Mitsubishi Electric commences traction system supply for Dutch double-decker trains

Mitsubishi Electric has commenced the supply of traction systems for the Double-Decker New Generation (DDNG) trains operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), the Dutch railway company.

The company is providing these systems to Spanish rolling-stock manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) for a total of 60 trains, which equate to 300 carriages. The initial deliveries began in July.

Mitsubishi Electric aims to deliver traction systems for a total of 266 trains, amounting to 1,006 carriages, by 2031.

This includes systems for 206 trains, or 706 carriages, associated with NS’s Sprinter New Generation (SNG) trains, which were supplied under separate contracts awarded by CAF in 2015 and 2019.

The traction systems for the SNG trains have been operational since 2018.

The system’s proven track record in contributing to the safety of rail services in the Netherlands was instrumental in CAF and NS’s decision to choose Mitsubishi Electric as the supplier of traction systems for the new DDNG trains.

Additionally, MEDCOM, a Polish manufacturer of railcar traction systems and a capital partner of Mitsubishi Electric, has secured a contract to provide auxiliary power supply units for the DDNG trains.

Mitsubishi Electric has collaborated with MEDCOM since 2015 to enhance its customer base across Europe.

In May this year, CAF secured two maintenance contracts worth nearly €400m ($453.3m), one in the UK and the other in Colombia.

In the UK, CAF renewed its partnership with Northern Trains and Eversholt Rail to maintain Northern’s rolling stock fleet.

In 2022, Siemens Mobility and Mitsubishi Electric Europe signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on high voltage silicon carbide (SiC) technology, aiming to improve energy efficiency in railway drive systems.

This partnership supports sustainable transportation and energy savings, aligning with the EU’s goal of climate neutrality by 2050 under the ‘European Green Deal.’