It is the first time we see mgw Service locomotive no. 193 846 coming to Poland. The Vectron multisystem locomotive was seen on 11.07.2017 in Gniezno pulling a Transchem train piloting Alpha Trains 186 243. Photos: Daniel Kasprzyk

This is mgw's newest locomotive, Vectron no.193 846 (or should we say Akiem 193 846 now?). On 10.01.2016 the machine was parked in Krefeld, offering Wolfgang Scheer a good look on its details. We see an UIC grid that still has many countries crossed out. Of the seven countries for which this multi-system machine is equipped, the locomotive is currently only welcome in Germany and Austria.

Press statement Akiem:

Akiem, the European leader in locomotive leasing, has acquired German company mgw Service, a major independent player in electric and diesel locomotive maintenance in Europe. The transaction covers the entire share capital of mgw Service and was signed at the end of 2016 by Antje Wallraff and Klaus Weiss, the founding partners and heads of mgw Service, and Fabien Rochefort, Chief Executive Officer of Akiem.

mgw Service provides preventive and corrective maintenance for locomotives on behalf of rail freight and passenger operators. The headquarters of the 70-strong company is based in Kassel (Hesse State). It operates mainly in Germany from its own workshop in Krefeld (North Rhine-Westphalia State) and in Sweden (Hallsberg, Orebro County), but also in Switzerland, Italy and Poland. mgw Service possesses the skills, equipment and spare-part logistics required to cover an extensive range of electric and diesel locomotives. It generated estimated 2016 revenue of close to €20 million from a broad portfolio of private and incumbent operators.

This external growth transaction is part of Akiem’s programme to accelerate its expansion in Europe and step up its investment in new locomotive fleets capable of serving from Germany to Central Europe, Sweden, the North Sea area, and Italy. This will enable Akiem to reinforce its leasing with maintenance offering. mgw Service’s current managerial team will remain in place and the company will continue to operate under the name mgw Service. The complementary leasing and maintenance activities will enable Akiem and its subsidiary, mgw Service, to expand their networks and broaden the nature and level of performance of the services they provide to European operators.

“We are extremely satisfied with this transaction, which gives mgw Service the support of a European leader like Akiem. Our company’s growth is now assured by once again expanding our European base so that we can serve all our customers with ever more dedication and commitment,” said Klaus Weiß, CEO of mgw Service.

Fabien Rochefort, CEO of Akiem, said: “For Akiem, this acquisition is a significant step forward for our expansion in Europe. Akiem is determined to support and develop mgw Service and the synergies with our leasing business. The high professional standards and quality of service offered by both Akiem and mgw Service will enable us to offer our customers new services and provide better solutions for prospective customers in Europe.”

Signed on 28 December 2016, the acquisition should come into force following the decision of the European competition authorities, which is expected for the end of the first quarter of 2017.

Our first image of the latest addition to the fleet mgw Service, in revenue earning service: Vectron no. 193 846, currently operated by Erfurter Bahnservice (EBS). Michael Goll caught the locomotive on camera on 08.12.2016 in Graben-Neudorf pulling a sugar beets freight train.

This is the second Vectron locomotive for the German company mgw. Like the previously delivered 193 845 is is blue and has the light grey mgw logos. What is different thought, is that this machine is a multi system unit (the 845 is AC) with country specific packages installed for Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania. Daniel Powalka was able to take a picture of the machine in Rudesheim on 07.10.2016.

In October, mgw Service will get a second Vectron locomotive. On 17.06.2016, mgw and Siemens signed the contract. It is the fourth electric locomotive in the fleet of mgw Service, that currently operates 183 500, 185 642 and 193 845. (mgw/Siemens)

Nowadays, things are quite the opposite. The manufacturers' decision to address the market's needs by developing a highly standardized, yet flexible platform locomotives, resulted in products with an 'independent' design, independent from the wish-list of a certain customer. Of course, there are still launching customers, that fuel innovation with their (big or small) orders, but design and construction are now, in general, rather based on universally applicable EU railway (market) standards, than on specific needs of an operator. So, now also the big railways operators in Europe are being offered standard designs (the Bombardier AC3 for DB Schenker Rail for example) of which the customization is limited. Only if an operator is willing to pay for a custom design, or its parameters require this, they'll get a custom made exterior. This does not happen a lot. Luckily for this website, there are still the liveries, that get more diverse and colorful every day.

And, lucky us, we now see it from quite a distance, 'ah it is a Siemens', or 'hey, that was a Bombardier locomotive'. Makes life easier. - SW mgw Service Vectron Railpool Traxx AC3 LM

More information about these trains:

mgw Service Vectron

mgw Service and Siemens signed a contract for the delivery of one Vectron locomotive on 11.04.2014. Delivery for the new machine is planned for August 2014. - mgw mgw Service Vectron