PKP Intercity has concluded a tender for the purchase of 63 multi-system electric locomotives with an option to order a further 32 vehicles and provide maintenance services. This record-breaking procedure may strengthen the fleet of the national railway operator by nearly 100 modern vehicles.
The most advantageous offer was submitted by the rolling stock manufacturer Newag. The Nowy Sącz-based company offered PLN 2.3 billion for the basic order and PLN 3.5 billion with the right of option, i.e. an additional order.
The new locomotives will accelerate to 200 kilometres per hour and the first of them will appear on tracks in two years’ time. PKP Intercity representatives emphasise that the decided tender is an order which will significantly increase the stock of fast locomotives.
“The new vehicles will join the soon-to-be-delivered 15 Griffin locomotives with the same parameters. Above all, it is a faster and greener railway, as the locomotives will be powered by electricity and will travel at a speed of 200 kilometres per hour. We are taking many decisions out of concern for the environment and increasing travel comfort. This action is an example of that”, says Jarosław Oniszczuk, member of the PKP Intercity board.
The new multi-system locomotives will be able to run on railway lines powered by different voltages. Ultimately, they will be able to run in Poland, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary.
All machines will be equipped with the ETCS Level 2 system. In addition, they will have on-board diagnostics, a fire protection system, a monitoring system, wagon yard door control systems, a GPS location system, and an on-board/ground communication system.
Once all the contracts have been completed, PKP Intercity will have a fleet of 96 single-system Griffin locomotives with a speed of 160 kilometres per hour and 78 multi-system Griffin locomotives with a speed of 200 kilometres per hour, and if the option is exercised, this number will increase to 110 such locomotives.
Arkadiusz Słomczyński