The Finnish Transport Safety Agency, Trafi, authorized for operation in Finland the Vectron alternating-current (AC) locomotive for the Finnish railway company VR Group. The first 8 Vectrons entered commercial service starting May 31, with the first commercial operation from the City of Tampere and end at the Vuosaari harbor in Helsinki.
Siemens will be delivering a total of 80 locomotives to the VR Group. This is the first order for a broad-gauge configuration and at the same time the biggest single order for the Vectron to date. All locomotives are to be delivered by the end of 2026.
For testing and certification of the extensive new equipment package for Finland, up to five locomotives have been undergoing type tests according to the Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI) since early 2016. Various additional functionalities and equipment packages were certified, such as the broad-gauge bogies, the special winter package and the two diesel power modules for bridging short stretches without an overhead power line.
The VR Group ordered the Nordic version of the Vectron in February 2014. The locomotives have a maximum output of 6.4 MW and a top speed of 200 km/h. The bogies are designed for operating on 1.524 mm broad-gauge lines. The locomotives will be used in Finland and are equipped with the European Train Control System (ETCS) as well as the Finnish JKV-STM train control system.
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