Österreichische Bundesbahnen or ÖBB Class 1216Tauras-"3" or Class 1216 is the first European AC/DC-capable, high-speed, high-performance locomotive with Bo'Bo' wheel arrangement. These locomotives now operates in Austria, Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia railway systems. 1216 locomotive is suitable for use in national and international passenger and freight operations. The locomotive was designed to operate on the 15 kV/16.7 Hz, 25 kV / 50 Hz and 3 kV / DC electrified lines up to 230 km/h. It is thus a perfect solution for the entire European standard gauge network. In addition, it can run - with reduced power - in the 1.5 kV / DC electrified network of the Netherlands and in the south of France. Based on the technical modifications, the vehicle represents another revolutionary step of the Eurosprinter family and combines the proven components of the Rh 1116 with the multi-system functionality of the third-generation Eurosprinter. e.g. the quiet and low-maintenance high-performance drive system with separate brake disk shaft is complemented with water-cooled IGBT inverters and the Sibas 32 control system. The Rh 1216 uses the same aerodynamic Taurus design as the Rh 1016 / 1116.
In 2003, Austrian Federal Railways ordered a design modification of the Rh 1116 that has been available since 1997. The purpose was to extend the scope of application of the universal high-performance locomotives for the European 3 kV network such as exists, for example, in Italy. The three-system locomotive Rh 1216, which has its own class designation, is thus a logical consequence of ÖBB's Taurus family, following the single- and two-system variants Rh 1016 and Rh 1116. Thus the development of the ultimate EuroSprinter - the Siemens the ES64U4 platform, a.k.a. the ÖBB 1216 series or 'Taurus 3'. 50 of such multi purpose, multi system electrics have been built. Four locomotives were preliminarily built for trials which on 2nd September 2006 the locomotive 1216 025-5 set the world high speed record for electric locomotives on a dazzling 357 kmph! (prior to delivery to ÖBB) Though the later versions came up with reduced max speed of 230kmph with starting tractive effort 304kN & total output of 8,600 hp - the first of its kind.
In this photo OBB 1216 011-7 was gearing up to haul the intercity service. Photo taken by Bani Das & Asit Baran Das on 16th May 2015.