▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁These ▁mainly ▁used ▁second - hand ▁dies el ▁locomot ives ▁formerly ▁in ▁use ▁with ▁the ▁state ▁rail ways ▁of ▁the ▁respective ▁country , ▁or ▁new ▁medium - power ed ▁dies el ▁locomot ives ▁like ▁the ▁E MD ▁Class ▁ 6 6 ▁or ▁V oss lo h ▁G 2 0 0 0 . ▁With ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁these ▁operators ▁rising ▁and ▁trains ▁getting ▁heav ier , ▁the ▁need ▁of ▁a ▁complete ▁new ▁high - power ed ▁dies el ▁locomot ive ▁series ▁was ▁becoming ▁high , ▁especially ▁for ▁cross - border ▁fre ight ▁traffic ▁where ▁absence ▁of , ▁or ▁changes ▁in ▁elect r ification ▁voltage ▁made ▁electric ▁tra ction ▁impossible ▁or ▁problem atic . ▁ ▁Prim arily ▁due ▁to ▁environmental ▁issues ▁and ▁high ▁costs , ▁develop ments ▁for ▁such ▁a ▁new ▁locomot ive ▁series ▁were ▁pushed ▁back ▁whenever ▁possible . ▁In ▁the ▁mid - 2 0 0 0 s ▁development ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁series ▁finally ▁seemed ▁econom ically ▁vi able ; ▁becoming ▁part ▁of ▁Al st om ' s ▁Prima ▁locomot ive ▁programme . ▁Development ▁of ▁the ▁programme ▁was ▁started ▁under ▁Al st om ▁super vision , ▁but ▁as ▁the ▁Al st om ▁Val encia ▁plant ▁was ▁bought ▁by ▁V oss lo h ▁this ▁series ▁got ▁the ▁V oss lo h ▁name : ▁V oss lo h ▁Euro . ▁ ▁The ▁family ▁can ▁be ▁trac ed ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁Elect ro - M ot ive ▁Dies el ▁eng ined , ▁Val encia ▁built ▁J T ▁ 4 2 B