photo: RAILTARGET/Mikael Bergkvist and Anders Westermark
From Stage V diesel engines to flawless winter performance at –40°C, CZ LOKO locomotives are proving their strength in Sweden. Anders Westermark and Mikael Bergkvist explain how cooperation with the Czech manufacturer is helping RailCare push the limits of efficiency and reliability.
Could you introduce your company?
Mikael Bergkvist, Chairman of the Board, AC Finance: Our company, AC Finance, is a financial partner for buying locomotives, mainly for the Swedish company on the stock market called RailCare.
Why did you choose CZ LOCO for the corporation?
Anders Westermark, Chairman of the Board, RailCare Group: I represent RailCare, and we have a traffic workyard contract with the Swedish government. We thought that the locomotives from CZ LOKO were excellent for our rescue locomotives. And we need the highest level of the diesel engine, Stage V, as well as the new signal system. There was a lack of that in the Swedish market, so we ordered it from CZ LOKO about two years ago.
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What are the main advantages of CZ LOKO locomotives, and which ones do you value the most?
Mikael Bergkvist: It's actually a combination. One important thing is the Stage V diesel engine. And another thing for us in Sweden is that they have to be able to handle the winter conditions.
What extreme weather conditions must your locomotives be able to handle?
Anders Westermark: We want them to be able to handle 40 degrees below zero, even though it's very seldom. Normally, it's hardly more than 20 degrees below zero in Sweden.
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How do you see the future of your company in, let's say, the next five years?
Mikael Bergkvist: It's gonna be interesting. We just started with the locomotives; now we have fourteen of them. It is really the start of a business, which is prosperous for RailCare. I can see that if the trains work well, we might be considering more of them. It's gonna be interesting to test them in practice. The first one was delivered a year ago, and the last one just last week, so they’re still a bit new for us.