Euro4000

[Allen Hazen]

The EMD corporate website has a blurb about a forthcoming (promised for 2007) European loading-gauge locomotive called the Euro4000, with a downloadable 6-page pamphlet (pdf file) describing it.
It's the innards of an SD70
( (including AC/DC transmission: European railways don't run the sort of low-speed drags that call for AC traction motors in North America, and it may also be that getting permission from the signals department to use an AC-motored locomotive is more of a pain than clearing a DC-motored unit: certainly I've seen this rationale given for not using AC motors on British locomtives) )
in a European style full-width carbody with a bag at each end. The use of such a carbody helps get the weight down: they are claming 270,000 pounds.
The builder is to be a bunch called Vossloh, at their plant in Valencia, España.
Someone on another forum (Loconotes) commented that it looked like a C-C version of the Class 67 built for EWS (British rail freight operator that uses Wisconsin Southern colors on its motive power). There is also a certain family resemblance of carbody to New Jersey Transits new units.
Questions:
(1) The NJTransit and Class 67 locomotives were, I think, built by Alstom. Has Vossloh taken over Alstom's locomotive-building business?
(2) I believe the Class 67 were built in Spain. Valencia?

[DutchRailnut]

Ys the 67 was built in Spain and in Alstom plant, same plant built the PL52 shells and trucks, this plant was sold to Vosloh.
As far as European railroads are concerned they have been running AC proppulsiion for about 10 years longer than any American AC locomotives and no signal problems.
They run AC locomotives at any speed not just slow drags.
The second generation TGV is AC propulsion, so is ICE, Dutch class 1600/1700/1800 and veriuos MU cars.
In Belgium and Frrance the Sybic and others are AC propulsion the Duch 6400 class freight locomotives by Vosloh(former Krupp) is AC propulsion.

[Allen Hazen]

Thanks for the answers, Dutch Railnut! It's getting harder and harder to keep track of all the corporatemergers and demergers and name-changes.
It sounds as if I struck out on both of my guesses about why EMD & Vossloh might have chosen AC/DC transmission instead of straight AC! (I think I remember the signals interference being mentioned when the Class 66 was being designed for Britain: not that the manufacturer thought that there would be a serious technical problem, but that they thought convincing the British regulators that there wouldn't was too hard to even try!)
---
AC motors on diesel freight locomotives took a very long time to come to the North America! I think there was a German prototype in the 1970s, and there was talk about AC possibilities in the U.S. in the early 1980s (at which time it was assumed that GE had a head start over EMD because of its experience with AC motors in commuter or transit cars!), but in the end no production AC diesels were delivered in North America until the 1990s. It's very strange....

[DutchRailnut]

The first AC diesel was a conveted AlCo in Canada.
Then Amtrak converted a wrecked F40 202 or 222 with EMD/Siemens stuff, its now located at pueblo.
Then Metro North ordered their experimental FL9ac's and Amtrak ordered the two F69's .
The Freight units came after these testbeds.

[Jamshid]

Hi

Due to govenmental support of Alstom to escape bankruptcy, It forced to sell its facilities in Spain (former macosa), which was acquired by Vossoh.

Vossloh (famous for its track pandrols) has its own facilities in Kiel (north of germany, former Siemens and Mak workshops)
this company is more known for Diesel-Hydraulic shunters and main line locomotives. the most powerful Diesel locomotives in Europe are two G20004BB locos were built by Vossloh. (2700kw, 3670 hp)

I heard, Kiel facilities to be sold to Voith to build its first locomotives.(called Maxima)
These locos (up to 35) will be the most powerful single engine diesel hydraulic locomotives which will have ABC, engines (5000hp)

(in conditions when giant companies give up loco production, a newcomer in this business is strange)