Swiss rolling stock manufacturer Stadler Rail has unveiled the Euro DuFour, marking the company’s first entry into the four-axle multi-system locomotive segment. Developed from the existing EuroDual platform, the locomotive was delivered two years after SBB Cargo placed the initial order at the InnoTrans trade fair in Berlin.
Order Details and Fleet Deployment
State-owned freight operator SBB Cargo has ordered 36 units of the Euro DuFour, with options secured for an additional 96 locomotives. The fleet features the classic SBB red livery alongside design nods to historical Swiss locomotives, including a black window band and striped SBB side logos reminiscent of the Re 460 model. According to Stadler Rail, 22 of the initial 36 locomotives will include a battery module designed for shunting operations on non-electrified tracks. Depending on the configuration, the locomotives carry the designation Re 494 for standard models and Rea 494 for battery-equipped variants.
Technical Specifications and Route Efficiency
The Euro DuFour generates up to 7 megawatts of power under electric traction while maintaining a weight of 80 tonnes. This lighter frame enables operation on railway lines with lower track classifications, specifically categories C2, C3, and C4. Stadler designed the bogie configuration to navigate tight curves common across the Swiss rail network, a feature the manufacturer states reduces track wear by approximately 20 percent. Overall energy consumption drops by roughly 15 percent.
Testing Timeline and Naming Origins
Production for the locomotives takes place at Stadler’s plant in Valencia, Spain. Company executives clarified the naming background during the Berlin exhibition, stating that the "DuFour" moniker pays homage to two distinct subjects: the Dufourspitze, Switzerland’s highest mountain peak which represents the locomotive’s four axles, and General Guillaume Henri Dufour, a key historical figure and co-founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
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