photo: Lotos/The most modern locomotive in Europe has arrived in Gdansk
At TRAKO 2021, LOTOS Kolej presented its new car – the most modern multifunctional locomotive Vectron MS from Siemens Mobility in Europe. The unit was purchased with the support of European Union funds for the implementation of intermodal transport through the EU Transport Projects Centre.
LOTOS Kolej is the second largest rail carrier in Poland in terms of transport work and a leader in the market for the transport of dangerous goods. The company signed a contract to purchase Vectron in November 2020 as part of the project "Purchase of modern rolling stock by LOTOS Kolej", co-financed by the European Union. The official presentation took place on September 22 at the international railway fair XIV TRAKO 2021.
"TRAKO 2021 is the perfect moment for the presentation of a new car for LOTOS Kolej. The locomotive was purchased to support intermodal transport, which is experiencing a real boom in Poland and is growing by several percent year on year. This shows that LOTOS Dormitory is positioned very well in the market. It invests in modern rolling stock that can travel without stopping across Europe – says Krzysztof Celiński, President of Siemens Mobility Sp. z o.o.
Vectrons are the most modern on the European market, universal locomotives with modular design that allows easy adaptation to the requirements of use and driving specifics in many countries and different operating conditions. The locomotive was created to perform various transport tasks. The efficiency and profitability of the fulfilment of traction tasks in national and cross-border transport, both in passenger and freight transport in Europe, was a prerequisite.
The new Vectron MS locomotive for LOTOS Kolej has a power of 6.4 MW, is equipped with ETCS system complying with the current specifications (basic 3) and develops a maximum speed of 160 km/h. The locomotive is approved for Poland, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, while Vectron vehicles are approved for operation in up to 20 European countries.
"We are pleased that the locomotive, which is available to all visitors to TRAKO, will soon supply our resources. The purchase of a multi-system locomotive within the framework of a project implemented in cooperation with CUPT, co-financed by EU funds, is a new perspective for LOTOS Kolej, which enables the comprehensive implementation of intermodal transport in international relations – emphasises Anatol Kupryciuk, Chairman of the Board of Directors of LOTOS Dormitory.
In Poland, Vectron locomotives were purchased by LOTOS Kolej, CARGOUNIT, DB Cargo Polska, PKP CARGO and Laude Smart Intermodal. Currently, almost 60 Vectron locomotives are in the hands of Polish carriers, and many more enter the PKP PLK network from abroad every day. To date, more than 1100 Vectron locomotives have been sold to almost 60 customers across Europe. The cars supplied have already travelled more than 460 million kilometres.
The locomotive for LOTOS Kolej was purchased using EU funds through the EU Transport Projects Centre (CUPT) to support the development of intermodal transport. The aim of the Competition Development of Maritime Transport, Inland Waterways and Multimodal Connections organised by CUPT is to co-finance entities under priority AXIS III in order to significantly increase the development of the TEN-T road network and multimodal transport itself.