Softronic in Sweden

Trains Magazine Locomotives
1

Interesting things are happening in Europe.

The former Swedish company ASEA developed the Rb Series to export sucessful technology to other parts of the world. One of the largest customers was Romania. Electroputure became a licensee after the first few units were built in Sweden. They were built in Romania until 1991. Later, another Romanian company, Softronic, began to market substantially modified and modernized locomotives based on the ASEA design but with modern electronics. One of these locomotives is set to be certified in Sweden, so the possibility exists that they could be sold in the Nordic, making the circle complete.

A cool video showcasing the Trans Montana:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFY7bEc2bCM#t=15

Note that this was one of the first 16, which have a different cab front than the one being tested. The new design is safer in a collision.

2

A light locomotive operating across open spaces with a musical backround doesn’t indicate much of a economic use.

3

Well, yes. I think that is the Eastern European equivelent of TTC, with a giant test track. I included it to explain what I was talking about.

Softronic apparently feels like they can successfully challenge Bombardier and Siemans in the European electric locomotive market. We’ll see.