Introduced to the European market in 2000, the Taurus ES 64 U2 Electric was developed as a universal electric locomotive, topping out at a speed of 230km/h. This multipurpose engine has become one of the most influential representatives of Dispolok GmbH, a Siemens Transportation System subsidiary, making leasing options available to a host of different rail operators.
Thanks to liberalization, the freight market had created the ability for anyone to start their own rail company, thus increasing competition and dropping prices. Leasing thrived as the market for cheaper secondhand vehicles expanded. Due to this increase, Siemen's came up with an appealing alternative for operators-allowing them to lease the newest, most state-of-the-art locomotives on a flexible basis.
Dispolok was sold in 2006 to Mitsui of Japan, now 60 yellow and silver painted locomotives are running for various customers across central and Eastern Europe. With two standard pantographs each with 1950mm contacts, these engines can run of the networks of the DB/Germany, OBB/Austria, MAV/Hungary, GySE Hungary, HZ/Croatia, CFR/Romania, ZS/Serbia and Montenegro, ZFBH/ Bosnia-Herzegovina, MZ/Macedonia and OSE/Greece. While the original 60 Dipolok GmbH locomotives were painted in the distinct bright yellow and silver livery, customers can place their own corporate logos and colors on any of the silver surfaces. If a company leases the engine for over seven years, it may than repaint the engine in the railways colors if so desired.
New for 2011, the Taurus ES 64 U2 Electric engine comes superbly detailed in the paint schemes of Dispolok (Silver/Yellow), HUPAC (Silver/Black), DB (Red), and OBB (Red). With features such as European NEM fine scale couplers, Proto-Sound 3.0 with the digital command system featuring Proto-Effects, (2) precision flywheel equipped motors, and directionally operating pantographs, this engine will be a convincing replica of Siemen's Euro Sprinter for even the most discriminating enthusiast.
