JHMD's Class M 27.0 Railcar In A New Look

The Czech private operator JHMD (Jindřichohradecké místní dráhy, Jindřichův Hradec local railways) is currently completing the repair of its narrow-gauge diesel railcar M 27.004 (805.904), which was damaged in April 2018 by a head-on collision with a tractor in the Včelnička station (north of Jindřichův Hradec).

Subsequently, the car was taken for repair to the company 4Rail, České Budějovice, which performed its partial dismantling and repair of damaged parts of the welded bodyshell. After that, the work stopped here for many months due to unclear financial coverage between the repairer and the insurance company. However, during 2019 JHMD took major steps to expand its workshop capacity, after which it was decided to complete the repair on its own.

The transport from České Budějovice to Jindřichův Hradec took place on 18 February 2020, and a week later the vehicle was moved by rail to a rejuvenated workshop in Kamenice nad Lipou. Here, the repair of the bodyshell including the driver’s cab was completed and the interior was installed back.

During this stage it was decided to change the railcar’s color scheme: the original gloomy gray color was replaced by a combination of red and cream according to the proposals of JHMD employees. The vehicle was also made several other minor modifications based on the requirements of drivers, mechanics and passengers. The repair is scheduled for completion by early June and then M 27.004 will return in regular service.