In 2006, Euskotren awarded Ingeteam the construction of 12 diesel-electric locomotives for 37.5 million euros.[1] The first locomotives were delivered in early 2009,[2] and entered service later that year.[citation needed] The purchase has been criticized due to the low usage of the locomotives,[3] caused by an overestimation of rail freight demand.[4]
Due to lack of use, one of the locomotives was leased to FGC from 2012 to 2017, where it served as the FGC 255 series.[5][3] In 2015, three of the locomotives were converted to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge and sold to FE EP, the national railway of Ecuador.[6]