Electric locomotives | RailFreight.com

LTG Cargo invests in locomotives ahead of Vilnius-Klaipeda route electrification

Nikos Papatolios — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 10:02:59 +0000

LTG Cargo has purchased 17 electric locomotives from manufacturer Stadler Valencia. The Lithuanian operator started investing in modern and emission-free rolling stock in anticipation of the country’s full network electrification. The new locomotives are expected to be delivered in 2027.
The deal with Stadler Valencia is worth 115.66 million euros. LTG Cargo underlined that the Spanish manufacturer will provide spare parts, maintenance and support services for the first 3 years of operation. Additionally, the contract includes the possibility of extending the agreement to deliver a second batch of 17 locomotives on top of the initial delivery.

The Lithuanian operator aims to use the new locomotives on the critical Vilnius-Klaipeda route. “The purchase of electric locomotives is an important step not only in the railway electrification programme of the LTG Group. It marks the start of a new era of more sustainable and reliable rail freight transport. The new electric locomotives will transport freight between Vilnius and Klaipėda – a corridor that carries half of all rail freight in Lithuania every year,” stressed Eglė Šimė, CEO of LTG Cargo.

Romanian diesel locomotives not to be scrapped, but rather made electric

Dennis van der Laan — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 09:49:24 +0000

Twenty Romanian diesel shunting locomotives have been saved and given an opportunity for revival. The locomotives would typically be scrapped as they near the end of their operable lives. However, a Romanian company from Constanta is now giving them a new life.
The 20 lucky locomotives are getting propulsion systems with batteries, as a replacement for their old diesel engines, according to Euronews. Not only will this be a financial windfall for operators, but will also lead to lower pollution in depot areas, say authorities funding the project from the Romanian national recovery and resilience plan.

The locomotives would have been scrapped normally, and those 70 tonnes of scrap metal would have raised some money. The Romanian company EUROEST is now offering a better alternative. “With the help of a system patented by a private company from Constanta, dozens of CFR locomotives will be transformed and, instead of fuel, they will be able to run on batteries”, Euronews says.

Battery duration

EUROEST says that the electric locomotives are intended to be used for trailers weighing no more than 2500 tonnes, and can operate at a maximum speed of 30 kilometres an hour. Whereas a Euronews source tells the publication that the locomotives’ batteries have a lifespan of six to 12 hours depending on the type of use, EUROEST’s website speaks about a 12 to 24 hour capacity.

“The huge advantage it has both for the railway and for those who live near the depots, is the fact that the consumption of diesel disappears, which translates into financial savings”, Ștefan Roșeanu, president of the Romanian Railway Reform Authority, says.

404 error: locomotives in Russia not found

Nikos Papatolios — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 10:43:11 +0000

Reports from earlier this year concerning a straining situation in the Russian rail freight market due to locomotive shortages are confirmed. Dmitry Pegov, deputy general director of Russian Railways (RZD), commented on his country’s media that by 2035 the state-owned operator will be 1,500 locomotives short. At the same time, he mentioned that Russia’s locomotive production capacity has long been exceeded.
Locomotive shortages have allegedly been a delaying factor for RZD’s trains throughout 2023, a trend that possibly continues in 2024. In particular, the Russian operator undisclosed that around 50,000 trains were suspended or delayed last year (double compared to 2022), mainly due to the inability to import spare parts and other equipment for locomotive repair and maintenance. Throughout 2024, RZD expects that over 20 trains will be cancelled daily nationwide because of maintenance issues.

Repair and maintenance are not Russian Railways’ only headaches at the moment; the company is also struggling to acquire new locomotives. “We may find ourselves in a deficit of almost 1,500 locomotives by 2035,” said Dmitry Pegov, who clarified that this number is “beyond the capabilities of Russian manufacturing plants”.

In 2023, RZD purchased 557 new Russian-produced locomotives, of which 310 were electric and 247 diesel-powered. For 2024, the plan was for RZD to buy 549 locomotives, including 290 electric and 259 diesel locomotives. Currently, the company is reportedly in dire need of electric locomotives. Understandably, importing rolling stock is not the most viable option the company has at hand.

Ukrainian Railways receives half a billion euros in international support

Dennis van der Laan — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 08:43:15 +0000

Ukrainian Railways (UZ) is receiving approximately 500 million euros in international financial support. The money comes from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in the form of a loan, as well as from the World Bank and Switzerland as a grant. The money is to be spent on electric locomotives and infrastructure.
UZ, the EBRD and the Ukrainian ministry of rehabilitation have come to an agreement for the allocation of a 300 million euro loan to Ukrainian Railways. With the money, UZ will be able to purchase an additional 80 electric freight locomotives. Earlier, the World Bank also provided a grant of 190 million euros to UZ for the same purpose of purchasing electric freight locomotives.

“The issue of updating the fleet of locomotives for UZ is critical and urgent. The collaboration of the World Bank and the EBRD is an example of how one of the largest international financial institutions joined forces to implement such a large-scale project. Obtaining new and high-tech electric locomotives will significantly increase the efficiency of freight transportation”, UZ’s CEO Yevhen Lyashchenko stated.

Switzerland also steps in

At the same time, Switzerland also announced an extra grant of approximately 10 million euros for UZ. The money is supposed to be spent on rail fasteners in order to securely fix the rail in place. It will facilitate the restoration of railway infrastructure, primarily in the directions of transport corridors bordering EU countries, in the direction of ports and the Trans-European Transport Network.

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LTG Cargo to buy electric locomotives for the first time ever

Marco Raimondi — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 03:01:56 +0000

LTG Cargo, Lithuania’s national rail freight company, will invest around 100 million euros to purchase electric locomotives to use on the country’s rail network equipped with standard gauge. This will be the first time that the company purchases electric locomotives. They will be deployed for rail freight services between the capital Vilnius, in the east, and Klaipėda, Lithuania’s main port, in the west.
As a spokesperson from LTG Cargo told RailFreight.com, the locomotives “will be able to start running in 2027”. There is no significant rush since the Vilnius-Klaipeda line is currently being electrified. More details, including the number of locomotives, will become available once the tender procedure is completed. LTG Cargo, moreover, specified that the locomotives “will have to be able to transport the maximum, up to 5,7 thousand tons weighing, train sets transported by LTG Cargo”.

LTG Cargo launched a public procurement that does not only include the purchase of the new electric locomotives. The tender launched by LTG Cargo is about to enter its final stages. “Suppliers who submitted applications and met the qualifications were selected and will be invited to the next stage: to submit initial offers”, the spokesperson continued. Whoever wins the tender will have to provide technical support, spare parts, and maintenance for a period of three years. The company claimed that the electricity produced to power the locomotives will come solely from renewable sources.

Electrification of the Klaipėda-Vilnius railway

The Lithuanian government approved the plan to electrify the 364 kilometres of railway line connecting Klaipėda and Vilnius in February 2022. The total investment for this project is 398 million euros, roughly half of which will be financed through the European Union Cohesion Fund. The rest of the fund will be provided by Lithuanian Railways, as the government explained back then. This is part of Lithuania’s larger plan to electrify 39 per cent of its railways by 2030, also thanks to projects such as RailBaltica. Currently, only less than 10 per cent of the country’s entire rail network is electrified.

Vilnius-Klaipėda railway. Source: Wikimedia commons. © Bearas

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Siemens supplies Indian Railways with 1,200 electric locomotives in deal of the century

Nikos Papatolios — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 11:46:39 +0000

In the single largest locomotive order in the company’s history, Siemens Mobility will deliver 1,200 electric locomotives to Indian Railways. Producing 9,000 horsepower (HP), the brand-new locomotives will dominate the Indian railway network, which is almost fully electrified. The project’s total costs will amount to 3 billion euros.
“Siemens is supporting the sustainable transformation of India’s transportation sector as the country seeks to almost double freight capacity on its railways,” commented Siemens CEO Roland Busch.

“We are delighted to partner with Indian Railways and deliver one of the most powerful electric locomotives available. These new locomotives will help increase freight transport on one of the world’s largest rail networks and cement a firm commitment from Indian Railways to achieve 100 per cent electrification of rail traffic in India,” said Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility.

35 years of maintenance

Siemens Mobility will design, manufacture, commission and test the locomotives. It will take eleven years to deliver all the locomotives to the Indian Railways. Additionally, the contract between the two companies includes a cluster for 35 years of full-service maintenance offered by Siemens.

Most importantly, the state-of-the-art locomotives will be produced and maintained locally, involving Indian Railways personnel. Specifically, the assembling will take place in Dahod, where Indian Railways have a factory, and maintenance works will take place in the company’s depots in Vishakhapatnam, Raipur, Kharagpur and Pune.

The locomotives will be used solely for freight transport throughout the Indian railway network. “Producing 9,000 HP, they will be one of the most powerful freight locomotives in the world, able to move loads up to 4,500 tons with a maximum speed of 120 kilometres per hour”, explained the company.

Rail freight in India

India is gradually transforming into a rail freight pioneer. Indian Railways are one of the world’s largest railways, with a network of 68,000 kilometres and dedicated freight corridors crossing the country. Each year, the company carries up to 1,2 billion tonnes of freight.

Additionally, the government of India plans to increase the share of railways for freight transport to 40-45 per cent from the current approximately 27 per cent by constantly adding new types of products on trains. Some of the latest additions concern the transport of food grains and oxygen by rail, which until 2020 took place mainly by road.

Moreover, India wants to become the world’s largest green railway by 2030. With extensive network electrification proportions and the new deal with Siemens, the country seems to be literally on the right track.

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