With the acquisition of the “Bombardier TRAXX AC3 F140” Stern & Hafferl combines the best of two worlds: The TRAXX can be operated both as an electric and a diesel locomotive. On electrified sections, the new locomotive is purely electric on the move, thus saving fuel and reducing maintenance costs. On non electrified sections it can be switched to diesel mode.
The advantage of this Last Mile locomotive is that it is driven 95 per cent electric and only for 5 per cent by a modern, compact diesel generator, which has an efficient emission control. In factories or on short connecting lines, the locomotive can be operated via the Last Mile battery, without any emissions.
“There is no way without using more sustainable modes of transport or strengthening sustainable transport concepts in freight transport”, explains Stern & Hafferl Managing Director Günter Neumann and refers to scientific studies: “The transport sector is heavily dependent on the price of petrol – increasing oil shortage leads to a rise in prices in the transport sector. Furthermore, the increase in freight traffic volume in Europe is causing bottlenecks in the transport mode of the road – the logical alternative is rail.
For decades, the environmentally-friendly rail has been used in the Salzkammergut region in Austria. Since the end of 2012, Stern & Hafferl Verkehr has been responsible for the traction of freight trains of the Rail Cargo Group on the Salzkammergut railway. This regional partnership helps to ensure transport is carried out sustainably and ecologically by rail, as well as ensuring the quality of supply both in the Salzkammergut and throughout Austria.
Stern & Hafferl Verkehr has been working as an official partner of the Rail Cargo Group since 2005. With a total of 8 locomotives – including the first radio-controlled locomotives in Europe – the well-cooperating freight transport partnership has been further developed and expanded in recent years to the benefit of customers. They cover a total of 350,000 train kilometers each year.
