Was the Super 60 programme a strategic failure

[172007]

Given that DB have given up with their class 60's do you think the super 60 project was a strategic failure?

DB could have re-geared a batch of 66's to the Freighliner spec as they are doing now rather than the super 60 project and sent the 60's for scrapping.

Is it possible that DB a batch of class 60's gambling that they would recoup some costs of the super 60 project and this has not helped DB in keeping contracts through increased competition?

 

[D365]

I'm not aware that "Super 60" was much more than just an overhaul.

 

[172007]

I'm not aware that "Super 60" was much more than just an overhaul.

For just an pverhaul quite a song n dance was made tbh. It appear there was am overhaul including reliability, enhacements, and a life extension of 15 years.

Source Rail Magazine. https://www.railmagazine.com/trains/current-trains/making-the-class-60s-super-again

The Nottinghamshire depot is the principal maintenance base for DB Schenker in the UK. And it has been the location for one of the most interesting (and high-profile) jobs in recent years - the ‘Super 60’ project that is breathing new life into Class 60s.
On January 18 2011, DB revealed plans to invest £3 million to upgrade an initial batch of seven ‘60s’, to create a new fleet of ‘Super 60s’. The freight operator, the largest in the UK, announced: “During the first half of this year seven Class 60 locomotives will be overhauled in a programme to improve their reliability and to extend the life of each locomotive by 15 years.”
It added: “A further 14 Class 60 locomotives are also planned to be refurbished, creating a fleet of over 20 ‘Super 60’ locomotives. A fleet of this size ensures DB Schenker has the capacity to meet growing demand from its bulk customers to move more by rail.”
The company said the locomotives would be especially suited for customers in the steel and aggregates sectors, which require a powerful locomotive to haul particularly heavy loads.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Jan 2024 ==

The Nottinghamshire depot is the principal maintenance base for DB Schenker in the UK. And it has been the location for one of the most interesting (and high-profile) jobs in recent years - the ‘Super 60’ project that is breathing new life into Class 60s.

 

[HSTEd]

For just an pverhaul quite a song n dance was made tbh. It appear there was am overhaul including reliability, enhacements, and a life extension of 15 years.

To be fair, making an extreme song and dance about routine maintenance and overhaul would hardly be unusual for the railway industry.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

On January 18 2011, DB revealed plans to invest £3 million to upgrade an initial batch of seven ‘60s’, to create a new fleet of ‘Super 60s’

I have no knowledge of this field at all, but an investment of rather less than £500k per locomotive (2011 prices) doesn't feel like it would lead to a massive upgrade.

 

[Bevan Price]

It didn't help Class 60s that much of the work for which they were most suitable - e.g. power station coal to Fiddlers Ferry - has all gone since 2011.
Like some other locos and multiple units, they were probably also over-complicated.

 

[Backroom_boy]

Given that DB have given up with their class 60's do you think the super 60 project was a strategic failure?

DB could have re-geared a batch of 66's to the Freighliner spec as they are doing now rather than the super 60 project and sent the 60's for scrapping.

Is it possible that DB a batch of class 60's gambling that they would recoup some costs of the super 60 project and this has not helped DB in keeping contracts through increased competition?

Sounds like they got ten years work out of some of them.