Stadler modifies construction site locomotives for Müller Technologie

40 Am 841 Class diesel locomotives have been in service with the SBB for many years. It was purchased in 1996/97 from what was then GEC Alsthom in Valencia. In 2021, SBB decided to phase out these construction site locomotives. Thurgauer Müller Technologie AG saw this as an opportunity and acquired some of these locomotives. According to previous information, Müller wants to repair “at least a dozen” of these locomotives in the former Tuchschmid Hall in Frauenfeld and upgrade them for an additional service life of 20 to 25 years.

As part of this work, the diesel locomotives will be converted into hybrid vehicles called the Aeam 841, which will enable them to switch between chain, diesel and battery operation in the future. Müller now commissioned rolling stock manufacturer Stadler to initially modify five of these construction site locomotives using the ETCS Guardia train control system developed by Stadler. This should happen between 2023 and 2025. The contract also includes an option to modify up to ten more vehicles.

For Stadler, it is the first in Switzerland to modify vehicles with Guardia. Stadler signed the first such modification order in 2020 with Dutch rail operator Arriva for 36 Flirt multiplexes. In Switzerland, Stadler has so far equipped 58 new Flirt trains for BLS with Guardia, which are gradually operating from 2021.