Diesel-Electric Freight Locomotives for Turkey’s Rail Network

Stadler has signed an agreement with TCDD Taşımacılık for the delivery of 35 Co’Co’ EURO4001 locomotives, designed for heavy freight services on steep gradients and non-electrified rail lines, aligning with Turkey’s rail freight modernization strategy.

Locomotive platform and intended applications
The EURO4001 is a diesel-electric locomotive engineered specifically for heavy freight operations where electrification is not available or where operational flexibility is required. Its Co’Co’ axle configuration supports high tractive effort, making the platform suitable for long freight trains and routes with challenging gradients.

In Turkey, these operational characteristics address the needs of mixed-terrain corridors that form part of international freight routes linking Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Continuation of the EURO locomotive family
The order builds on the established deployment of Stadler’s EURO locomotive family. More than 400 EURO series locomotives have been sold across 12 European countries, as well as in Uruguay and Turkey. In the Turkish market, EURODUAL variants have already been in operation for four years, demonstrating high availability and energy efficiency under local operating conditions.

This operational track record provides a reference base for the integration of the EURO4001 into Turkey’s freight fleet.

Manufacturing and local integration
The EURO4001 locomotives for TCDD Taşımacılık will be designed and manufactured at Stadler’s Valencia competence centre. Delivery and commissioning will be supported through cooperation with Stadler Service Türkiye and local partners, including AYKAL Group A.Ş. and CERTIFER Türkiye.

This approach combines centralized manufacturing with local service and certification capabilities, supporting timely delivery, regulatory compliance and operational readiness.

Emissions performance and interoperability
The EURO4001 complies with Euro Stage V emission standards. Compared with the existing locomotive fleet, the platform reduces particulate matter emissions by more than 90% and nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons by over 50%. These reductions contribute directly to lower local air pollutants while maintaining high power output for freight traction.

From a systems perspective, the locomotive meets European Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI). It is equipped with ETCS Level 2 as well as Turkey’s national Automatic Train Stop (ATS) system, enabling cross-border interoperability and operation on domestic routes without additional onboard modifications.

Role in Turkey’s freight transport strategy
Turkey is positioning itself as a regional rail freight hub, driven by its geographic role as a transit corridor between continents. Liberalization of the rail freight market and sustained public investment in infrastructure are central to this strategy.

Modernization of the locomotive fleet is a key enabler, supporting higher capacity, improved reliability and reduced environmental impact. National targets aim to increase annual rail freight volumes to approximately 400,000 containers by 2030, compared with 29,000 containers in 2021.

Implications for heavy freight operations
The introduction of EURO4001 locomotives supports freight services on routes where electrification is incomplete or economically impractical. By combining high tractive performance, compliance with modern emission standards and interoperability across signalling systems, the platform addresses both operational and regulatory requirements.

For TCDD Taşımacılık, the agreement represents a step toward increasing freight competitiveness and supporting modal shift from road to rail, while aligning with long-term infrastructure and logistics objectives.