DB Cargo states the case for Class 66 retention
DB Cargo is keeping a watching brief on how hybrid traction will develop, but for the time being the operator intends to retain its existing fleet.
In an exclusive interview with RAIL, DB Cargo Chief Executive Hans-Georg Werner also explained that the cost of new locomotives was high for what would currently be quite a small order.
He added that the Class 66s remain the standard freight locomotive for the UK, and yet are only at their half-life stage.
“For a new diesel locomotive, a new one is £3 million. So £60m-£80m is a lot for some locomotives,” he said. “The ‘66s’ are 20 years old, so are half-life. We will go on with that.”
Werner said DB considers Class 66s as the main fleet, ‘60s’ for heavy freight, ‘67s’ for passenger contracts and high-speed work, and ‘90s’ for electric services. He did not mention the ‘92s’, but spoke about developing the Channel Tunnel market, on which the dual-voltage electrics are currently employed.
Asked about the prospect of a Stadler dual-mode locomotive, as per the ‘88’, or a speculated new tri-mode machine, Werner said: “Stadler is doing a different thing. They have electric locomotives and do a hybrid. The difference is in Europe it is 90% electric, whereas in the UK it is the other way. There are ideas with hybrid locomotives - let’s see how they develop.”
Werner has also spoken with Rail Minister Jo Johnson regarding the latter’s plans to phase out diesel traction by 2040 ( RAIL 847).
He said: “At the moment there is no capacity to drive a 2,000 or 3,000-tonne train with electric traction. It would be good to do so, but the locomotive would need extra capacity for the equipment. The Rail Delivery Group has created a working group, and we are thinking about how it will go.”
Meanwhile, DB is looking to bid for third-party work for Toton. Currently the company carries out maintenance on Class 66s for Colas Railfreight, but is actively looking for more work.
It says all major tasks can be carried out at the site, but Werner would not be drawn on whether it will maintain GB Railfreight’s recently acquired Class 60 fleet.