SWISS freight operator BLS Cargo has confirmed an order for 15 new Siemens Vectron locomotives for use on the Rhine-Alpine corridor between Rotterdam and Melzo in northern Italy.

SWISS railfreight operator BLS Cargo announced its annual results on March 17, revealing a 75% increase in profits to SFr 2.5m ($US 2.5m) and a 49% increase in Ebit to SFr 4 million in 2014 despite an 8% drop in net earnings, which fell to SFr 167.9m.

BLS, Switzerland, announced on January 6 that it has reached an agreement with German Rail (DB) subsidiary DB Schweiz Holding, part of DB Schenker Rail, to buy back its 45% stake in BLS Cargo for an undisclosed sum.

TESTS of on-board functionality of ETCS Baseline 3, conducted on an operational line fitted with Baseline 2 ETCS in Switzerland during the second half of April, have successfully demonstrated the backward compatibility of the two versions of software, says Siemens.

THE first of 28 double-deck emus for the Bern S-Bahn was handed over by Stadler to BLS in a ceremony today in the Swiss capital.

THE first of 28 Kiss double-deck emus for Swiss operator BLS was unveiled today in Erlen by Mr Peter Spuhler owner of Stadler and Mr Bernard Guillelmon, CEO of BLS. The first train is due to enter service on the Bern S-Bahn in December and delivery of the SFr 494m ($US 552m) contract will be completed in late 2014.