Although, over the past years’ exhibitions organised on the occasion of the Railway Days Summit, the exhibits which draw most of the visitors’ attention and appreciation were coaches, either passenger or freight, this year, the stars of the event were the locomotives, present in a great variety, sign that the traction market becomes more dynamic in Romania as well. This year’s showcase was background for many firsts in Romania, among which the presence of a Bombardier locomotive for the first time in Romania, the first locomotives with asynchronous motors manufactured in Romania or the first domestic locomotive sold to German Railways. As for passenger coaches, the accent fell on interior equipments and especially the facilities for low mobility passengers, the Romanian suppliers providing for the first time modern access vehicles adapted to disabled people.
The German supplier Siemens Mobility showcased the EuroSprinter ES 64, property of CargoTransVagon operator and already in operation on the Romanian network. Gabriel Stanciu, Rolling Stock Manager, Siemens Mobility Romania, declared on the occasion that the locomotives had perfectly adapted to the Romanian network and that the vehicles had been undergone only the periodical mandatory revisions. Siemens wishes to focus its marketing strategy for rolling stock offer on the products’ reliability.
Bombardier Transportation has showcased for the first time in Romania one of its products. The manufacturer exhibited a TRAXX electric locomotive owned by the Railpool rolling stock leasing company. Bombardier plans to offer this locomotive, TRAXX Series 185, to Romanian state-owned and private operators. Railpool’s representative, Torsten Lehnert, declared that Eastern markets, where the leasing company is present, had been very receptive to offers including Traxx locomotives, providing the example of Hungarian private operators. The Railpool official has expressed his hope that Romanian private operators would take their example.
Craiova-based manufacturer, Softronic, showcased no less than 3 locomotives: Phoenix locomotive, recently bought by Deutsche Bahn’s Romanian subsidiary, Logistics Services Danubius; the new TRANSMONTANA locomotive, the first electric locomotive with asynchronous motors manufactured in Romania and the Phoenix locomotive dedicated to passenger traffic capable to reach speeds of 200km/h.
TRANSMONTANA has an IGBT technology with redundant static converters and choppers for traction motors. The increased power of 6600 kW has boosted startup force to 320 kN. Softronic Board President Ionel Ghita said operators such as Deutsche Bahn and MagyarMaganVasut (MMV) were interested in Transmontana.
Remarul 16 Februarie exhibited the locomotives that have also been present at InnoTrans trade fair: the CARPATHIA diesel electric locomotive, the first diesel locomotive with asynchronous motors manufactured in Romania and the LDH locomotive upgraded with a Caterpillar engine, CARPATHIA 1300 DH-M. Carpathia 2300 DE has a CAT Eneria 2300 HP engine (compared to the classic version of 2100 HP) which increases traction force from 320 to 350 kN. The innovation is the continuous current generator. The solution was very appreciated by InnoTrans visitors, according to the declaration of Remarul 16 Februarie Quality Manager, Fulger Musat.
Promat Craiova manufacturer has also exhibited one of its products at Railway Days 2010, the upgraded Co-Co electric locomotive with increased power from 6000 kW to 5100 kW and with static converters which allow electric engines to start without mechanical and power shocks.
Remarul 16 Februarie Cluj has also presented an upgraded multiple-unit based on out-of-use units from German Railways. The VT614 unit has a MAN diesel engine, but can also run on Cummins motors. The multiple-unit can reach speeds of 120 km/h.
In passenger coaches, manufacturers focused on facilities for disabled people
Big coach manufacturers were also present, this year’s firsts being the UNICA coach from Astra Vagoane Călători Arad and the Green Hexagon coach from Remar Paşcani.
The passenger UNICA coach from AVCA is dedicated to operators providing luxury and high-quality services. The car exhibited at Gara de Nord belongs to Italian operator ArenaWays. It has modern information systems with LCD display, LED lighting, automated ticketing system, interlocking systems, fire extinction equipments, elevating platforms for disabled people etc.
Green Hexagon, or Series 10-31 is dedicated to inter-regional traffic, the variant present at the exhibition being a Class II coach. The coach manufactured by Remar Pascani has automated doors, LED lighting etc.
Series 20-68, manufactured by the same company, serves inter-regional traffic. The vehicle has upgraded Minden-Deutz bogies and can be hauled at speeds of up to 140 km/h. The Pascani-based company also showcased Series 36-16 double-deck coach Class I and Class II with Gorlitz VI bogies and pneumatic brake installation.
Ateliere CFR Grivita is an important player in the overhaul and modernisation of passenger coaches, the exhibits showcased at the Railway Days covering the entire range of passenger coaches for long and medium-range traffic. Series 84.83 is a speed wagon equipped with special facilities for low mobility people, GP200 bogies and pneumatic brakes. Disabled people facilities include revolving access doors with electro-pneumatic drive, platform elevators and sanitary installation for disabled people. Series 20.83 saloon car has a SAFI alarm signal inhibition system, air-conditioning with eco-friendly refrigerating agent, info-displays that report the car location on the route, CCVT video survey system, electric panel with interlocking system. Series 19.87 saloon car has an MMI console integrated in the electric panel which enables the train staff to intervene whenever necessary, static supply source with mono-tension power.
Aside from the Unica coach, Astra Vagoane Calatori Arad (AVCA) has exhibited to the Railway Days 2010 public, the already known coaches, such as AVA 200 Express ADW, capable to reach speeds of 200 km/h, AVA InterRegio AEE, capable to run at speeds of 160 km/h and equipped with LED lighting and the restaurant car AED that can reach speeds of up to 200 km/h and is equipped with video survey, GPS positioning systems, WLAN wireless internet etc.
The exhibits also included a wagon van for the transport of automotive vehicles from Ateliere CFR Griviţa, that can be connected to a passenger train for the transport of personal vehicles. Series 98.83
has Minden-Deutz bogies, electro-pneumatic braking equipment with automated KE-GPR-A-MG, adjustment, an electronic device that prevents wheel-sliding, remote control installation and data transmission. The maximum speed is 160 km/h.
Innovations in communications and information
At the same time with Gara de Nord exhibition, there was the railway technique exhibition organised in World Trade Center business lobby which included exhibits dedicated to railway infrastructure, passenger information systems and communications equipments.
During this year’s edition of the Railway Days, Romkatel and Funkwerk Kölleda have jointly presented two innovations that had been launched two weeks before at InnoTrans 2010. The first innovation was the latest generation of the MESA 23 on-board radio station. The portable stations RailfocX can communicate in GSM-R, GSM 900&1800, E-GSM standards, as well as in the traditional railway standard UIC 751-3 – dedicated to analogical communications in FM, 300 MHz, 450-468MHz and 467MHz bands.
SPIACT Craiova has introduced two mono-phase dry type power transformers for TDM-LC exterior.
These transformers are manufactured by resin immersing and used for supplying several electric equipments, such as switch heaters, with power from the overhead line (25kV; 50Hz). Cristina Nigriny, Spiact Marketing Manager, declared for Railway Pro that the Railway Days event had proved to be very fruitful for the company who came into contact with important companies, such as Siemens and Alstom and was able to become familiar with the innovations launched by the Romanian companies present at the event.
Silogic Craiova manufactures rolling stock electronic systems, such as equipments for automated doors, Moniva, traction control systems, Sicotra, and the digital displays, SIPAS, which have been showcased at the Railway Days event.
by Alin Lupulescu
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