail vehicle manufacturer Stadler developed a new locomotive platform called EURODUAL at its production facility in Valencia. The EURODUAL is based on the EURO-4000 diesel locomotive. It is a six-axle freight train locomotive with a maximum track speed of 120 km/h. What makes the EURODUAL unique is that it can be operated both with diesel and electricity. Furthermore, the EURODUAL platform is fully prepared for operations at speeds up to 160 km/h. The Havelländische Eisenbahn (HVLE) was the first customer to order ten EURODUAL locomotives, which are to be used on the DB network (15 kV AC 16.7 Hz) as well as on the non-electrified approach routes to and on the Rübelandbahn (25 kV, 50 Hz).

DB Systemtechnik was commissioned by Stadler Valencia to carry out all the necessary tests for the approval of the locomotive in Germany within a very short time. In addition to the tight schedule, the new Railway Operation Approval Regulation (EIGV), which had recently come into force, posed an additional challenge. The implementation of the new approval process, as well as the integration of safety assessments, were successfully managed thanks to the in-house AsBo certification. The test runs were conducted with two locomotives running in parallel on the DB network and the steep track of the Rübelandbahn near Blankenburg in Saxony-Anhalt. At the request of the customer, dynamic driving tests of the running gear were carried out for a target speed of 160 km/h to ensure approval of faster locomotive variants of the EURODUAL family. For this, the test object had to be towed by a DB Systemtechnik locomotive, together with sleeping cars developed for Azerbaijan, also manufactured by Stadler Altenrhein. The compatibility with the overhead line was tested with one and two raised pantographs to examine the so-called "ice scraper mode," where the leading pantograph clears ice from the overhead line during winter, improving contact with the line.

DB Systemtechnik’s Performance Overview:

• EVU services and approval procedures for test runs on the DB network and the Rübelandbahn
• Conducting test runs for the following components:
  • Driving tests, including the creation of two measuring wheelsets to measure wheel forces
  • Electromagnetic compatibility testing (axle counters, stray currents, radio compatibility, and personal protection)
  • ETCS Track-Train Integration on the new VDE 8.2 route
  • Testing the pantograph-overhead line interaction (contact force and pantograph lift), as well as simulating additional overhead line types to support the approval of the locomotive in Scandinavia
  • Braking tests for approval on steep tracks
  • Slip protection testing using the DB Systemtechnik slip protection case
  • Torsional oscillations

Thanks to the involvement of DB Systemtechnik, Stadler Valencia benefited from an integrated project execution, receiving a comprehensive "all-in-one" package. This package not only provided expert support for defining the scope of testing but also included operational planning and execution of these tests and measurements. The use of modern simulation tools allowed the measurement campaign to be completed in a very short time.