The ‘Ersatzkonzept’ (‘replacement concept’ in English) for passenger services of the third and final stage of the Neckartal contract is already in motion. In focus: various colorful locomotive-hauled trains in service for WFL.
Railcolor News thanks Alex Kopp and Marcel Lotzen for their photo-contributions.
146 521 of Akiem
On 16.06.2020 a new type of all-blue train was seen in service in Baden Württemberg’s Tübingen on line IRE6 Tübingen – Stuttgart. And yes, this very locomotive with these very cars appeared recently on Railcolor News (and they were not alone):
![](https://usercontent.one/wp/railcolornews.com/wp-content/uploads/Bombardier-TRAXX-P160-AC2_Akiem-HSL-WFL_Railcolor-News_Alexander-Kopp_2482.jpg?media=1720610533)
185 689 of Railpool
Railpool-leased TRAXXes are also in use between Tübingen and Stuttgart and Tübingen and Heilbronn. 185 689 is seen below:
![](https://usercontent.one/wp/railcolornews.com/wp-content/uploads/Bombardier-TRAXX-F140-AC2_Railpool-WFL-HSL-185-689_Railcolor-News_Marcel-Lotzen_0929.jpg?media=1720610533)
Railpool 185 691
And a nice landscape images of 185 691 follows:
![](https://usercontent.one/wp/railcolornews.com/wp-content/uploads/Bombardier-TRAXX-F140-AC2_Railpool-WFL-HSL-185-691_Railcolor-News_Marcel-Lotzen_6213.jpg?media=1720610533)
ES 64 U2-030 of MRCE
Prefer a Siemens loco? No problem. MRCE’s got you covered with a black ES64U2 in combination with classic TRI (Train Rental GmbH) coaches on the RE10a:
![](https://usercontent.one/wp/railcolornews.com/wp-content/uploads/Siemens-ES64-U2-030-MRCE_Railcolor-News_Marcel-Lotzen_0294.jpg?media=1720610533)
Bonus: Yet another, scenic of the same train – notice the swan in the left part of the picture:
![](https://usercontent.one/wp/railcolornews.com/wp-content/uploads/Siemens-ES64-U2-030-MRCE_Railcolor-News_Marcel-Lotzen_5502.jpg?media=1720610533)
Of course, this colorful mix of locomotives and cars has a background story behind. Our Expert subscribers had the opportunity to read a thorough overview of the ‘Ersatzkonzept’. Here is the link:
[DE / Expert] ‘Ersatzkonzept’ in blue – SRI coaches for Abellio replacement services