DB CARGO UK has blamed“the continuing high cost of energy” for its decision to withdraw its last remaining operational Class 90 electric locomotive from service.
The company has 24 members of the class in its fleet and No. 90039 joined the rest in storage after working a charter on July 17. In an update to staff dated July 24, DB Cargo UK chief executive Andrea Rossi said that it would examine disposal options for the locos“with a view to maximising their value either through scrappage or sale”. Half of them have been in storage for periods ranging from five to 20 years.
Additional cost
Mr Rossi said that it did not make sense to incur the additional cost of running and maintaining Class 90s when it had“an alternative fleet”of Class 66 locomotives at its disposal.