Czech Railways: Train renewal in Moravian-Silesian region (2. strana)
Czech Railways prepares major train renewal in the Moravian-Silesian Region
www.technikaatrh.cz
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"Thanks to this new contract, passenger
rail transport services will be ensured in
the territory of the Moravian-Silesian Regi-
on with an overlap to the Olomouc, Zlín
and Žilina Regions in Slovakia and the Si-
lesian Voivodeship in Poland for the next
10 years. In addition, this will solve the
pressing issue of maintaining old vehicles
that no longer meet the new stringent
ECM requirements without simply repla-
cing them with, for example, other older
vehicles that are not even available on the
market. The Moravian-Silesian Region is
striving to significantly reduce energy
consumption and CO2 emissions in tran-
sport. As rail transport is the backbone
mode of transport in the Moravian-Silesi-
an Region, the Region focuses in particu-
lar on the acquisition of new low-emission
light rail vehicles, which, in addition to
traction-dependent vehicles (e.g. EMUs),
also include vehicles with hybrid propulsi-
on (electric/battery) or alternative fuel
(hydrogen). We do not want to purchase
new diesel vehicles in the future, as these
cannot even be financed from subsidies.
We will only use electric, hybrid or alter-
native fuel vehicles," said Radek Podstaw-
ka, Deputy Governor for Transport of the
Moravian-Silesian Region, adding that in-
tensive negotiations with the carrier have
been underway for more than a year.
The result is the provision of basic tran-
sport services that will be environmentally
and economically friendly for the region.
He pointed out that the Moravian-Silesian
Region had acted with due care in conc-
luding this public service obligation con-
tract and had fulfilled all its legislative ob-
ligations. An indisputable advantage is the
usability of battery cell vehicles even if
progress is made in electrifying the regio-
n's key railway lines, or e.g. eliminating
backup bus transport during voltage outa-
ges. The possibility of future vehicles en-
tering Poland (after their "Polonisation") is
also worth mentioning.
The aim of ČD is to assist individual regi-
ons in implementing their low-emission
transport development strategies. This is
achieved both by introducing modern
electric units with the support of electrici-
ty recovery, but also by developing sys-
tems with alternative drives. In the case of
the Moravian-Silesian Region, the first
hybrid battery units will now be introdu-
ced in the Czech Republic, which will ena-
ble direct emission reductions by repla-
cing ecologically unfriendly diesel
vehicles. With this step, the Moravian-Sile-
sian Region confirms its long-term directi-
on to become a modern, ecological and
attractive region, especially for residents
and tourists. North Moravia is thus gradu-
ally becoming a place where ČD can start
to fully implement its Clean Mobility stra-
tegy and its vision of becoming the lowest
carbon footprint carrier in the Czech Re-
public by 2030.
New direct connections
in the Moravian-Silesian Region d
From December 2024:
• direct trains without change on line S8
Ostrava– Studénka – Příbor
– Kopřivnice – Štramberk – Veřovice
From December 2025:
• direct trains without change on line
Krnov – Opava – Ostrava – Havířov
– Český Těšín
• direct trains, the "Ostrava ring"
on line Ostrava-Svinov – Havířov
/Bohumín – Český Těšín
– Frýdek-Místek (– Ostrava-Svinov)
– in full range after double-tracking of
the Ostrava – Frýdek-Místek section,
• direct trains Ostrava – Suchdol nad
Odrou – Nový Jičín,
• direct trains Ostrava – Suchdol nad
Odrou – Budišov nad Budišovkou.
The main benefit of the trains on the
new lines will be the deployment of com-
fortable low-floor vehicles to replace ol-
der trains and to take advantage of the
speed of the corridor lines. This will signi-
ficantly increase the number of connecti-
ons in the region, which will offer barrier-
free travel (80%), air conditioning, Wi-Fi
connection, train information system and
vacuum toilets. Passengers can enjoy this
comfort practically throughout the entire
region.
The new trains will also be equipped
from the factory with the European Train
Control System (ETCS) and other safety
features and will have no problem mee-
ting the stringent ECM conditions set for
the maintenance of railway vehicles. ČD
will also retrofit other vehicles in the region
with the mobile part of ETCS, e.g. electric
units of the 471 series or the existing Re-
gioPanter units.
The new vehicles will be equipped with
check-in terminals, i.e. "validators" used
for self-service ticket purchase. Counting
technologies will be installed in the boar-
ding area of the trainsets and their test
operation will take place already this ye-
ar.
In total, the national carrier will invest
nearly CZK 4 billion in 24 new trains. It is
certainly worth mentioning that the new
transport model will achieve economies
of scale, where the assumption of acqui-
ring a total of 24 new vehicles will be re-
placed by 46 vehicles with an operating
age of 40 years or more, which are no
longer envisaged in the transport model,
with an emphasis on the use of hybrid/al-
ternative drives. The modernisation of the
existing vehicles, including investment in
the installation of ETCS, will cost CZK 430
million. The contract between the natio-
nal carrier and the regional authority will
now be in gross mode. The value of the
ten-year contract is CZK 18 billion.
Two new three-car electric RegioPanter
units, purchased with the support of the
OPD2 operational programme, will be
another reinforcement in the modernisa-
tion of transport in the Moravian-Silesian
Region already this June. They will run on
passenger trains between Opava and Os-
trava-Svinov.
The recently modernised 811 series rail-
cars and 012 trailers will remain in the
Moravian-Silesian Region even after the
deployment of the new vehicles on the li-
nes in the region and will gradually repla-
ce the 810 series railcars. Thanks to the
new contract, other older vehicles such
as the 163 series electric locomotives and
460 units will also gradually disappear
from the tracks. p
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rail transport
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