Description

This type, also known as Taurus, was commissioned by the Austrian railways in the 1990s, requesting a universal electric angine similar to what class 120 should have been. With the begin of the 21st century, several hundreds of these engines were put into service in Austria, being used for express passenger trains as well as freight trains on the difficult lines across the Alps. Some of the engines are compatible to multiple electric systems and can operate in cross-border services to Germany, Switzerland and Hungary.

While the type is a huge success in Austria, the history of the type in Germany is way less impressive: Originally, only 25 units were needed for freight services, as the class 152 did not get an approval for the Austrian network. By 2009, that was not needed anymore as other classes became available and the transportation volume decreased due to the global economy decline. The engines were moved into regional services and are now running in the state of Brandenburg in northestern Germany.

This type is somewhat redundant in the set: class 101 is the logical choice for express trains, if more speed is needed one can use ICE trains. There also is no real need for this type in regional services, as there are plenty of EMUs available. Maybe one can use them to replace older engines of class 150 and class 155, although using the engines for freight services is not really realistic. Or one uses them for express trains, declaring them as Austrian trains crossing the border to Germany...

Images and Screenshots

A BR 182 with a local train, which does not really show what the engine is capable of.

The engine is better suited to freight services where the power is needed for heavy trains.

In Germany the engines are not used for express trains, in Austria they are the single most important type for just about any kind of train, especially for express passenger trains. As these trains also cross the border, the engines can be seen in Germany as well. So it is not too far from reality to use them for these kinds of services in the game.