photo: ČD/https://www.cdcargo.cz/aktuality/-/asset_publisher/eJwZFZ6uHkBH/content/cd-cargo-rozsiruje-flotilu-svych-nejmodernejsich-lokomotiv?redirect=%2Faktuality%3FinheritRedirect%3Dtrue&inheritRedirect=true/ČD Vectron
Czech national passenger railways carrier will expand its fleet with thirteen locomotives of the Vectron type from Siemens. The rental contract includes full maintenance services of the leased traction machines. The lease period should last ten years. Part of the deal is that ČD as the Lessee reserves the option to buy the cars after the leasing period. The state-owned company is currently finalizing a public tender for its supply.
The reason for renting locomotives is simple and is related to the voltage system and the installation of the ETCS, which is quite an issue in the Czech Republic." Czech Railways needs to replace older locomotives, which are not efficient to equip with ETCS and convert to another voltage system due to the ongoing conversion of the voltage traction system," the spokeswoman of ČD, Vanda Rajnochová, told the media.
It is purchasing of 140 locomotives which are in stake now. Despite some modifications and changes of the tenders done by the national carrier last year, two tenders are currently underway. The first of it includes the delivery of 90 locomotives for a speed of 200 km/hour. The second tender includes the supply of 50 locomotives designed for a speed of 230 km/hour.
Since the first new locomotives from this competition will be available to the national carrier at the earliest in 2024, it was necessary to annouce the tender for rent the locomotives with the possibility of subsequent purchase.
A total of 6 biding entities entered the tender for the rental of locomotives. According to information from Czech media, the contract FOR LOCOTwas won by Slovak company Rolling Stock Lease, which belongs to the Austrian financial group ERSTE. It is better known by its old name, S Rail Lease. This company leases Vectron locomotives to several carriers including, among others, Slovak national passenger carrier ZSSK or ZSSK Cargo.
ČD expects to have delivered the first six Vectron locomotives at the end of March this year. They will serve on the routes among Prague and cities in central Moravia region. The main reason for placing new locomotives on these lines is that due to the change in traction voltage in the Moravian region, the older 371 series locomotives must be replaced.
Another seven Vectrons should be received by the national carrier by the end of October 2022. These locomotives will then run on the route between the Czech Republic and Poland, namely Prague - Lichkov - Wroclaw - Gdynia.