The E.412 class (factory name 112E) is a batch of multi-role electric locomotives built for the mountain lines, particularly for the northern Italian lines of the Brenner pass. They are known as Brenner or Brennerlok locomotives. 28 units from both the groups have been acquired by Trenitalia, as part of a process of simplifying rail operation between Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Germany. The locomotives are qualified for running on French rails, too, making the E.412s potentially fit for service on most European lines except the high-speed rail lines. They were initially produced by Adtranz (a consortium made up of ABB Trazione and AEG), but now are built by the Canadian company Bombardier. History In the early 1990s, Ferrovie dello Stato started an operational plan to organize an integrated rail system with the countries on Italy's northern border, following the European political-economic unification process. Austria and Germany used different railway electrification systems, necessitating the use of a locomotive able to use a variety of electric systems: alternate and direct current, varying from 1,500 to 15,000 Volts. The E.412 class was to be used on the longest, steepest and hardest mountain-crossing line, connecting Verona Porta Nuova and Munich via Brennero/Brenner, crowded with cargo and passenger trains and with different electrifications. Before the E.412's were introduced, the route required three locomotive changes. The Italian railroad's goal was for trains to reach Germany without changing locomotives. The contract was signed in 1993 with an Italian-German consortium, Adtranz, headed by ABB Trazione and AEG, based in Vado Ligure. The first unit was delivered on 14 April 1997. It successfully passed its initial tests, showing excellent performance and strong reliability. The remaining 19 units in the first batch were delivered shortly after the completion of the test to the Italian railway administration. Another 8 (Polish class EU43) were ordered in 1996 but never bought by Polish railways (PKP). Those locomotives were afterwards bought by the Italian company Rail Traction Company to serve on the same line and still have Polish EU43 designation. In 1998 new trials were made to for service on Swiss lines. These trials resulted in failure when the deal between Trenitalia and the Logistics division of SBB was scrapped. In 2004 the class was certified as backup power for malfunctioning locomotives. In 2005 talks began to move the class of locomotives to the passenger division, swapping them with older E.646 and E.656 class