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SBB Cargo has presented its new Stadler EURO DuFour mainline freight locomotive, setting out a fleet renewal plan aimed at lowering energy use, reducing track wear and cutting operating costs across Swiss rail freight.
The new locomotive, shown in classic SBB red, will enter service as the Re 494 in Switzerland. Units fitted with battery powered last mile capability will be designated Rea 494. The programme is part of SBB Cargo Switzerland’s effort to modernise and standardise its mainline fleet as it works toward a commercially self sustaining freight business from 2033.
SBB Cargo ordered an initial 36 locomotives from Stadler in September 2024, with options for 93 more. Of the first batch, 22 will include a battery module that allows operation on tracks without overhead power.
Lower wear on Swiss rail infrastructure
The locomotive is designed for Switzerland’s curved rail network. SBB said the bogie system includes an integrated steering function that reduces rail infrastructure wear by 20 percent compared with other freight locomotives on the market.
That matters in freight rail because the cost of moving cargo is not only about traction power and crew time. It is also about what heavy trains do to the network beneath them. For a national operator, reducing wear is like using the right tyres on a mountain road. The journey may look the same from outside, but the maintenance bill changes over time.
Energy savings and last mile flexibility
SBB said the EURO DuFour will use 15 percent less electricity in operation than its current fleet, supported by a modern electric drive and a new stabling concept.
The battery equipped Rea 494 units are intended to reduce the need for separate shunting moves. They can cover first and last mile sections directly at customer sites where there is no overhead line, allowing cargo to be collected or delivered without always bringing in a separate shunting locomotive.
For shippers, that could mean a simpler handover. For SBB Cargo, it means fewer locomotive changes, fewer yard movements and a cleaner operating model.
Fleet standardisation becomes central
Alexander Muhm, head of freight transport at SBB, said the railway remains committed to a strong freight business.
“The new freight locomotive stands for that,” Muhm said. “It sets a new technical standard. It is energy saving, powerful and ready for future innovation. A modern and efficient fleet is the prerequisite for successful rail freight transport at SBB.”
SBB Cargo plans to renew and standardise its fleet completely by 2040. Over the long term, the new Stadler locomotive is expected to become the only mainline locomotive type owned by SBB Cargo Switzerland.
The operator said standardising locomotives and freight wagons, together with more efficient maintenance of new vehicles, should reduce operating costs for the SBB freight fleet by about 60 percent.
Testing starts before Swiss approval
The locomotives will be built at Stadler’s plant in Valencia, Spain. The first vehicle is scheduled for testing at the Velim test circuit in the Czech Republic in the second half of 2026.
The locomotive is expected to arrive in Switzerland in 2027 for approval work, followed by testing and operational trials with SBB Cargo from late 2027. Delivery of the 36 locomotives in the first tranche is due to continue through March 2029.
The design also carries visual links to the wider SBB fleet. The red body, black window band and striped SBB logo echo familiar elements from Swiss passenger locomotives, including the Re 460.
For a freight railway trying to cut costs while keeping more cargo on rail, the message is practical rather than cosmetic. The new locomotive is not just a red machine on a test track. It is a bet that fewer locomotive types, lower energy use and more direct customer access can make rail freight easier to run.
