TURKEY: Akdoğan Train Cargo has become the first Turkish company to order Siemens Mobility Vectron locomotives, placing an order for five multi-system electric locos for use on international corridors to EU destinations.
The 200 km/h locos will be equipped with ETCS Baseline 3 and relevant national train protection systems for operation on cross-border freight services in Germany, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia, as well as on domestic routes in Turkey.
They will also have the XLoad equipment package to increase haulage capability.
Deliveries are planned from the end of 2027. The order announced on October 2 includes a 10-year full-service contract, with options to extend the term by up to two years and to purchase five more locomotives.
Uninterrupted international routes
Akdoğan Tren Kargo expects the interoperable locos to enable it to offer uninterrupted end-to-end services carrying imports and exports between Turkey and the EU without the need to change locos at national borders.
This aims to contribute to Turkey’s commercial integration with Europe and to sustainable transport goals, offering synergies with China’s Belt & Road Initiative and the Middle Corridor routes linking Asia and Europe.
‘The Vectron locomotives will allow us to seamlessly connect our domestic network with cross-border freight corridors across Europe’, said General Manager Mustafa Pekmezcan. ‘Running corridors seamlessly across the EU with Siemens Vectron MS with XLoad will reinforce not only green transportation but also will create new opportunities.’
Andre Rodenbeck, CEO for Rolling Stock at Siemens Mobility, said ‘the introduction of the Vectron in Turkey marks a significant milestone for our locomotive platform and sends a strong signal for European-Turkish freight transport.’
