In the last days of 2024, the first C30-M series locomotive built by Operail successfully passed the inspection to obtain a single-person operation permit. This year, Operail plans to adapt about 4-5 more locomotives for single-person operation.
Traditionally, freight trains have had two persons – a driver and an assistant in the locomotive cab for every drive. Operail was the first rail freight transport company in Estonia to start single-person operations. After 1.5 years of preparatory work, the first C36-7i locomotive was certified for single-person operation in August 2019. By now, Operail only runs the old C36 locomotives, or “Americans”, with one locomotive driver in the cab. This has significantly increased the cost-effectiveness of the freight transport service offered by Operail.
“Line operation with two people is a historical relic that once ensured safety if something happened to one of the drivers. Today, it is possible to ensure an excellent level of safety with technical aids that detect deviations in the driver’s work and stop the train if necessary. Two-person operation is only reasonable for shunting work,” explained Merle Kurvits, CEO of Operail.
Until 2024, the new C30-M locomotive series built by Operail mainly performed shunting. Therefore, C30-M was not certified for single-person operation. Last August, the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority issued Operail with permission to officially register the C30-M locomotive model as a mainline freight locomotive. This means that the C30-M locomotives built in Tapa can independently handle the total freight transport process, including shunting and line service.
“As soon as the locomotive was certified for line services, we began preparations to provide our customers with an even more efficient, one-person operated service,” said Merle Kurvits.
During the certification process, which lasted almost half a year, risk assessments were conducted and extensive documentation was submitted to the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority for approval of the technical solution. After receiving the green light from the authority, Operail began upgrading the first locomotive.
According to Jaanus Kaasik, Chief Specialist of Operail Repairs OÜ, the locomotive’s vigilance control program VEPS was upgraded during the conversion, and two vigilance pedals and one additional vigilance control button were added to the locomotive. Vigilance control ensures that if the driver experiences a health problem, falls asleep, or loses attention, the VEPS system stops the train.
To meet the requirements for single-person operation, the locomotive had to be equipped with an automatic fire extinguishing system – if the sensor detects a temperature higher than the limit, automatic extinguishing with carbon dioxide takes place. In addition, the commission checked whether the locomotive’s equipment meets the safety requirements: chocks, radio communication equipment, fire extinguishers, a Metrotec monitoring system, a first aid kit, and a laser thermometer.
In the last days of 2024, the first C30-M – locomotive no. 1558 named Leo – successfully passed the inspection of a commission by the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority, and the Estonian Railways, and was officially certified for single-person operation. By now, Leo has already started with one-person operated line services.
In the first quarter of 2025, Operail plans to obtain permission for single-person operation for four or five more C30-M locomotives. “The certification of all subsequent locomotives will be much quicker because risk assessments and documentation are done, only the actual rebuilding of the locomotives will take place, followed by an inspection of each locomotive,” confirmed Kurvits.
C30-M locomotive project
Operail’s Tapa depot is the only place in Estonia where locomotives are built. Operail started the C30-M project in 2016. The first locomotive was completed in 2017 and began operating in the fall of 2018. To date, twelve locomotives have been built. Nine of these are in Operail’s use and serve freight transport in Estonia, while three have been adapted for the Finnish railway, are certified there, and do their daily work in Finland.
The locomotive is assembled using the body frame and running gear of the С30-7Ai locomotive by General Electric and modules designed by the European manufacturer CZ Loko. The six-axle C30-MF weighs 135 tonnes, has an axle load of 22.5 tonnes, and is AC/DC electrically powered. The locomotive is powered by a Caterpillar 3512C HD diesel engine rated at 1,550 kW (2,079 hp) and has a top speed of 100 kilometers per hour.
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