Diesel Locomotive

DB AG Class 245 Diesel Locomotive The German Railroad began several years ago to search for a suitable replacement for the class 218 diesel locomotives that had been greatly burdened for almost four decades. The new locomotives had to be in a position to haul medium heavy regional passenger and freight trains without problem. The DB was finally successful with Bombardier, which was offering the class 246 single-motor diesel locomotive class developed from the Traxx family. This diesel electric…

DB AG Class 245 Diesel Locomotive The German Railroad began several years ago to search for a suitable replacement for the class 218 diesel locomotives that had been greatly burdened for almost four decades. The new locomotives had to be in a position to haul medium heavy regional passenger and freight trains without problem. The DB was finally successful with Bombardier, which was offering the class 246 single-motor diesel locomotive class developed from the Traxx family. This diesel electric unit had turned in excellent results for several years pulling Metronom bi-level trains between Hamburg and Cuxhaven. New exhaust regulations made it difficult to build any more of the class 246. Bombardier therefore hit upon another path. Instead of a large diesel motor, that still had to be modified for the exhaust regulations, the just 19 meter / 62 feet 4 inches long and 83 ton locomotives were equipped with four individual, smaller diesel motors that met the new EU exhaust regulations Stage III B. Another advantage is turning individual motors on or off depending on the performance required to enable at least theoretically a way to run the locomotive that saves fuel and that is environmentally friendly. Here the electronics decides without action on the part of the locomotive engineer when unneeded motor performance and which motor is shut off. The latter in order to achieve maintenance cycles for the motors that are as equal as possible. Convinced of the virtues of this variant, the DB now concluded a framework agreement with Bombardier for delivery of 200 of the new class 245 locomotives. After successful test runs with the prototype road number 245 001, the DB-Regio immediately ordered 20 units for the regional areas of Frankfurt/Main, Mühldorf, and Kempten. These locomotives can do 160 km/h / 100 mph and they are powered by four six-cylinder Caterpillar CAT C18 diesel motors with a total output of 2,252 kilowatts / 3,062 horsepower. They impress people with their acceleration. The DB long-distance passenger service group ordered seven additional 245 units on June 10, 2014 to replace the class 218 the Sylt shuttles, whereby a single 245 will replace two 218 units.