6/2010
A Visit To PESA
In summer 2008 we toured PESA’s works in Bydgoszcz. On 7 December 2010 we paid a return visit. Changes have taken place. Two years ago the halls were mainly occupied by Class ED74 Bydgostia EMUs. Now, their place has been taken by their successors, the Class EN76 ELFs. Moreover, construction of SWING trams for various Polish operators is in full swing.
This is the first Acatus II EMU for Województwo Malopolskie. Although the Acatus II bears a greater family resemblance to the ELF than to the original batch of Acatus EMUs, and also incorporates a good many components which are common to the ELF, it does not have impact absorbing elements in its front ends. Województwo Malopolskie explicitly requested that these should not be fitted, so as to keep costs down, but, it does not comply with the TSI Crash standard. In fact the Acatus II costs around 20 % less (4.8 million EUR) than an ELF does, yet is of similar specifications, for
3 kV DC operation, a top speed of 160 km/h, and a power rating of 2,000 kW.
Photo: Tomáš Kuchta
CSR News
On 28 July 2010 in Beijing the Chengdu Railway Administration of the Chinese Ministry of Railways awarded an 8.6 billion CNY (1 billion EUR) contract to the China South Locomotive & Rolling Stock Corporation (CSR) to build 590 Hexie six-axle electric locomotives.
On 30 April 2009 HXD1C-0001 was outshopped at the ZELC works, and is seen here outside the factory on 3 June. An official presentation was held on the 12th, and after that the prototype was sent to the CARS test centre in Beijing. The first Class HXD1C locomotives entered commercial service in late summer 2009.
Photo: Tan Yi
A Fifth Season, Part 2
Our unique and exclusive illustrated tour of InnoTrans 2010 continues in this number of Railvolution, focusing mainly on the locomotives that were present, and in particular on the „star“ exhibits. Report was compiled by Petr Kadeřávek, Tomáš Kuchta and Jaromír Pernička. Photos, unless otherwise cited, were taken by Tomáš Kuchta.
Bombardier's star locomotive exhibit was undoubtedly the ALP-45 DP electro-diesel, making its public debut. On 18 August 2008 New Jersey Transit (NJT) ordered 26 of these machines (with an option for 63 more), and Agence Métropolitaine de Transport (AMT) of Montréal ordered 20 (with an option for 10 more). Although the locomotive on display was 4500, the first of the NJT batch, it was painted in a mixture of NJT and AMT liveries.
Photo: Tomáš Kuchta
Gravita Birthplace: A Visit To Voith Turbo Lokomotivtechnik
Since early 2010 the Voith Turbo Lokomotivtechnik (VTLT) works in Kiel has been very busy building a batch of 130 Gravita 10 BB shunters for DB Schenker Rail Deutschland. We examine here the activities in progress at this new manufacturing complex - the construction of various members of the Gravita family and the Maxima main line diesels.
The Voith factory in Kiel is currently operating with a view to meeting the deadline for the DB Gravita deliveries. This busy scene was photographed in Hall One. On the left are 261 018 (nearest the camera), 261 017 and 92 80 1261 304-0 D-VTLT (the Gravita prototype L04-10005), which was then being prepared for the testing period in Poland, too. On the right of the photo Gravita cabs are being assembled.
Photo: Jaromír Pernička
Electro-Diesels For New Jersey And Montreal
On 18 August 2008 Bombardier was awarded two contracts to build electro-diesels for passenger services in the United States and Canada. One of these, worth 178 million EUR, is for 26 locomotives, with an option clause for 63 more, and is for the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJT). The other is for Agence Metropolitaine de Transport (AMT) of Montreal, is worth 152 million EUR, and is for 20 such locomotives, with an option clause for ten more.
NJT’s second ALP-45DP, 4501, at Kassel works on 7 October 2010.
Photo: Tomáš Kuchta
A FLIRT Leads To A KISS: Stadler’s New Double Deck EMUs
In early June 2010 SBB presented the first of its 50 new generation, six-car, double deck Class RABe 511 EMUs, built by Stadler. 37 will be deployed on S-Bahn Zürich services, and the remainder on RegioExpress services elsewhere in Switzerland. Also on order are 24 four-car double-deck EMUs for RegioExpress operations in various cantons.
RABe 511 001 during the public presentation at Zürich Hbf. on 3 June 2010. Officially, the new Stadler train was then referred to as a DOSTO RV (Doppelstockzug Regional Verkehr). However, at InnoTrans it was rebranded as a Komfortabler Innovativer Spurtstarker S-Bahn Zug, the acronym KISS standing in English for „Comfortable, Innovative, Fast Suburban Train“ being highly appropriate for the logical progression from a FLIRT. On that day in Zürich all three generations of Swiss double-deck suburban EMUs were present. On the right is a Class Re 450, in the middle a Class RABe 514, and on the left the new Class RABe 511 KISS.
Photo: Armin Schmutz
And much more!
Cover of 6/2010
Poster
Features: Desiro ML 08 502 for SNCB, the second dual voltage train (the numbers 08 001 upwards will be single voltage units), being subjected to thorough testing at Velim in the Czech Republic on 30 November 2010 before batch production starts up