Brazil: Saft batteries are being fitted to 58 of MRS Logística’s GE locos to provide power to start the engines up to 14 times a day. The 64 V batteries based on SRX190 FR-PP or SRX1900P cells provide a capacity of 190 Ah for 5 h and are designed to offer a long and low-maintenance life-cycle.
Canada: Montréal transport authority EXO has ordered 20 more double-deck coaches from CRRC Tangshan as an option on a 2017 contract for 24. Deliveries are to begin in late 2019.
Czech Republic: ČD Cargo has leased a Bombardier Traxx F140AC3 electric loco with last mile module from Railpool to handle growing traffic in Austria.
Following re-tendering, ČD Cargo has awarded AŽD Praha and ČD-Telematika a €29·9m contract to equip 47 Class 363 and 31 Class 163 electric locomotives with Alstom and ČMŽO-Elektronika ETCS by late 2020; 85% of the eligible cost is to be covered by the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility.
Europe: Ermewa has acquired 154 Sggrss 80ft wagons from CzechoSlovakGroup company Rosco Bohemia, to reinforce its presence in the intermodal business in Germany, the Czech Republic and Romania.
Contracts have been signed for Rolls-Royce to supply nine MTU Hybrid PowerPacks to Ireland’s Iarnród Éireann and four to UK leasing company Porterbrook. This follows letters of intent announced at InnoTrans. Deliveries are planned between May 2020 and the end of 2021, enabling operators to evaluate the possible conversion of significant parts of their DMU fleets.
Finland: VR Group has awarded Škoda Transtech a €24m contract to supply a further seven double-deck dining cars for entry into service on Helsinki – Turku/Tampere routes in 2021-22. The lower deck will have a galley, buffet counter and dining area, with an open café space which can also be used for cultural events. A kiosk at the other end of the car will provide services for the upper deck, which will have seats for passengers and could be used as a conference room for up to 41 people.
France: On May 10 Alstom announced a €170m firm order to supply 16 Coradia Polyvalent EMUs to the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region. It said this was the first order for this six-car variant with 355 seats, ‘inter-city style’ interiors and compliance with the 2014 PRM TSI which requires a more spacious toilet. Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur placed a €32m order for five four-car Coradia Polyvalent electro-diesel units for deliver by early 2021.
Germany: RheinCargo has ordered two Vossloh DE18 diesel locos for delivery in October, joining its current fleet of six. It has also acquired three ex-DB Bombardier Traxx locos for use on Köln – Hamburg intermodal services.
Italy: South Tirol transport authority STA has selected Bombardier Transportation for a €65·8m contract to supply seven Talent 3 EMUs for through services from Malles Venosta to Austria.
On May 10 FSE and Newag signed a €24·2m contract for the supply of a further six ETR.322 Impuls 2 EMUs within 19 months, using an option on a framework agreement signed in December 2015.
Poland: On May 6 freight operator Laude awarded Newag a 60·5m złoty contract to supply four six-axle Dragon 2 electric locos, two with a diesel module. Delivery is scheduled for 2020, and the manufacturer will provide a 36 month warranty.
PKP Intercity has signed a 5·8m złoty contract for Sesto to supply 316 energy monitors for electric locos and EMUs.
Gdańsk tram operator GAiT is purchasing 15 more Jazz Duo trams from Pesa as an option on a contract signed in February 2018. To arrive by the end of 2020, they will be partly financed from penalties paid by Pesa for late delivery of the initial batch.
Russia: Sole bidder UKVZ is to supply 27 partly low-floor trams to Krasnodar under a 672·3m rouble contract.
UKVZ is to supply 15 unidirectional low-floor trams to Magnitogorsk. Separately, NPO Gorizont is to supply 10 bodyshells for rebuilding old vehicles.
PK TS was sole bidder for a 2bn rouble contract to supply 21 three-section trams to St Petersburg’s Gorelektrotrans.
Eurosib SPb – TS has awarded UWC’s Tikhvin plant a contract to supply 400 Type 13-6903 high capacity container wagons by February 2020.
Sweden: Railcare’s Skelleftehamn workshop is building five generator wagons for delivery to contractor Infranord in 2019-20 under a SKr30m contract. It is also developing a prototype emission-free battery powered maintenance vehicle, and building two ballast feeder machines.
Switzerland: On April 26 Baselland Transport and Stadler signed a contract for the supply of 10 Tramlink Be 6/8 vehicles for the rebuilding of the Waldenburgerbahn, following BLT’s approval on April 17 of a SFr54m credit line. They are due to enter service from December 11 2022.
USA: MBTA has exercised a $78·3m option for MotivePower to refurbish a further 27 EMD F40 locomotives.
OmniTRAX’s Stockton Terminal & Eastern Railroad has begun using a Tier 4 compliant 1 050 hp Knoxville Locomotive Works SE10B T4L with an MTU 2000 V12 engine, purchased with a grant from the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Central District.