The ‘Quirinus Express’ locomotive was officially christened in a ceremony in Neuss on 26 August 2025. Karsten Scheidhauer, Managing Director of Optimodal Nederland B.V., and Rainer Breuer, Mayor of Neuss, attended the ceremony. The celebration was accompanied by the patron saint of the city of Neuss, Quirinus, who is traditionally represented by Rolf Lüpertz.
The locomotive now officially bears the coat of arms of Neuss, making it visible throughout Europe. It is regularly used on the Rotterdam–Neuss route in container transport by Optimodal Nederland B.V. (7–11 train pairs per week). The railway undertaking (RU) LTE Netherlands B.V., which is used by Optimodal, can also use this locomotive on other routes within Europe.
Since 2010, the name ‘Quirinus Express’ has stood for sustainable container transport by rail on the Neuss–Rotterdam route. In 2025, the product will celebrate its 15th anniversary – a symbol of continuity and further development. With this connection, the train helps to protect the environment from CO₂ pollution, reduce emissions and strengthen Optimodal’s strategy: rail instead of road – always in combination with inland waterway transport. Optimodal does not see rail and inland waterway transport as competitors, but as valuable partners in the intermodal world.
The christening also marks the switch to a modern Siemens Vectron A10 electric locomotive (leased from ELL). Neuss Trimodal GmbH, a sister company of Optimodal Nederland B.V., is closely involved as a partner terminal.
The new Optimodal logo is being used on the locomotive for the first time. It symbolises the company’s trimodal transport concept: rail as the main pillar, supplemented by inland waterway transport, while trucks are used exclusively for the last mile. This makes the ‘Quirinus Express’ a rolling brand ambassador for sustainable container transport.
‘It is with great pleasure that I would like to thank our mayor, Reiner Breuer, for his active and wonderful cooperation, as he has enabled us to place the original coat of arms of the city of Neuss on the beautiful locomotive, thereby raising the profile of our city to a new level,’ explained Managing Director Karsten Scheidhauer.
Mayor Reiner Breuer emphasised the importance of Optimodal Nederland B.V.’s contribution to the economic heart of the city of Neuss. He highlighted the special location of the site and its continuing decisive role in the development of Neuss as a logistics hub.