Locomotive leaser European Loc Pool (ELP) reports a company milestone: its EuroDual locomotives have received approval for operation in Slovenia and Croatia. This follows an earlier homologation for Serbia (2023).
Through this approval, “ELP expands the geographical availability of its fleet and creates new opportunities for cross-border rail freight transport in Southeast Europe”, the company says.
Slovenia and Croatia are becoming increasingly important for cross-border rail freight operations. ELP highlights the Adriatic – Central Europe corridor as a strategic backbone in the region. This route leads to inland industrial hubs from the ports of Koper (Slovenia) and Rijeka (Croatia).
The hybrid EuroDual locomotive combines electric and diesel traction, enabling operations on both electrified and non-electrified infrastructure, which includes last-mile sections. It boasts a high tractive effort, says ELP, with 6.2 MW of electric power and a 2.8 MW diesel engine.
Improved efficiency on challenging infrastructure
Diesel-electric traction makes the EuroDual “particularly well suited for countries and routes with mixed infrastructure, as commonly found in the Balkan region”, explains ELP. Southeast Europe’s rail infrastructure has many transitions between electrified and non-electrified infrastructure where locomotives would typically need to be switched, meaning that the EuroDual offers “significant efficiency gains and reduced idle times”.
“With the approval in the Balkan region, we are opening up another strategically important market for our customers”, commented Willem Goosen, CEO of European Loc Pool. “Flexibility is key, especially on international corridors. Our locomotives enable seamless transport without locomotive changes, contributing to more efficient and stable transport chains.”
ELP adds that the EuroDual locomotive contributes to more sustainable rail freight. Its capacity for heavy hauling reduces the number of required trips. Modern propulsion technology, a Stage V-compliant diesel engine compatible with HVO and regenerative braking support energy efficiency.