PKP Cargo Orders 15 Locomotives from Siemens

PKP Cargo, the Polish logistics operator and rail freight carrier, has placed an order with Siemens for the delivery of 15 Vectron type multisystem locomotives. Besides the provision of spare parts and maintenance for a period of eight years, the order includes an option for five more Vectrons.

Twelve of these multisystem Vectrons are to be equipped to operate on the transit corridor running through Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. The remaining three units are earmarked for service on the transit route through Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia. All the locomotives will be equipped with the European Train Control System (ETCS). Delivery is scheduled to start at the beginning of 2016 and end in summer 2017. The locomotives will be built at the Siemens plant in Munich-Allach.

“This is our largest investment with regard to rolling stock for a long time. We have taken another solid step toward enhancing the international position of PKP Cargo and strengthening our presence in neighboring countries’ markets. Multisystem locomotives are the modern basis of rolling stock, which will make our international transport offering even more attractive and competitive for Polish and international customers,” says Adam Purwin, President of Management Board of PKP Cargo.

“The tender was specifically prepared to enable participation of as many locomotive manufacturers as possible. We also aimed to achieve fast execution of the contract, as only the well-equipped multisystem loco fleet will help us to implement our international development strategy,” explains Wojciech Derda, Management Board Member of PKP Cargo for Operations.

“With our Vectron locomotive, we were able to completely fulfill the corridor and performance requirements within the specified timeframe. Vectron is currently the only locomotive family in Europe that can do this,” said Jochen Eickholt, CEO of the Siemens Mobility Division.
The Vectron locomotive family was specially developed to meet all the requirements of cross-border rail traffic. It is prepared for the installation of other train protection systems, which greatly facilitates the retrofitting of country packages in the event of a change in transport tasks. In view of the certificates already granted for operation in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and Turkey and, the certification process for further locomotives has been shortened considerably. Furthermore, the Vectron platform is certified in accordance with all relevant Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI), which means it can be approved for operation in all of the EU countries. Additional evidence only has to be provided in the individual countries in order to demonstrate compliance with those national requirements not covered by the TSI.

Source : Siemens Press Centre