Czech Railways: Revolutionary fleet renewal
Czech Railways fleet is constantly innovated: new trains and modernisation
p You have highlighted
the record pace of modernising
your rolling stock, such as by
introducing the most modern
Czech ComfortJet train, which
should arrive just before
the summer. What makes
it so technically special?
The ComfortJet sets are part of Siemens'
Viaggio Comfort train family and, combi-
ned with Siemens Vectron locomotives,
they are now also offered as the Vectrain.
In fact, we are the first in the world to put
this Vectrain version into regular service.
This solution combines certain advanta-
ges of conventional trainsets and high-
speed trains. The integral passenger com-
partment is fitted with pressure-tight
transitions between carriages. This re-
duces the dust and noise levels while
guaranteeing what is essentially a step-
free passage through the entire trainset.
Placing the drive in the locomotive redu-
ces noise and vibration in the individual
carriages and, if the locomotive fails, be-
ing a much more complex system than
the carriage set and statistically posing
a higher risk of downtime for repair, the
drive unit can just be disconnected and
a new one coupled instead, allowing the
trainset to continue its journey. The Com-
fortJets are also equipped with other in-
novative technologies. As an example, let
me mention the unique window design
that lets mobile phone signals into the tra-
inset more easily while, naturally, maintai-
ning the thermal insulation properties of
the glass. The pressure-tightness elimina-
tes the unpleasant pressure shock experi-
ence when passing other trains or driving
through tunnels. The trains are designed to
operate at a maximum speed of 230 km/h
and can also run on high-speed lines. We
will first deploy the ComfortJets on selected
services on the Prague-Bohumín line and
then on the Bohumín-Prague-Františkovy
Lázně line. For the time being, the sets will
not include the control trailer and restau-
rant car. However, the passengers will not
be deprived of the possibility of finding
refreshment. A restaurant car, a conventi-
onally designed one from Czech Railways'
current fleet, will be attached to the sets.
p The ČD fleet is constantly
being innovated. What other
trainsets can we look forward to?
And how, specifically, will they
benefit the passengers?
Revolutionary efforts to renew the Czech
Railways fleet are currently underway. On
regional services, we are deploying the
new RegioPanter and RegioFox electric
trains and the previously mentioned Com-
fortJets are to be deployed on long-di-
stance services. To give you a better idea,
TT ++ TT
Technika a trh 5/2024
rail transport
ll
institutions
8
Michal Krapinec
CEO and Chair
of the Board of Directors
of Czech Railways
Czech Railways Fleet Constantly
Innovated
...Revolutionary Fleet Renewal
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