photo: Vladimír Fišar/http://www.vladanfoto.cz/clanky-regiopanter-pro-plzensky-kraj.html/RegioPanter
Škoda Transportation and Czech Railways (České dráhy - ČD) signed a contract for the supply of 19 two-car and 29 three-car RegioPanter units. In addition to previous orders, a total of 79 new units should be delivered over the next four years. This contract amounts to 6.88 billion CZK (approx. 255 million EUR).
Another order signals that the general contract for the delivery of fifty two-car units has already been fulfilled. "We have previously signed a contract for the production of 31 two-car units and now we are ordering another 19 units. We plan to deploy them in 2023 and 2024 in the Olomouc, Moravian-Silesian and South Bohemian regions." said Jiří Ješeta, Member of the Board of Directors of Czech Railways (ČD) and Deputy General Manager for Sales.
There were another 29 three-car units also ordered under a recently concluded contract for a total of sixty such units. The first of these types of vehicles should go to the Moravian-Silesian Region. Another 27 units should gradually start on the tracks in the Olomouc region. This should happen between the years 2023 - 2024.
The trains have modern equipment and offer passengers sufficient comfort during transport. The two-car RegioPanters offer 147 seats, the three-car can carry 241 passengers. Passengers should be offered pleasant comfort as there is enough space even for passengers with bicycles or prams. In the cars, the disposition for transporting disabled persons in a wheelchair is improved.
"By ordering new trains, we are fulfilling our contractual obligations to the regions, which have concluded long-term contracts with us as a result," explains Ivan Bednárik, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Czech Railways (ČD).
In addition to the implementation of agreements with the regions, the issue of railway traffic safety is also relevant with regard to the modernization of infrastructure throughout Europe. Another reason for buying these cars is that they support the S system (European Train Control System).
The new RegioPanter trains have many technical features compared to the original cars in this series. They are equipped with, for example, a modern information system, cameras and the possibility of automatic train control, and they also have the already mentioned ETCS system. The cars will also be equipped with WIFI. Trains can reach a maximum speed of 160 km / hour. The trains are designed for operation on both Czech power supply systems 3 kV DC and 25 kV AC.
Currently, the first units of the series of two-car trains are undergoing tests at the Výzkumný ústav železniční (Railway Research Institute). They should go into the use in the middle of 2021, when they should serve an accelerated line from Pilsen to Mariánské Lázně, Cheb and Karlovy Vary. Several units should serve the line Klatovy - Plzeň – Beroun, rest of units will move in the South Bohemian Region and the Vysočina Region.
Czech Railways already uses tens of Panter trains today. Specifically, 12 three-car units of the 440 series and 8 three-car units of the 640 series, 17 two-car units of the 650 series and 14 units of the InterPanter series 660 and 661 intended for long-distance transport. The last mentioned are built as three-car and five-car units.