New R200 locomotive delivered to the port of Taichung in 2023.
In 2015, the Taiwan Railways proposed an overall vehicle purchase and replacement plan (spanning from 2015-2024) and proposed the purchase of 102 locomotives, of which 34 were diesel-electric locomotives. After the electrification of the railway system around the island in 2020, passenger trains on the operating routes will rarely use diesel locomotives for traction, and service will be adjusted to use diesels exclusively for freight, emergency rescue, national defense and military needs.[1]
The 165 million euro contract for the locomotives was signed in October 2019; the locomotives are the first major order for Swiss company Stadler from the Pacific region. They are to be built at the firm’s plant in Valencia, Spain. The first two locomotives in the series, numbered R201 and R202, were previewed at Changhua Locomotive Depot in July 2023, expected to be put into revenue service at the end of 2023.[2][3]
The locomotives are designed to work in tropical and subtropical climates, in environments of up to 100% humidity and temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius. They are equipped with a five-stage environmentally friendly diesel engine and have the ability to immediately report problems to their base of operations, allowing maintenance personnel to be dispatched for repairs. The locomotives are also equipped with a forward-looking Doppler radar speedometer, a connector observation camera, and multiple protective devices for the cab, all of which make operations safer for locomotive crews.[2] The manufacturer notes they are designed to run in “demanding mountainous topography – similar to that of Switzerland – and in extreme climatic conditions. Stadler is very familiar with adapting rail vehicles to such specific challenges”.[4]
