This section describes the history of fifteen, silver 2.4MW Traxx DE locomotives. The story ended in a 15 unit locomotive pool, but started with a order from France, placed in 2008:

On October 22 2008, SNCF Fret awarded Bombardier with an order for 30 Traxx diesel-electric locomotives. Also, an option was taken for another 50 units. SNCF Fret planned to use these machines for services towards the main ports of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

Two months later, on December 5, Bombardier released the final details about the order. The transport and logistics branch of the French Railways, Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français (SNCF) had confirmed the contract with Bombardier Transportation to supply 80 interoperable diesel-electric TRAXX F140 DE locomotives, with an initial firm order of 45 locomotives. The value of this firm order was estimated at 160 million euros ($203 million US), with deliveries starting in May 2010. The French designation BB 76000 would apply with prefix 4 for SNCF Fret.

At the end of 2008, SNCF founded a new subsidiary for locomotive leasing: Akiem. The company was first present on the Transport Logistic trade fair in Munich in May 2009. Akiem was created to take on underutilised SNCF locomotives and lease them to interested operators. Also the fleet of Traxx locomotives would become part of the newly created leasing concern.

However, things did not ended up as planned. Negotations between Akiem and Bombardier went on, eventually resulting in a smaller batch of fifteen locomotives: 4x BB 76000 (F/B/NL) and 11x BB 76100 (D/B/NL). Although, some of the locomotives were outshopped in Akiem or SNCF Fret livery, Akiem never officially bought the locomotives and deferred its order to acquire a batch of Traxx MS2e and AC3 locomotives instead. The batch of fifteen diesel-electrics was still completed by Bombardier and offered for sale to other interested operators.

News

Fleet List