1. Alpha Trains Locomotives Representing ERFA
Lille,
Emmanuel Mariani
Commercial Director

2. A quick introduction to Alpha Trains A pan-European company
Alpha Trains Locomotives, is Alpha Trains’s business division dedicated to the leasing of locomotives across Europe
Central office in Antwerp, Belgium and locally-based staff in Germany, Poland, Italy, France and Spain
Customers in 11 European countries
A comprehensive fleet of diesel and electric locomotives for all traction requirements and cross-border operations
Agreements with Europe’s major suppliers (service, heavy maintenance, procurement)

3. Our customers: our strength
We provide locomotives to about 50 railway operators across Europe, both for freight and passenger operations
We provide long-term and short-term lease contracts, to best meet the requirements of our customers

4. Our locomotive portfolio 371 locos under management
Locomotives fitting every customers’ need

5. Cross Acceptance
A Bridge to the Future (?)

6. Cross acceptance Alpha Trains’s experience
We manage a fleet of over 370 diesel and electric locomotives
248 locomotives are homologated for cross-border operations (two up to four countries)
In the last 3 years we experienced severe delays in deliveries to us caused mostly by homologation issues
DACHINL corridor for electric locomotives: severe difficulties in obtaining all homologations, although the locomotives were fit for purpose
DBF: lengthy process for diesel locomotives
DAHU corridor: never a final outcome
DACH corridor: a new (severe) issue
Some national homologation authorities act against the promotion of competition

7. Some recent experiences The Germany – Austria – Hungary corridor
At the beginning, several issues for the homologation of the full corridor
Austria was a bit “slow” in the process
Take-over of Mav Cargo by RCA  Homologation of the Traxx DAHU in Austria came faster than a lightning!
Today, we have again issues:
The Hungarian authorities accept a software, the German don’t and vice-versa. And Austria is in the middle
A solution was found, but the level of hassle created was high and unnecessary

8. Some recent experiences The Germany – Switzerland corridor
5 x BR185.1 DACH locomotives needed upgrade with the Swiss ZUB, in order to continue operations in Switzerland
The first 2 locos (operated by a private railway competing highly on the North-South corridor) were accepted by Germany after the upgrade, then:
First, the homologation for the next two locos in the upgrade programme gets questioned by EBA
Now EBA is acting towards stopping operations of any BR185.1 DACH that received the ZUB upgrade
And in the meantime, DB is using about 40 similar locomotives without interruption
We see uncompetitive treatment for the same type of locomotives towards different types of operators

9. Some recent experiences The Belgian homologation for diesel locos
RRC: certified in neighbouring countries, but not in Belgium
Lower operational marketability of locomotives
Incumbent has the only locomotives with certified RRC operating on national network
Very high barriers for new entrants who want to operate in the port of Antwerp
Cross border with France
Homologation of existing single cabin locomotives, equipped for operations in Germany or France: incredibly difficult process to the point that has so far been abandoned
Why does it have to be so difficult?