The rolling stock fleet of the railway undertaking AWT is going to be enlarged by supplies of three high-power locomotives produced by the company Siemens at the end of this year.
A contract upon which the supplies of respective interoperable locomotives of ES64U4 type known as Taurus are to be realized was concluded in August this year. The locomotives can be operated on the railway network of the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria and Hungary. Thus, locomotives are equipped with the national train signaling control systems LZB/PZB and MIREL, as well as they have undergone the procedure of authorization. However, the scope of train signaling control systems and authorization may be increased in order to embrace other countries.
Locomotives in mention are a part of Eurosprinter product group; they are broadly used by the railway undertakings. Such success is determined by their high operational reliability, low frequency of maintenance and universality. The level of maximum speed reaches 230 km/h, simultaneously, respective locomotives are characteristic by the maximum effort of 300 kN; due to this fact, they can be used for hauling the heavy freight trains. Electric traction of modern nature affects positively the scope of energy consumption and negative impact on environment. Regarding such characteristic Eurosprinter locomotives have become typical for heavy freight trains run through passes of the Alps.
AWT Group as private freight railway undertaking provides the transport services within whole Europe. It provides comprehensive solutions mainly to large industrial companies in Central and Eastern Europe, last but not least putting an accent on coal, steel or automotive parts. Thus, by providing respective transport services the group helps to enlarge the scope of modal shift between the heavy freight transport by road and rail. Regarding this a significant benefit is brought in terms of reducing the energy consumption and diminishing the negative impact of freight transport that affects nature, environment, level of congestion in road transport and quality of road infrastructure. The majority of such shipments is either dispatched or received outside the territory of the Czech Republic. Therefore, a reason for focusing on the interoperable rolling stock is given, mainly due to the fact that such rolling stock represented by Eurosprinter locomotives made by Siemens may operate on long-distance relations.
Conclusion of respective contract is just a first step toward modernization of AWT’s loco fleet. On the other hand, it should be mentioned that AWT has had a good experience with modern locomotives produced by Siemens. The railway undertaking in mention has been leasing two similar electric locomotives of ES64F4 type from the MRCE Dispolok pool; since previous year respective locomotives have been being operated on the railway network of the Czech Republic and neighboring countries.
