The 257 Series is a

meter gauge Metre-gauge railways ( US: meter-gauge railways) are narrow-gauge railways with track gauge of or 1 metre. Metre gauge is used in around of tracks around the world. It was used by several European colonial powers including France, Britain and ...

freight

electro-diesel locomotive An electro-diesel locomotive (also referred to as a dual-mode or bi-mode locomotive) is a type of locomotive that can be powered either from an electricity supply (like an electric locomotive) or by using the onboard diesel engine (like a dies ...

based on

Stadler Rail Stadler Rail AG is a Swiss manufacturer of railway rolling stock, with an original emphasis on regional train multiple units and trams, but moving also into Rapid transit, mass rapid transit, High-speed rail, high speed, Inter-city rail, interci ...

's Euro Dual series. It is operated by

Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (, "Catalan Government Railways"; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Ferrocarriles de la Generalidad de Cataluña''), or FGC, is a railway company which operates several unconnected lines in Catalonia, Spain. The lines operated include metro and commu ...

(FGC) in the Llobregat-Anoia line.

Background

The locomotive was commissioned to replace and expand the freight service operated by the aging 254 series. Five locomotives were built in Stadler Valencia's production plant in Albuixech, Valencia. They were delivered in 2022 and entered service in 2023. While originally delivered in a red livery, the locomotives were repainted green to match FGC's corporate identity. The locomotive is based on the Stadler SALi (''South American Light Loco''), a version of the Euro Dual for a

railway operated by Ferroviaria Andina in

Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...

The locomotives are used to transport two main cargo types;

potash Potash ( ) includes various mined and manufactured salts that contain potassium in water- soluble form.

and salt trains from the

Súria Súria () is a Municipalities of Spain, municipality in the Comarques of Catalonia, ''comarca'' of the Bages in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the valley of the Cardener river between Manresa and Cardona, Spain, Cardona. The area is best kn ...

mines and cars from the

SEAT A seat is a place to sit. The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but may also refer to concentrations of power in a wider sense (i.e " seat (legal entity)"). See disambiguation. Types of seat The ...

factory in

Martorell Martorell () is a municipality, county, and city that forms part of the Baix Llobregat Comarques of Catalonia, comarca, in Catalonia, Spain, primarily known for its medieval Pont del Diable, Devil's bridge. It lies at the confluence of the Llobr ...

, along the

Llobregat–Anoia Line The Llobregat–Anoia Line () is an unconnected metre gauge railway line linking Barcelona with the Baix Llobregat, Bages and Anoia regions, in Catalonia, Spain. Its name refers to the fact that it follows the course of the Llobregat and A ...

to the

port of Barcelona The Port of Barcelona (, ; ) is a major port in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Its are divided into three zones: Port Vell (the Old Port), the commercial/industrial port, and the logistics port (Barcelona Free Port). The port is managed by the Port ...

. The dual power technology of the 257 series allows trains to draw power from the 1500V catenary used by commuter trains (

FGC 213 Series The 213 series is a DC electric multiple unit (EMU) commuter and suburban train type operated by Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya, providing all passenger service on the Llobregat-Anoia line since 2009. First introduced in 1999, the ...

) in the mainline tracks between Sant Boi and Manresa while operating as a diesel train in the non-electrified industrial branches.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fgc 254 Electro-diesel locomotives of Spain Metre-gauge diesel locomotives Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya locomotives Llobregat–Anoia Line Stadler locomotives Freight locomotives