The Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) awarded Railcare AB a snow clearance contract which spans a period of four years. The contract, which includes an option to extend for 1+1 years, is worth just over SEK 59 million (EUR 5.13 million) annually, generating a total value of SEK 355 million (EUR 30.9 million) over the entire contract period, including options.
“We are delighted to have been awarded this important contract, not only because it contributes to Railcare’s financial stability, but also because of the critical assignments we carry out, making railways more accessible, including in challenging weather conditions,” Mattias Remahl, the CEO of Railcare, said.
Under the new contract, Railcare will operate as a national resource for snow clearance at specific locations around Sweden, designated by the Swedish Transport Administration. This means that in the period from mid-November to end of March, Railcare will carry out snow clearance by providing a total of six machines, including snow melters and snow ploughs, as well as machine operators and train drivers.
Railcare has been contracted by the Swedish Transport Administration to carry out snow clearance for a number of years. However, the new agreement entails some changes compared to previous years. For example, the contract now covers an additional half month, running until the end of March. Another change involves the use of HVO100 in all machines, and locomotives used under the assignment are required to have Stage V engines and ETCS installed.
“We are delighted that the Swedish Transport Administration continues to see significant value in the snow clearance services we deliver. Our collaboration has worked very well throughout the years, generating security for both parties,” Daniel Bolin, the Operations Manager at Railcare AB, said.
Trafikverket and its contractors’ winter organisation are operational for a railway facility that includes more than 14,200 km of track, 10,000 switches, 4,000 railway bridges and 190 tunnels. This keeps all parts of the railway safe and accessible during the winter. In addition to the task of clearing the tracks, the activities also include maintaining access roads, walkways and platforms. In addition, ice-breaking in tunnels and on bridges is a recurring winter task.
According to Trafikverket, new de-icing facilities established in 2024 use hot air, which means that the time required to de-ice a train is under an hour, which is five to six times faster compared to using hot water.
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