Siemens Mobility and PKP CARGO – the largest rail freight operator in Poland and the second largest in Europe – have signed an agreement for the purchase of 5 Vectron MS locomotives, including an 8-year full maintenance service. These are the most modern vehicles in Europe capable of crossing railway borders without stopping. In total, the PKP CARGO fleet will consist of 25 such multisystem locomotives. Deliveries are planned for the first quarter of 2023.
Vectrons are the most modern universal locomotives on the European market, featuring a modular design that allows for easy adaptation to operational requirements and specific driving conditions in different countries. The locomotive was developed with a variety of transport tasks in mind. The primary assumption in building the vehicle was the efficiency and profitability of performing traction tasks in domestic and cross-border traffic, both passenger and freight, across Europe.
This is the third purchase of Vectrons in the history of PKP CARGO. In September 2015, the company decided to sign a contract for the delivery of 15 units, and in 2019, it exercised an option to purchase another 5 electric locomotives. Now, the largest freight carrier in Poland is again opting for the delivery of 5 Vectron locomotives, this time intended for the development of intermodal transport in Poland and Europe.
– The agreement signed today is part of a large investment program by PKP CARGO regarding the purchase of rolling stock for handling intermodal connections, for which we have received EU funding. The Vectron locomotives will be used for international transport, the development of which is one of the directions pursued by our company. Most intermodal transport on Polish railways consists of transit, which is why modern rolling stock is needed to handle international connections – stated Marek Olkiewicz, Member of the Management Board for Operations at PKP CARGO S.A.
The signed agreement is part of the implementation of the project titled “Multisystem locomotives and wagons intended for intermodal transport,” co-financed by the European Union from the Cohesion Fund (Infrastructure and Environment Program). The agreement signed by PKP CARGO with the Centre for EU Transport Projects provides for the co-financing of the purchase of 220 container flat wagons (the contract is being implemented by a consortium of Wagony Świdnica and ASTRA RAIL Industries) and five multisystem locomotives. The value of both contracts reaches approximately PLN 247 million net, of which nearly PLN 92.4 million is EU funding.
The Vectron MS locomotives purchased by PKP CARGO have a power output of 6.4 MW when powered by AC and 6.0 MW when powered by DC, and are equipped with an ETCS system compliant with current specifications (Baseline 3). They are homologated for Poland, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary, and vehicles from the Vectron platform – as the only modern locomotives in Europe – are approved for operation in as many as 20 European countries.
– Vectrons are unique vehicles capable of crossing European railway borders without stopping. This is an important element building the competitive advantage of PKP CARGO not only in Poland but throughout Europe. No stops at the border mean savings in rolling stock and driver working time, lower energy consumption, and significant benefits for the environment. We are pleased with the development of our cooperation for the coming years, especially in the area of locomotive service, where we provide the highest level of vehicle availability offered on the market – said Hubert Meronk, CEO of Siemens Mobility Sp. z o.o.
In addition to the delivery of the electric locomotives, the agreement with PKP CARGO also includes full maintenance of all 5 vehicles until the first P4 periodic repair (8 years), with an option to perform this repair. Additionally, Siemens Mobility will provide software for locomotive operation management and a set of brand-new spare parts and components, known as an anti-failure kit.
Source: PKP CARGO