Hello 187 009, you look different. Indeed, this locomotive was previously used for test and promotion by Bombardier. It was painted in the red livery of DB Schenker, however without the DB logos. Now it is just another member of the Railpool fleet. (Christian Klotz)

This means there is no 187.0 anymore in red:
Bombardier 187 009 is now Railpool 187 009-6
Bombardier 187 010 is now SRT 487 001
Bombardier 187 010 (II) is now WLE 82 (to be delivered)

Rail technology leader Bombardier Transportation announced today that its BOMBARDIER TRAXX AC3 Last Mile Locomotive has been homologated in Germany. The locomotive received official approval for operation from the German Railway Authority Eisenbahn-Bundesamt (EBA) on 17.12.2015.

Ulrich Jochem, Head of Locomotives, Bombardier Transportation, said, "Approval by the German Railway Authority is a very important milestone for further implementing the TRAXX AC3 Last Mile locomotive in Central Europe. The TRAXX AC3 Last Mile locomotive will make it possible to utilize entirely new logistics concepts."

The TRAXX locomotive's Last Mile features an innovative support diesel engine with an accompanying traction battery and a remote control for shunting. Together, these systems enable this electric locomotive to efficiently bridge sections of non-electrified track. This ability is put to great use in places like ports, terminals, depots or factories where a supporting diesel shunting locomotive is often called in to help trains cross the final, non-electrified, track sections known as the "last mile". Efficiently, economically (with one driver only) and environmentally friendly, the TRAXX AC3 Last Mile locomotives use their support diesel engines only when necessary, and are entirely emission-free when operating in traction battery mode while providing full traction performance also in last mile mode. The TRAXX AC3 Last Mile locomotive is also the first locomotive with the Last Mile functionality to receive homologation in Germany.

Bombardier has already received over 240 orders for different TRAXX AC3 locomotive variants and the innovative locomotive has also won various certifications in accordance with the applicable TSI (technical specifications for interoperability).

Up to date impessions of Bombardier's 187 009 in Hungary. (Norbert Tilai)

The two red Bombardier Traxx AC3 Last Mile's caught in one shot. (Günter Kornhuber)

This week in Austria: BLS Cargo 485 003 has taken the place of Railpool 186 433 in the tests with Bombardier 187 010(II). Green and red together in Wiener Neustadt on 11.08.2015. (Herbert Pschill)

Bombardier Traxx AC3 Last Mile locomotive no. 187 009 now refers also in written form to its presence in Austria: „At home in Austria, operating throughout Europe“ is written on its Flexx panel, its side cover. Its presence in and beyond Austria is also accentuated by photos: The Vienna Ferris Wheel of the Prater amusement park signifies performance in motion, the mountain scenery stands for the power of the locomotive, also when it comes to overcoming changes in altitude – and flags from many European countries are a symbol for the Europe-wide presence and cross-border operation of Traxx locomotives.

187 009 has been tested for the Wiener Lokalbahnen Cargo (WLC) in the last weeks. Since the beginning of July and until the end of calendar week 32 it will operate from Port Linz to Port Enns. It will transport various goods such as cereals up to a weight of 1,600 tons. The train is operated with a workload of 60 percent in the Last Mile mode, i.e. operation in non-electrified ports without catenary. (Bombardier)

Currently, Bombardier's 187 010(II) (our first images!) is performing test runs with Railpool 186 433. They were seen yesterday pendling between Wiener Neustadt Hbf and Bahnhof Ternitz. On 31.07.2015 the 433 was transferred to Hennigsdorf (not directly to Austria), accompanied by DB's future 146 561. From Hennigsdorf the 433 went to Austria. (Herbert Pschill / Matthias Nowack / Christian Klotz)

A loco to watch in the next days. First time we see Bombardier 187 010(II) outside the gates of Kassel. It is the second locomotive with this number and livery, as the original 187 010 was repainted and delivered as 487 001 to Swiss Rail Traffic before it left Kassel.

Bombardier's Traxx AC3 Last Mile locomotive 187 009 has once again proven its power: During test runs in Austria, it pulled freight trains weighing up to 2199 tons just in Last Mile mode, drove on tracks with narrow curve radii and mastered gradients of up to 27 per mill.

The Traxx AC Last Mile locomotive was on the move with trains of LTE (Logistik- und Transport-GmbH) from Sunday, 5 July to Thursday, 9 July. Among others, it pulled wagons with cars (for continuing the journey to Bremerhaven port) from the headquarters of the company in Graz to the car delivery space in the district Messendorf; the train had a total length of 560 metres. It shunted a train to a storage siding of the Graz-Köflacher rail, which worked without catenary wire. Other routes led to Vienna via the south-east axis. Here, among others, the locomotive transported wood chips from Ebenfurt to Gratwein – at the front of a 2199 ton train that was 610 metres long. The transport route led via Vienna's local mountain Semmering with a pass height of 984 metres and extremely narrow curve radii. According to the load specification, double heading and a helper engine are required here.

However, the performance of the second locomotive at the front of the train was not required after all and also the helper engine only had to apply half its power to maintain the speed. The train loaded with canola oil also weighed 2199 tons and left the station Hegyeshalom near the Hungarian border in Last Mile mode. With this heavy load, the locomotive accelerated to 14 km/h, before transmission from diesel to electrical operation took place within only a few seconds while driving. (Bombardier)

Trainspotter.ch has released a video that shows all the different traction modes of Bombardier's 187 009 in service of SRT.

We showed you the RailAdventure transport with several locomotives two days ago. 187 009 und 193 901 were parked in Mannheim, as shown in the two title images. NS E 186 016 and 017 were taken to Emmerich and continued their journey into the Netherlands, to Amsterdam.

Having the 193 901 back in Germany, means that the tests with double Vectron traction in Switzerland are completed for now. 193 902 was left behind in the Alp country. Beneath an image of the final run together of the two white locomotives:

An exotic transport: RailAdventure transporting various locomotives and coaches up north. Behind the 139 558 one sees the NS Traxx MS locomotives 186 016 and 017 that come from Zurich, were Bombardier used them for tests with new Twindexx Swiss Express trains. Then there is the red Bombardier 187 009 that has been used by Swiss Rail Traffic replacing the SRT 487 001. The Vectron in this train is 193 901, also coming from Switzerland. 193 902 was left behind in the Alp country.

The E 186 016 and 017 have been spotted in Emmerich already.

(Theo Stolz / André Grouillet) 187 009-010 - test bed locomotives Swiss Rail Traffic TRAXX AC3

Yes, the large image shows Bombardier's Last Mile demonstration locomotive in Switzerland no 187 009. The red machine is now in service of Swiss Rail Traffic (SRT). SRT's own 487 001 is on its way to Munich, where it will be present at the 2015 edition of transport logistic 2015.

(Theo Stolz) 187 009-010 - test bed locomotives Swiss Rail Traffic TRAXX AC3

The authorization was granted after extensive testing of the eight locomotives ordered by Railpool, three of which were deployed in Switzerland by BLS. Four more will be delivered to Akiem, and an additional Traxx AC3 locomotive with the innovative Last Mile feature was handed over last week to the Swiss company Swiss Rail Traffic (SRT). The locomotive's Last Mile feature, a combination of auxiliary diesel engine and battery, will help SRT bridge a five-kilometre non-electrified line section.

The Last Mile feature enables the locomotive to cover the frequently non-electrified "last mile" in ports, container terminals, saw mills or railway stations under its own power, rendering shunting locomotives and other solutions obsolete. In fact, Last Mile-equipped locomotive are able to run on non-electrified line sections on their own power for up to eight hours – without reducing tractive effort as compared with running under catenary wire. Official Traxx locomotive approval is also expected in Austria and Germany in the immediate future. - Bombardier 187 001-003 - test bed locomotives 187 009-010 - test bed locomotives Akiem Traxx AC3 Last Mile Railpool Traxx AC3 LM Swiss Rail Traffic TRAXX AC3

To accommodate all other children while they were not joining the driver a saloon car of the historical luxury train Blue Train was also added. There was plenty of room in it for the young passengers and their companions. The locomotive stopped at each the station en route and three new kids joined the driver in his cabin every time. The train staff was responsible for their safety and in addition every child was accompanied by an adult person.

All in all more than 100 children took part in a pre-Christmas tombola published by Bombardier in the Kronen-Zeitung. Their dream of once riding at the head of a train in a real locomotive came true for 27 of them thanks to Bombardier. 187 009-010 - test bed locomotives

On the one hand, the locomotive was tested at temperatures of up to -35°C – this showed that even at such low temperatures the control technology reacted very quickly and that the additional diesel engine was operative. On the other hand, the tests were about the locomotive's performance at up to 45°C and wind speeds of up to 200 km/h. These tests especially checked whether the air conditioning unit (the air conditioning system) and the Flex Panel were able to withstand the extreme conditions.

The bottom line after four weeks of tests: Once more, the Traxx F140 AC3 Last Mile locomotive has proven successfully its functionality under extreme conditions. - Bombardier 187 009-010 - test bed locomotives

187 009-010 - test bed locomotives

- First time a single traction locomotive has pulled a Rail Cargo Group train across the Carpathian Mountains
- Innovative electric locomotive with support diesel engine and battery reduced transport time and overcame electrical track malfunction

Vienna, November 20, 2014 – Rail technology leader Bombardier Transportation and ÖBB's freight division, Rail Cargo Group (RCG), have successfully completed a 4000-kilometer test run of a BOMBARDIER TRAXX AC Last Mile locomotive. The test run saw a BOMBARDIER TRAXX AC Last Mile locomotive pull a RCG freight train from Sopron, on the Austrian-Hungarian border through Romania and Bulgaria to Istanbul, Turkey (Tekirdag) and back.

The trip followed a long distance intermodal route built by Rail Cargo Group to transport goods between the German Ruhr area to the Black Sea in Turkey. Currently this route has four departures per week with seven per week beginning in January.

The journey was not only a first for both Bombardier Transportation and RCG, but also an unprecedented achievement for this particular train configuration. On the test run, the TRAXX locomotive demonstrated its strength when this single locomotive pulled the 534-meter long, 1200-ton freight train across Romania’s Carpathian Mountains. This rugged terrain typically requires the RCG train to have two locomotives.

Earlier in the test run, an electrical failure along a 20-kilometer section of track provided another challenge. Here, the TRAXX AC Last Mile locomotive demonstrated its superior performance by crossing this non-electrified stretch using its Last Mile feature – avoiding a five-hour delay. The innovative Last Mile feature, a combination of an auxiliary diesel engine and battery, enables the locomotive to operate at full power for up to eight hours. The TRAXX’s ability to run on non-electrified route sections for extended periods eliminates the need for additional shunting locomotives in container terminals, harbours or side tracks to factories. Furthermore, while in Last Mile mode, the locomotive is still capable of pulling equally heavy loads just as when under catenary wire power.

The train’s return journey ended on Tuesday in Sopron, Hungary. High-ranked representatives of Rail Cargo Group and Bombardier Transportation welcomed the locomotive this morning in Wien-Westbahnhof.

Commenting on the interplay between the train and the TRAXX AC Last Mile locomotive, Georg Kasperkovitz, Member of the Board of Rail Cargo Group, said, “Competitive rail freight traffic requires innovative solutions for customers and cost-efficient, reliable and steady production. To best meet these demands, Rail Cargo Group promotes and invests in new, modern technologies. The endurance test also included some very difficult conditions.”

On occasion of the locomotive’s return to Austria, Ulrich Jochem, President, Locomotives, Bombardier Transportation said, "This journey provided us an excellent opportunity to once again prove the power and versatility of our TRAXX AC Last Mile locomotive. Both during the grid failure and while crossing the Carpathians, the locomotive demonstrated its exceptional performance under extreme conditions."

The complete press statement here. 187 009-010 - test bed locomotives

187 009-010 - test bed locomotives

BOMBARDIER #TRAXX AC Last Mile #locomotive passes since today #Bulgaria on test run with #RCG freight train http://t.co/pcXN7Tb0Q5

— BombardierRail (@BombardierRail) November 10, 2014

The BOMBARDIER* TRAXX* F140 AC Last Mile locomotive is now also on track in Southeast Europe: Today, Saturday, it set out at the head of a freight train on a test run taking it from Sopron, a city in Hungary on the Austrian border, via Romania and Bulgaria all the way to the Turkish city of Tekirdag on the Black Sea. The locomotive will cover the 2000-kilometre route from Sopron to Tekirdag in four days. It is pulling a 1262-ton freight train with a length of 534 meters belonging to the Rail Cargo Group, which operates a highly frequent far-distance intermodal link on this route, regularly transporting freight by container shuttle from the Ruhr area to the Turkish border.
During the journey across four countries, the locomotive's innovative Last Mile feature will also be tested, a combination of support diesel engine and battery, which allows operation of the locomotive at full power for eight hours, even on non-electrified route sections, dispensing with the need for shunting locomotives in factory terminals, harbours or stations. In Last Mile mode it is capable of pulling just as heavy loads as it is under catenary wire.

You are able to follow the locomotive closely during its trip on twitter.

09.11.2014. 00.05 > Budapest
09.11.2014. 10.30 > Locomotive runs in diesel mode for 20 km
09.11.2014 > Simeria Triaj, Romania
09.11.2014. 12.30 > in Curtici, Romania
09.11.2104. Over the Karpatians
10.11.2014. Bulgaria 187 009-010 - test bed locomotives

Some days ago we already saw 187 009 around Kassel with a test train. The 009 had both a white and a red flex panel during the past week. The above image shows it without such a panel. - AK/CK 187 009-010 - test bed locomotives Railpool Traxx AC3 LM

The 187 009 is a Traxx AC3 locomotive with Last Mile-shunting module. This type of locomotive has no country specific approval yet. Homologation in Switzerland has progressed considerably, but as far as we know final approval has not been granted yet.

Some months ago, thorough dynamic testing with the AC3 started in Germany, using Railpool 187 series locomotives. For some days now, the 187 009 is also on its way in Germany. It has been seen running solo in Bebra. The title image shows the machine with three coaches and 146 553. - CK 187 009-010 - test bed locomotives

Behind the 4-engine machine we see a Traxx AC3 locomotive, also in the livery of the German railways (DB). It is the first time we can show you 187 009 with Last Mile shunting module. During the InnoTrans we hope to learn more about the exact purpose of this locomotive. The DB has ordered 130 Traxx AC3 locomotives (187.1 and 147), but without the Last Mile module, as far as we know.

Bombardier stated it will provide two Traxx AC3 LM machine to the DB for testing purposes. The manufacturer has two engines ready, being this 187 009 and 187 010.

More information about these trains:

187 009-010 - test bed locomotives

The locomotive is painted in the colors of the German railways, red with light grey frames and roof parts. Up front, two small light grey surfaces are present. Actual logos are still missing.

More information about these trains:

187 009-010 - test bed locomotives