Just over a year after placing the order, BLS Cargo has received the first two of 15 new multi-system Vectron locomotives from Siemens.
The locomotives, which are now undergoing testing, will operate freight services between Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, and Genoa, Italy.
BLS Cargo and Siemens still need to gain approval to use the locomotives in Italy and the Netherlands but hope to begin operating the units from the middle of next year.
All of the new locomotives will be delivered to BLS Cargo in Spiez from Siemens’ factory in Munich by early 2018.
BLS Cargo said the first two locomotives were being “intensively” tested on the Lötschberg axis throughout May.
Dirk Stahl, chief executive of BLS Cargo, said: “We are happy that we have been able to acquire the new locomotives in such a short time.”