OTTAWA, Ontario — Stadler has signed a contract to supply VIA Rail Canada with 45 hybrid locomotives, marking the manufacturer’s first locomotive order in Canada.
The agreement also includes 20 years of technical support and spare-parts supply. Stadler said the fleet will help modernize and reduce emissions from Canada’s passenger rail system.
The locomotives will combine diesel-electric technology with battery-assisted traction and will be designed to operate reliably in temperatures as low as minus 50 C. Stadler said the hybrid system will reduce fuel consumption and emissions while improving operational performance across VIA Rail’s network.
Each locomotive will be equipped with traction batteries that can provide power for propulsion, onboard auxiliary systems and passenger cars. The locomotives will produce up to 4 megawatts of power at the wheel, deliver starting tractive effort of 350 kilonewtons and reach a maximum speed of 100 mph.
The hybrid system will capture braking energy and store it in the batteries, improving efficiency and reducing fuel use, greenhouse gas emissions and maintenance requirements. Battery power can also be used at stations and in environmentally sensitive areas to reduce noise and exhaust emissions.
The batteries will provide additional power during periods of peak demand. Stadler said they could also allow a locomotive to reach an accessible location if the diesel propulsion system fails.
The locomotives are intended for service across Canada, connecting major metropolitan areas and remote communities. Their design draws on Stadler technology that has operated for more than a decade in countries including Sweden and Norway.
Stadler said the locomotives will have recyclability rates exceeding 92% and recoverability rates exceeding 95%. The battery systems are being designed for long service lives and potential second-life applications.
Stadler Valencia, the company’s locomotive center of expertise in Spain, will oversee development, production and delivery. Parts of the final assembly, testing and commissioning work will take place in Canada.
Technical support and parts services will be provided through a new Canadian Stadler subsidiary. Employees will be based at VIA Rail maintenance facilities in Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver.
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