Abstract: Railway traction vehicle (1) that is equipped with four rubber wheels (6) and with four steel rail wheels (7), and all eight (8×8) can exert traction simultaneously on the rails over which a train is hauled. Each of the eight wheels is equipped with an individual hydraulic or electric motor (5) that can be controlled individually. The traction vehicle is equipped with tilting bogies (8a, 8b) with which the steel rail wheels can be raised or lowered. The tilting bogies also enable ballast bodies (24a, 24b) to be detached and placed on supports, by lowering the level of the supporting frame (2).