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JUNE 2021 TODAY’S ISSUE 304 EUROPE RAILWAYS Stern & Ha erl ’s diverse local railway operator

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In the July issue: HEAVY HAULAGE ON THE BERKS & HANTS THE UK RAILWAY MAGAZINE FROM Tony Bartlett looks at the history and current services PLATFORM 5 PUBLISHING on the Berks & Hants line, There’s never been a better time to join the growing specifically the very scenic section west of Hungerford number of Today’s Railways UK readers, or better which parallels the Kennet still – why not save £24 by taking out a 12 issue & Avon Canal. The HSTs may have gone but the line is still subscription and make sure you never miss your heavily used by a variety of copy! Or why not save over £50 by taking out a freight traffic. combined subscription to Today’s Railways Europe THE G&SW – A KEY and Today’s Railways UK? DIVERSIONARY ROUTE To subscribe, please visit our website at www.platform5.com The former and or complete the form below and return it with your South Western (GSW) route remittance to: between Carlisle and Glasgow Today’s Railways UK (TRE), Platform 5 Publishing, via Dumfries and Kilmarnock has long offered an 52 Broadfield Road, Sheffield, S8 0XJ, ENGLAND. alternative diversionary route or telephone our 24 hour Subscription Orderline: for services between Scotland and England which ordinarily +44 (0)114 255 8000 or Fax: +44 (0)114 255 2471 would on the WCML. an answerphone is attached for calls made outside Stuart Fowler looks back over of normal UK office hours. some of the highlights of recent years.

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TO TAKE OUT A SUBSCRIPTION TO TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE, PLEASE SEE PAGE 67! REGULARS 5 Headlights 6 Headline News CONTENTS French start-up proposes open-access TGV services, German plan to switch air passengers to rail, ČD orders 182 long-distance coaches. ISSN 1354 2753 Issue 304 June 2021 12 Light Rail News Line T9 opens, South Korean-built Published by Platform 5 Publishing Ltd. : Andrzej Harassek, Dr. Mike Bent en route to Warszawa, CAF trams ordered for 52 Broad eld Road, She eld, S8 0XJ, England. : Manuel Tão, Carlos Fonseca Lisboa Line 15. t: +44 (0)114-255-2625 f: +44 (0)114-255-2471 : Chris Bailey 16 Mail Train : Toma Bačić EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES & CONTRIBUTIONS: /Montenegro: Toma Bačić 46 News Round Up Keith Barrow, Today’s Railways, 74 Raymond Road, : Toma Bačić RailAdventure acquires stake in Railexperts, Redruth, TR15 2HF, England. : Dr. Mike Bent t: +44 (0) 77 39 73 76 33 (O ce hours only) : Frank Edgar, Philip Groves SNCF Infra modernises its loco  eet, FlixTrain e: [email protected] : Christian Ammann, Sylvain Meillasson launches Göteborg– services. Consultants: David Haydock, Brian Garvin, 62 Heritage News Please do not send editorial matter or letters for Nick Lawford publication to the She eld address. Dutch heritage DMU on HSL-Zuid “rust busting” Publisher: Andrew Dyson SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES: duties, RhB diesel shunters preserved. Editor: Keith Barrow Platform 5 Publishing Ltd., 65 Traction Archive Assistant Editor: Alan Yearsley, BA (Hons), MBS, MILT 52 Broad eld Road, She eld, S8 0XJ, England. e: [email protected] t: +44 (0)114-255-8000 f: +44 (0)114-255-2471 e: [email protected] REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: FEATURES Austria: Daniel Martin, Roland Beier NEWS TRADE DISTRIBUTION: 18 DSB: major  eet changes Baltic States: Toma Bačić Select Publisher Services Ltd., : Carlo Hertogs 3 East Avenue, Bournemouth, BH3 7BW. on the horizon Bosnia-Herzegovina: Toma Bačić t: 01202 586848 With Danish State Railways in the midst of a : Chris Bailey (e: [email protected]) major rolling stock renewal programme, Jan : Toma Bačić DISTRIBUTION TO NON NEWS TRADE OUTLETS: Lundstrøm presents a class-by-class review of /: Michal Málek Platform 5 Publishing Ltd. : Jan Lundstrøm the operator’s  eet. 52 Broad eld Road, She eld, S8 0XJ, England. : Juhani Pirttilahti 24 NS Class 1600 and 1700: 40 years of the : David Haydock, Bernard Collardey, PRINTED BY: Dutch “Broken Noses” Laurent Charlier Buxton Press Ltd., : Volker Kubrak, Keith Fender Quintus Vosman charts the history of the Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire. SK17 6AE. : Nick Fotis versatile French-designed Bo-Bos. : Ferenc Joó © Platform 5 Publishing Ltd, 2021. All rights reserved. 34 Stern & Ha erl: Lokalbahn variety in : Marco Cacozza No part of this publication may be reproduced or Oberösterreich Luxembourg: Stojan Mihajlovic transmitted by any means or in any form (mechanical, : Richard Latten electronic, photocopying, or otherwise) without prior Roland Beier pro les the operations and North Macedonia: Toma Bačić written permission from the Publisher. Circular  ags diverse  eet of this Austrian company. : Peter Kloss designed by Freepik. 40 Modernising the Berlin U-Bahn  eet Keith Fender looks at the variety of U-Bahn train types in use in the German capital, most TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE is normally published on the fourth Monday of each month. of which will soon be replaced by new stock. This issue on sale 24 May. Next issue on sale 28 June. Follow us on social media:

Front cover: Stern & Ha erl (StH) DE 247 905 has recently been a regular performer on @TodaysRailways1 the Aschach–Wels line. However, with new Vectron Dual Mode locos on order, the operator has @TodaysRailwaysEurope decided to sell its only diesel Vectron (see p55) and the loco was handed over to new owner Bahnbau Wels in April. On 30 March 2021, its nal day in service with StH, 247 905 rounds the horseshoe curve on the approach to Haiding station with a train from Aschach. Roland Beier SUBSCRIBE TODAY! See page 67 for details. Below: A colourful contrast in Lok 2000 liveries near Spiezmoos between Thun and Spiez on 23 April 2021 as BLS Re 465 011 and 015 leading train 41604 Genova Marittima–Frenkendorf- Füllinsdorf meet SBB Re 460 072 propelling train IC 1075 SBB–Brig. Peter Hürzeler BOOKS FROM PLATFORM 5 MAIL ORDER

The new fth edition of Diesel & Electric Loco Register contains a complete list of all diesel and electric operated by British Railways, its constituents and successors, that have been capable of working on the main line railway network, including shunters and departmental locomotives. Detailed entries give up-to-date information on the current status of every , showing which are preserved, which have been scrapped, or the current operating company. Historic details are also included, listing every number carried, entry to service and withdrawal dates, every o cial name carried and a number of useful reference tables. By popular demand and in line with earlier editions of this book, scrapping information has been included. The book now contains scrapping details for approaching 5000 locomotives, showing where and when they were disposed of. Diesel & Electric Loco Register is an essential reference guide to every member of each diesel and electric loco class and clearly summarises the current status of almost 7000 British diesel and £21.95 electric locomotives. Well illustrated. 256 pages. Cover Price £24.95. Mail Order Price £21.95 plus P&P. TR Subscriber Price £17.95 plus P&P.

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TRANSPORT BOOKS FROM PLATFORM 5 MAIL ORDER PRESERVED LOCOMOTIVES OF BRITISH RAILWAYS £17.95 TR SUBSCRIBER 19th edition PRICE £15.95 A revised and updated edition of the complete Platform 5 guide to former main line steam, diesel and electric locomotives and multiple units that are still in existence. Preserved Locomotives contains a complete list of all such locomotives formerly owned by British Railways, its constituent companies and its successors. Includes numbers, names, home location and builder details for every locomotive/, plus technical data for every class. This new edition contains all the recent additions to preservation, including the rst production HST power car, examples of Classes 60 and 90 and a number of Class 142 and 144 “” DMUs. Also incorporates the many recent movements of locomotives and multiple units. Published 2020.

Compiled by Today’s Railways UK’s Robert Pritchard and Ian Beardsley, Preserved Locomotives 19th edition is the most comprehensive guide of its nature. A5 size. 160 pages. Cover Price £19.95. Mail Order Price £17.95 plus P&P. TR Subscriber Price £15.95 plus P&P. Mail order prices are available from the Platform 5 Mail Order Department & www.platform5.com To place an order, please follow the instructions on the back cover of this magazine.

4 TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 HEADLIGTS

This issue we report on two initiatives in France and packages are two notable exceptions, but on the whole LEELLING Germany aimed at encouraging domestic air passengers European governments have shown a lack of imagination to travel by rail. In Germany, the Federal Association of the on this issue. UP WIT TE German Industry and DB have agreed to improve There is increasing evidence consumers are concerned AIRLINES integration between air and rail services to promote a about the environmental impact of ying and want modal shift to rail (p7). Meanwhile, the French parliament attractive alternatives. According to the European voted in early April to ban all internal ights where an Investment Bank’s 2019/20 Climate Change Survey, 36% alternative train journey is available in 2½ hours or less of respondents said they are already less likely to use air and a ban on new airports or airport expansion if these transport for holidays because of the climatic impact. The lead to greater emissions (p6). airlines no doubt grasp this and understand that better Both are undoubtedly a step in the right direction, links with rail services are in their interests. although they only really scratch the surface of a major Of course, critics would argue with some justi cation imbalance in the European passenger transport market that imposing new taxes on the airline industry at a time that will need to be addressed if the transport sector’s when it is still reeling from the knockout blow of Covid-19 greenhouse gas emissions are to be urgently reduced. risks the viability of airports and airlines and could put Since the 1990s, the exponential rise in short-haul aviation many thousands of jobs across Europe at risk. It would has been achieved with the aid of a few perks granted to also be vigorously opposed by the tourist industry for the airline industry. Kerosene, which typically accounts the same reason, and it is di cult to see any politician for up to 30% of an airline’s costs, is one of the only fossil seriously suggesting that a kerosene tax should be fuels to remain completely untaxed and a study by the introduced as a short-term measure. European Commission a few years ago suggested that a However, there are other levers governments can pull tax on aviation fuel could raise up to €27 billion. to make rail more competitive with other modes – for Furthermore, airline tickets are generally exempt example reducing or eliminating VAT on long-distance from VAT. It took until last year for the German federal train fares or reducing track access charges for long- government to  nally relent on the 19% VAT levied on distance domestic and international passenger services. long-distance rail fares, but reducing VAT to 7% still does Swedish open-access operator Snälltåget says track not put rail on level terms with the airlines. access fees account for 25–30% of operating costs Aviation, like , barely begins to cover the for its Malmö–Berlin overnight service – even a small external costs of greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, reduction in track access fees could have an extremely noise and congestion. To a large extent, the cost of ying positive impact on the economics of international train is e ectively passed on to the planet. Aviation is estimated services in Europe. “With lower operational costs, more to be responsible for 5–8% of global climate impact and night trains will operate and there will be more services if unmitigated, aviation emissions are expected at least at times when demand is lower,” Carl Adam Holmberg, to double by 2050. head of Snälltåget said at the Heinrich-Böll Institute’s According to the excellent European Mobility Atlas 2021, online seminar on night trains on 11 May. “This will published by the Heinrich-Böll Institute and available stimulate development and support competition, to download for free at eu.boell.org, European airlines lowering ticket prices.” sought €32.9 billion in government bailouts between the Reducing  xed costs in this way could be a shot-in-the- start of the Covid-19 crisis and September 2020, many arm for train operators as they recover from the Covid-19 of which were granted without any binding climate pandemic, incentivising investment and competiton and conditions. The Air France and Austrian Airlines rescue making rail a more attractive alternative to ying. KB

On-rail competition: FlixTrain 243.002 and Snälltåget 193 254 stand at Stockholm Central on 7 May 2021. Fran Edgar

TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 5 HEADLINE NEWS

More , fewer planes? €4.1 billion for Bordeaux–Toulouse HSL... On 9 April, the French parliament voted When President Emmanuel Macron came to power in 2017, he put an immediate halt to plans to to approve a group of measures aff ecting build further high speed rail lines in France, stating that his priority would be to improve “everyday transport, following a long consultation transport” fi rst. There has since been a great deal of pressure from the French regions to push exercise on climate change which led to ahead with the development of new high-speed lines, but also to reduce reliance on air transport 150 recommendations from a “citizens’ in the fi ght against global warming. committee” drawn from the general On 27 April, Prime Minister Jean Castex confi rmed that central government would contribute public. The government had said at the €4.1 billion towards construction of a new high-speed line from Bordeaux to Toulouse which outset that it would accept and legislate would cut Paris–Toulouse (about 680 km via the most direct route) journey times to around three on all recommendations. Two of the hours. The Prime Minister also announced that a contribution from the EU, covering 20% of the measures introduced are a ban on all total cost, would be sought. The rest will come from local authorities along the line. internal fl ights where an alternative train Construction is expected to start in 2024, with opening scheduled for 2030. An appeal by journey is available in 2½ or less and a ban local groups against permission to rebuild the northern approaches to Toulouse, as part of the on new airports or airport expansion if HSL project, has recently been rejected by the State Council. The Bordeaux–Toulouse HSL will these lead to greater emissions. be 222 km long and will share a 55 km section from Bordeaux with a future HSL to Spain. The In April 2020, only a month after the Toulouse section is expected to cost €6 billion. Covid-19 crisis hit France, the French Mr Castex also announced that he has decided to accelerate construction of the future government granted national airline Montpellier–Perpignan high speed line and that he hopes permission to go ahead with the whole Air France a loan of €7 billion. One of project can be obtained in 2022. DAH the conditions attached to this was that Air France should withdraw all of its domestic fl ights where a rail alternative ...and €3.5 billion for new Côte d’Azur line exists for journeys up to 2½ hours, such On 19 April the French government announced that that central and local government had as Paris to Bordeaux, Nantes and Rennes. agreed to fi nance the €3.5 billion fi rst and second phases of the Ligne Nouvelle Provence Côte d’Azur This ban will also now be applied to (LNPCA) project. The LNPCA is a combination of new sections of line and upgrades of the existing other airlines. network, designed to eliminate railway congestion in the Marseille, Toulon and Nice areas, and the However, the “citizens’ committee” had Marseille–Nice line, which is slow and congested at present. A major part of the project is a new recommended that this limit should be underground station at Marseille Saint Charles and subterranean links to the existing network. set at four hours, therefore covering the The EU is expected to fund 20% of the project as the route is part of the Trans-European busy air services from Paris to Marseille Transport Network. The remainder will be split equally between central and local government and Montpellier, for example. Pressure is which will contribute 40% each, equal to €1.383 billion at 2020 prices. now building to apply this limit, in order Phase 1 will include modifi cations and additions to track around Marseille to increase capacity, to make greater inroads into pollution adaptations around Toulon to allow a new local shuttle service and a new station to serve from aircraft. At the time of writing, Air Nice airport. France was hoping for further fi nancial Phase 2 will involve construction of the new underground station in Marseille plus links to the help but it remains to be seen if the existing network, and upgrades in the Cannes and Nice areas. These will include a new station at government (with a Minister who is a Cannes Marchandises, and a diveunder to avoid confl icting movements for trains to/from Grasse. qualifi ed pilot) will make good on its Phase 3 will allow further capacity increases and Phase 4 will involve construction of new original promise. DAH sections of line in the Cannes and Nice areas. No exact timetable for the work has yet been announced. DAH

TGV Duplex set 888 is seen running alongside the Canal des Deux Mers at Pompignan between Montauban and Toulouse on 3 April 2021 with train 8505 Paris- Montparnasse–Toulouse Matabiau. Georges Turpin

6 TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 HEADLINE NEWS

RATP and SNCF fi nalise MI20 contract In the period running up to taking over Bombardier a serious dispute broke out over the massive contract for new trains to replace all 1980s-built MI79 and MI84 single-deck EMUs on Paris RER Line B. CAF EMUs for Krösatågen RATP and SNCF, which were ordering Swedish rolling stock leasing company Transitio has awarded CAF a SEK 3 billion (€290 million) 146 of the new MI20 double-deck trains contract to supply 20 EMUs and eight bi-mode multiple units for use by Krösatågen, which on behalf of greater Paris transport operates regional services in the counties of Blekinge, Halland, Jönköping, Kronoberg and Kalmar. authority Île-de-France Mobilités (IdFM), Each 76 m-long 200 km/h EMU will seat 290 passengers. The bi-mode sets will be 67 m announced that a grouping of Bombardier long seating 140 passengers. Both variants will be equipped with two toilets (one wheelchair (62%) and CAF (38%) had won the €2.56 accessible), passenger Wi-Fi and at-seat power sockets, and spaces for large luggage and bicycles. billion contract. The losing bidder Alstom The trains will be used on the following routes: immediately challenged the award then took its challenge from one Paris court • Jönköping–Nässjö–Alvesta–Växjö • Karlskrona–Emmaboda–Kalmar to another, losing each time, much to the • Värnamo–Växjö • Kalmar–Linköping frustration of IdFM, which saw delivery • Växjö–Älmhult–Hässleholm • Västervik–Linköping. slipping back. On 14 April the Paris • Nässjö–Tranås authority, RATP and SNCF announced The non-electrifi ed Linköping–Kalmar and Linköping–Västervik lines, currently under the that Bombardier (now part of Alstom) and Kustpilen (Coastal ) brand, will be brought into the Krösatåg family with the new bi-mode CAF would go ahead with the contract as trains replacing the Class Y2 and Y32 Itino DMUs currently used on these services. PG originally notifi ed in February. DAH German plan to switch air passengers to rail

The German Federal Association of the German The action plan acknowledges that rail’s CO2 next few years, with signifi cant journey time Aviation Industry (Bundesverband der Deutschen emissions are signifi cantly lower than those reductions in the late 2020s/early 2030s as Luftverkehrswirtschaft: BDL) and national train of aircraft so improved integration of the two new infrastructure becomes available. In the operator DB have launched a joint action transport modes will result in a signifi cant medium term this includes: plan to “strengthen transport integration” reduction in the greenhouse gases emitted by • Additional ICE trains on the Berlin–München, and reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions transport. The aviation industry forecasts a 1.5% Berlin–/Main and – in the transport sector. This is a series of annual increase in fuel effi ciency between now Ruhrgebiet routes from this year measures intended to improve the integration and 2030, partly achieved by the retirement of • New, fast ICE services between between air and rail services so that more older aircraft during the pandemic. München, Nürnberg and the Ruhrgebiet as longer distance air passengers choose rail, DB, which advertises its ICE services as well as between the Ruhrgebiet and Berlin especially when travelling to hub airports such operating entirely with electricity from “green” from 2022 as Frankfurt and München. sources, admits that it will take until 2030 • A new Frankfurt/Main–– Dortmund/ BDL and DB see the potential for around 20% before 80% of traction electricity actually Münster IC route from December 2021. of those travelling by plane within Germany meets this standard and 2038 until it reaches • The opening of the new Wendlingen– to choose rail instead of air by off ering 100%. The current “100% eco-friendly” high-speed line in December 2022, reducing reliable services, attractive off ers and ongoing branding (also used by some of DB’s open –München journey times infrastructure expansion planned as part of access competitors) is only possible using • The introduction of a half-hourly frequency the Deutschland Takt programme (TR EU 300 hypothecation as some high-speed lines are between Hannover and Berlin plus p20). In 2019, the aviation industry in Germany directly fed with power from coal fi red power additional high-speed services between the recorded around 23 million internal travellers, stations at the 15 kV AC 16.66 Hz frequency Ruhrgebiet and Berlin from 2024 8 million connecting with international fl ights required for traction current in Germany, • Half-hourly intervals on the Hamburg– and 15 million making domestic trips. BDL whereas some freight or regional services use Hannover–Frankfurt/Main–Stuttgart– and DB say they want to persuade around “green” power from renewable sources. München route from 2026 and the opening 4.3 million passengers to switch to rail and of the new with new state that this could cut CO emissions from Expansion of rail services 2 long-distance services to Stuttgart Airport domestic air traffi c by around a sixth. The The expansion of the Lufthansa Express Rail (in December 2025). German plan appears more ambitious than service announced in March to include more similar announcements in France (see p6) that domestic German routes with several new In order for rail journeys to replace feeder rail services should replace short haul fl ights fast Sprinter connections being added is a key fl ights and to avoid car journeys to airports of under 2½ hours. In France (population part of the action plan. Lufthansa, like DB, the quality of rail services on off er is seen as a 65.2 million) 2.7 million passengers are has benefi tted from substantial government crucial factor. Five German airports are already expected to switch to rail from fl ights whereas fi nancial help during the pandemic despite linked to long-distance and local services proportionally more in Germany (population being a private company. The aviation industry (Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Köln/Bonn and 83.7 million) are forecast to move to rail. intends to replace short-haul fl ights such as Leipzig/) and a further seven airports to To make the process easier for long-haul Köln–Frankfurt or Berlin–Nürnberg with ICE just local services (, Friedrichshafen, passengers, the transfer from train to plane services (although in both cases most fl ights Hamburg, Hannover, Lübeck, München and will be streamlined with simplifi ed baggage on these routes have already ceased due to the Stuttgart). Stuttgart Airport will be connected handling arrangements. This will be piloted opening of new high-speed lines, so remaining to the long-distance network from December at Frankfurt Airport, where the ICE station is fl ights feed long haul services at hub airports). 2025. Bayern Land is evaluating options for more than 500 m from the check-in area, which The implementation of parts of the planned better connections to München Airport, which for passengers with large luggage can be a Deutschland Takt regular interval timetable is the second largest international hub after real problem. will speed up journeys to airports within the Frankfurt am Main. KF

TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 7 HEADLINE NEWS

Trenitalia presents hospital train In March unveiled its new hospital train, which is intended to ease the transport and treatment of patients with Covid-19. The train was converted by Trenitalia at its Voghera workshops in co-operation with the Civil Protection Department and AREU (Agenzia Regionale Emergenza Urgenza della Lombardia). The train is top-and-tailed by two electric locomotives with the following formation: • Three coaches with intensive care beds for heavily ventilated patients • Two luggage vans for medical equipment with a diesel generator to provide independent power • One couchette car with 60 beds for staff • One coach for technical and healthcare co- ordination and the transition compartment between the operating and healthcare sections of the train • One coach with a refectory, locker room, meeting area, toilet and shower. Each of the three coaches for heavily ventilated patients can accommodate up to seven patients. The train is equipped for any type of emergency or disaster, with pulmonary ventilators, an ultrasound machine and blood Trenitalia E.402.179 is seen at Genova Piazza Principe with the hospital train on 7 March 2021. gas analysers. MC Giuseppe Bellarosa German government to fund access charges for 2020 and 2021 In late April the German parliament approved Dortmund services or the RDC Westerland giving DB the money without any need for plans presented by the federal government (Sylt)– service) as in most cases they concessions to its competitors (who also gain to waive or refund up to 98% of track access ceased operations during lockdowns – whether from the arrangement to varying degrees). charges paid by commercial rail operators since they would have done that if access charges The additional cost of funding freight March 2020, with the arrangement extended had been waived is unclear. operators’ access charges is €600 million (in to December 2021 for freight and into 2022 For long distance passenger operators addition to more limited funding already for long-distance passenger operations. the total cost to the government will be announced amounting to around €350 Having previously offered state-owned DB around €1.8 billion by 2022. Most of this will million). DB reported an EBITDA loss of substantial financial assistance, and refused to be paid to DB FV, which will now see its track €321 million in 2020 – by contrast some of its offer anything similar to its competitors, this access charges largely refunded and waived rail competitors have reported profits in 2020. appears to be a major change in policy, and retrospectively – as well as going forward into DB Netze had turnover in 2020 of €5.6 billion, one that has been welcomed by private freight 2022. DB FV made an EBITDA loss of €1.3 billion largely but not exclusively from track access operators, who have previously organised in 2020 with revenue down 42% to €2.9 billion. payments. Those payments made by regional protests urging the government to provide The impact of the retrospective 2020 and 2021 operators performing contracted services financial assistance (TR EU 297 p8). ongoing access charge reduction is likely to be for regional government (i.e. the majority of Almost all freight operators will be around €1.5 billion. passenger trains in Germany) are not affected eligible but the main overall beneficiary Passenger numbers in Germany fell by 46% by the new policy. The federal government will be national operator DB . DB Netze, as in 2020. Freight traffic has been disrupted by has, however, provided the Länder with some infrastructure manager, will be reimbursed for lockdowns, personnel shortages and many additional funds to offset the loss of rail the loss of track access revenues (in line with other issues resulting from government passenger revenue due to the pandemic. the emergency provisions of EU Regulation responses to the pandemic. The federal For freight operators, some of whom 2020/0127 agreed in June 2020) while DB government’s initial response to the financial remained profitable or nearly broke even operating companies DB Fernverkehr and DB problems affecting the rail sector had been in 2020 despite the pandemic the sudden Cargo will be the biggest beneficiaries as DB is to propose a €5 billion capital injection into infusion of retrospective refunds, plus the the largest rail freight operator and operates DB AG in May 2020, but this faced opposition immediate effect of boosting 2021 profits, almost all passenger trains that are eligible. from the European Commission, encouraged thanks to removal of access charges presents The planned reductions and refunds of track by competing freight and passenger operators opportunities to aggressively grow the market access charges apply only to “commercial” who have sought concessions. In December as rail freight’s single biggest competitive activities, which excludes all contracted 2020 the German government approved an disadvantage compared to road haulage – the local and services irrespective increase in the amount DB may borrow on the high level of rail access charges – has been of operator. By backdating the access charge open market to €32 billion, along with plans to removed at , albeit only temporarily. refunds to March last year, the government extend this to €35 billion in 2021. Track access fee rebates or reductions disproportionally aids DB Fernverkehr The new policy funding track access charges also apply to varying degrees in several compared with open-access long-distance directly reflects the failure to obtain EU neighbouring countries meaning operating passenger operators such as FlixTrain plus other approval for the capital increase so far, and costs for international traffic will be lower in more niche operators (e.g. Aachen– will replace around €3 billion of it, effectively 2021 than for much of this century so far. KF

8 TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 HEADLINE NEWS

Start-up proposes open access TGV services SBB orders 60 double- On 28 April it emerged that a new start-up intends to launch TGV services in south-west France from 11 December 2022. The company, Le Train, whose Managing Director is former SNCF Réseau deck EMUs from Stadler manager Alain Getraud, intends to avoid direct competition with incumbent SNCF by off ering On 21 April SBB announced that it new inter-regional services running on the Arcachon–Bordeaux–Angoulême–Poitiers–La Rochelle was ordering 60 additional InterRegio route (services extending to Angers and Nantes fi ve times daily and Rennes at weekends), which duplex trains from Stadler for around involves use of the Bordeaux–Paris high speed line between Bordeaux and Poitiers. The company CHF 1.3 billion. The units will provide says it will acquire around ten TGV sets with a capacity of around 350 seats. In the local media Alain extra capacity on regional services and Getraud would not expand on where these might come from. SNCF is currently withdrawing the will comply with directives on disabled TGV Atlantique sets (around 450 seats) which have operated in this area and intends to withdraw access on main line services. The order TGV Réseau sets (around 350 seats) in the near future. Around 20 TGV Sud Est sets (350 seats and is an option from an framework contract recently refurbished) were withdrawn in December 2019 but these have been stored outside under which SBB received 93 similar Class since then. However, SNCF has never off ered TGV sets for sale in the past, preferring to send them RABDe 511 trains from 2010 to 2017 – quickly for scrap. There are no other high speed trains available on the second-hand market. 511 001–069 are 6-car and 511 101–124 Le Train is the second private company to enter the market for open access passenger services are 4-car. SBB has not yet announced how in France, after Railcoop, and is the fi rst to propose running TGV services. Two other companies, many cars the new units will have. national operators Trenitalia (Italy) and RENFE (Spain), intend to run high speed services in France, The 60 InterRegio duplex trains, known service introduction having been delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. DAH as KISS by Stadler, will be very similar to previous sets, but with a new front-end design, and will complement the existing Sweden increases maximum freight train length SBB fl eet. 41 units will replace older trains On 17 April Swedish Infrastructure manager Trafi kverket gave the go-ahead for the operation on IR services while the other 19 trains of 630 m-long freight trains on most routes. One important exception is the iron-ore line will add capacity on regional services in between Luleå and , where 750 m trains are permitted. This means up to 41 45 ft the Zürich region and in the Vaud canton, containers can be carried on a single train on most routes. Increasing the maximum train around Lausanne. The fi rst vehicles will be length to 835 m would increase capacity to 55 45 ft containers – an 835 m-long train was put into service in December 2023. tested between Hamburg Maschen and Malmö in April (p46) but extending this across The interiors will be to main line service Sweden would entail signifi cant investment in infrastructure enhancements such as longer standards, with a 2+1 seat layout in fi rst crossing loops and yard extensions. class. Trains will be equipped throughout The EU has previously decided that 740-metre long trains should be possible on all Trans- with sockets, easily accessible bicycle European Transport Network (TEN-T) corridors by 2030. In Sweden the TEN-T Core Network spaces, multifunctional compartments includes the Malmö–Stockholm (via both Norrköping and Örebro) and Malmö–Göteborg– with space for pushchairs and a modern Karlstad– routes. PG information system. DAH

Arriva Nederland WINKs enter service The Stadler WINK multiple-units ordered by Nederland for use on regional services around The Arriva WINK seats 151 passengers in Groningen and Leeuwarden began entering regular service on 12 April. Arriva was the launch second class and are used on Leeuwarden– customer for the WINK (Wandelbarer Innovativer Nahverkehrs-Kurzzug: convertible, innovative Stavoren, Leeuwarden–Harlingen and short train for regional transport) placing an order for 18 2-car trains for the Noordelijke Lijnen Leeuwarden–Groningen services. RL regional network in 2017. The WINK has a confi gurable modular structure based on Stadler’s FLIRT multiple unit, with central power module enabling various combinations of diesel, electric and Arriva Nederland WINK set 616 is seen at Warns battery power. on 16 April 2021 with train 37140 Stavoren– The 140 km/h WINKs supplied to Arriva are equipped with two Deutz diesel engines in the Leeuwarden. Wilmer Treurniet central power module fuelled by Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). The central power module is also equipped with a battery pack for use when moving in stations. The train is designed for easy conversion to full electric operation and for this reason is already equipped with a .

TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 9 HEADLINE NEWS

ČD orders 230 km/h push-pull trainsets Czech national passenger operator České class coach with a bike storage space (Bdmpz), one Bodyshells and will be dráhy (ČD) has awarded a consortium of second class coach for families with children and manufactured by , which will and Škoda Transportation PRM passengers (Bmpz), and one second-class also be responsible for dynamic testing a CZK 12.5 billion (€480 million) contract to restaurant coach (BRmpz). First class seats will have and vehicle authorisation, while Škoda supply 182 new 230 km/h Viaggio Comfort a 2+1 layout, while second class seats will have a will undertake fi nal assembly and long-distance passenger coaches for domestic 2+2 layout. The restaurant car will have a bistro static commissioning. inter-city and international services. Forming area with 18 seats and each set will accommodate The trains will be fi tted with ETCS as well an important part of ČD’s ongoing rolling 12 bicycles with three spaces for wheelchairs and a as national ATP systems and authorised for stock modernisation programme, the contract children’s cinema. operation in the Czech Republic, Germany, announced on 12 April is for 180 coaches, Passenger amenities will also include PRM- Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland. ČD which will be formed into 20 9-car push-pull compliant toilets, electric lifting platforms, free plans to deploy the trains on the – trainsets, plus two coaches for infrastructure onboard Wi-Fi, 230 V sockets and USB ports, Berlin–Hamburg, Praha––– manager SŽ to be used for high-speed track together with chargers for electronic devices, and Praha–Brno–Wien–– testing. The latter will replace 30-year old electric wheelchairs and e-bikes. international services. MM measurement cars, which are limited to 200 km/h. Deliveries will take place in 2024–26. The vehicles will be similar to the 200 km/h Construction begins on second track to Koper coaches (ten 5-car loco-hauled push-pull 2TDK, the Slovenian state-owned company responsible for fi nancing and developing sets) ordered for €115 million from the same the second track between Divača and the Adriatic port of Koper signed a contract with a consortium in June 2018. The fi rst of these consortium of Kolektor CPG, Yapı Merkezi and Özaltin on 5 May for the construction of the vehicles began acceptance trials at the VUZ Divača–Črni Kal section. The contract is worth €403.6 million ex VAT. Velim test centre in August 2020 (TR EU 296). After signing the contract, the general manager of 2TDK, Pavle Hevka, together with Each 9-car air-conditioned pressure-sealed representatives of the contractors and Slovenia’s Minister of Infrastructure, Jernej Vrtovec, trainset will seat 99 passengers in fi rst and 456 took part in a ceremony offi cially launching construction. in second class accommodation. The trains The €224.7 million contract for the construction of the Črni Kal–Koper section was signed will be formed of one fi rst class driving coach by 2TDK and the same consortium on 31 March. The 27.1 km second track, which will run in (Type Afmpz), one fi rst class coach (Ampz), four tunnel for 75% of its length, is due to be completed in 2026. TB second-class coaches (Bbmpz), one second-

Last train to Rødby Færge The timetable change in December 2019 saw the end of international trains between Germany and Denmark via the –Rødby Færge train and the Vogelfl uglinie or Fuglefl ugtslinjen (bird fl ight line), the direct route between Hamburg and København completed in 1963. Rødby Færge station clung on until 29 April 2021, when the fi nal regional train departed. With the opening of the Fehmarnbelt tunnel, scheduled for 2029, Rødby will be served by new station in Holeby on the new double- track electrifi ed international line. The end of passenger services to Rødby Færge coincides with the closure of the section of the between Orehoved and Nykøbing for upgrading from With the ferry terminal visible on the right, DSB Class MG sets 75 and 65 await departure from Rødby 30 April to 1 August. JL Færge with the fi nal passenger service, train R2266, on the evening of 29 April 2021. Jan Lundstrøm

10 TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 HEADLINE NEWS

Route for new Brenner Canfranc one step closer to a Nordzulauf fi nalised In mid-April German infrastructure manager DB Netze, Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and central Pyrenean rail revival Andreas Scheuer, German Federal Transport The project to reinstate international passenger and freight services through the central Pyrenees Minister, presented the fi nal route for the new between Canfranc, Spain, and Pau in France reached a milestone on 15 April with the offi cial Brenner Nordzulauf (Brenner Northern access reopening of the restored 1668 mm gauge platforms at Canfranc station. route) from Ostermünchen near to On 27 March 1970 SNCF closed the international line from Oloron Ste. Marie to Canfranc Schaftenau, just south of the Austrian border following the derailment of a runaway freight train near the Pont d’Estanguet, south of Bedous. at Kufstein. With traffi c, both freight and passenger, being sparse and declining, SNCF decided to close the The 54 km line is part of the wider project line south of Oloron, but leave the infrastructure intact, including the 1500 V DC electrifi cation. On to create a four-track corridor from München the Spanish side, the line between Canfranc, Jaca, Huesca and remained open, both for to , including the new Brenner Base passengers and freight, with a service linking Canfranc and Oloron. Tunnel. The route for the German section has Over the half century since then, there have been numerous campaigns, on both sides of been under discussion for more than six years the border, for the reopening of the line. The considerable tourism potential of the district and and has proved to be very controversial, in the winter sports industry are key drivers for reopening, but the line also has a strategically particular due to concerns about noise. The advantageous location, being situated on the evolving freight corridor from the Levante district personal involvement of Andreas Scheuer who on the Mediterranean coast through Teruel and the economic and manufacturing hub of the represents Bayern in parliament and is from central Ebro valley around Zaragoza, to Aquitaine, Pau and Bordeaux, and markets in northern the very conservative CSU party underlines the Europe. This route is now referred to in Spain as the Goya Line after the Spanish painter Francisco government’s intention to advance the project. Goya, who lived in Zaragoza and Bordeaux. The preferred route will have tunnels for 60% In recent years the vast international station at Canfranc (9162 m2, 241 m long, with 365 windows of its length, largely to overcome residents’ and 156 double doors), which had Midi (later SNCF) standard gauge tracks on its eastern side and objections as the wide valley of the river Inn is Norte (later RENFE) broad gauge tracks on its western side, has been restored to its former glory, largely fl at so tunnels are not required for the at a cost of around €27 million. The station building is being converted to a fi ve-star 104-bedroom existing two track railway or the A93 autobahn. hotel, scheduled for opening in late 2022. The proposed cross-border Laiming Tunnel For several years, the two daily passenger train pairs from Zaragoza have used a temporary and the Steinkirchen Tunnel north of it, wholly platform to the west of the main island platform. The fi nal train departed from the temporary in Germany, will both be around 13 km long, platform on the evening of 14 April. The following day around 50 passengers joined the morning making them the longest tunnels in Germany. train from Zaragoza to Canfranc, a Class 599 DMU, to attend the inauguration of the new station Detailed planning will now begin but facilities, arriving at 12.34. construction is unlikely to begin until late 2020s The fi rst step towards restoring the international line came with the reconstruction of the and the full new line may be open by 2040. KF 27.4 km stretch from Oloron to Bedous, which reopened on 3 July 2016. At that time, completion of the rebuilding to Canfranc was costed at over €300 million, and the target year for reopening Hungarian high-speed was 2020 – it has since been postponed to 2025. One of the fi rst steps involved the creation of a new through station, on the east side of the main station building, with a revised, simplifi ed study completed track layout. Hungary’s National Infrastructure Development At the inauguration ceremony hopes were expressed that once the line is completely reopened, Agency (NIF) has completed a feasibility study the stretch between Canfranc and Huesca will be regauged to 1435 mm, and RENFE will be able to for the Hungarian section of the proposed use fossil fuel-free trains (possibly hydrogen, to be tested on the line in the future). Budapest–Warszawa high-speed line. The new facilities, on which work started in March 2019, consist of seven 1668 mm gauge tracks, From Budapest Kelenföld station, high-speed with polivalente sleepers to facilitate a future change of gauge. Three are for use by passenger trains would use the existing line towards Győr services, the other four are for freight. At present Geocontrol is working on an informative study of as far as Törökbálint, which will be upgraded how best to provide a standard gauge connection on the future Goya Line. MB for higher speeds in the next few years. From Törökbálint, the line will run south of the Vértes range and pass to the north of Székesfehérvár, where it will mostly run parallel to the existing Székesfehérvár–Komárom line as far as Kisbér. From there it will head straight towards Győr and thence towards Hegyeshalom and Rajka on the Slovakian border just south of Bratislava. The study claims that this route will require less tunnelling and with a branch off towards Székesfehérvár, Budapest–Székesfehérvár InterCity trains could also use the route, freeing up capacity on the existing line. FJ “Covid-Free” Frecciarossa services launched On 16 April Trenitalia launched a “Covid-Free” Frecciarossa service between Roma and Milano (TR EU 302 p5). Timings are as follows: 08.50 Roma Termini –Milano Centrale 12.00 18.00 Milano Centrale –Roma Termini 21.10 Documentation and a negative test result (taken up to 48 hours before travel) is required. The test can also be taken before departure RENFE 599 029 stands under the new roof at Canfranc on 15 April. Alfonso Marco Pérez in screening areas at Roma Termini or Milano Centrale stations. MC

TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 11 LIHLIHLIT RAIL RAIL EWSNEWSRAIL NEWS

FRANCE

Paris Line T9 opens On 10 April, Paris tramway Line T9 from Porte- de-Choisy in Paris to Orly, via Ivry-sur-Seine, Vitry-sur-Seine, Choisy-le-Roi, and Thiais, opened to the public. The new 10.5 km line, with 19 stations, giving interchange with RER Line C at Choisy-le-Roi, plus metro Line 7 and tramway Line 3A at Porte de Choisy, is expected to carry 80 000 passengers a day. The line will also interchange with orbital Line 15 when it opens. Trams take 30 minutes for the complete journey and will operate at 3½ minute intervals in peak periods. The line is operated by 22 Alstom 45 m Citadis trams and is the fi rst tramway route in the Paris region to be operated by SNCF subsidiary , rather than incumbent RATP. DAH Photo courtesy Keolis

New Paris contract for RATP On 14 April RATP announced that it had received a renewed contract with transport authority Île-de- France Mobilités (IdFM) to operate in the Paris region in 2021–24. Investment during the period will rise by almost 25% and subsidies from IdFM will quadruple to €800 million a year in order to fi nance modernisation of the two RER lines, 14 metro lines, eight lines and 341 bus PORTUGAL routes. The contract includes increased incitation to improve service quality through a reinforced CAF trams ordered for Lisboa Line 15 bonus/fi ne system, based on customer satisfaction Lisboa public transport operator Carris has signed a €43 million contract with CAF for and raised performance targets. Passengers 15 Urbos low-fl oor trams for Line 15. Deliveries will start within 22 months and the contract will also be reimbursed in the case of poor includes maintenance for the fi rst fi ve years. performance. The 5-section unidirectional trams will be 28.5 m long and each vehicle will Investment will include new trains for RER accommodate up to 221 passengers. KB Line B by 2025 (see heavy rail news), new MF19 trains for eight metro lines by 2033, new trams for Artist’s impression courtesy CAF Line T1 by 2024 and the elimination of all diesel by 2025. This will be the last “global” contract between IdFM and RATP as bus services are soon to be contracted out, and rail services will follow. IdFM currently fi nances RATP to the tune of more than €4.71 billion a year, a fi gure that will fall slightly during this contract. DAH

Rennes Line B opening delayed In early April Siemens announced that the opening of the second driverless metro line in Rennes, Line B (14 km of which 8.6 km in tunnel, 15 stations), would not take place in 2021 as planned. Some of the delay was put down to Covid-19, but Siemens has also found it impossible to deliver the trains on time, and is having problems with authorisation of its 19 2-car CityVal trains. Opening was due to take place in September 2021 after full test running starting in June. An new date for opening has not been announced but is expected “very early in 2022”. Siemens has built both the metro line itself and supplied the trains, at a total cost of €1.342 billion. DAH

12 TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 LIH RAIL NEWS

AUSTRIA

New Wiener Lokalbahnen Flexity trams set for summer delivery The fi rst two Class 500 Flexity trams for the Wien–Baden light rail line are nearing completion at the Alstom (formerly Bombardier) works at Wien Floridsdorf. Wiener Lokalbahnen (WLB) ordered 18 of the low-fl oor vehicles in December 2018 to replace some of the old Class 100 trams and increase headways south of Wiener Neudorf. WLB expects to receive the two prototype Class 500s during the summer, with trials continuing until the end of 2021. At the beginning of 2022 the two trams will enter service and delivery of the remaining 16 vehicles will begin. RB

The fi rst Class 500 tram for Wiener Lokalbahnen is seen nearing completion at the Alstom plant in Wien on 18 February 2021. Courtesy WLB/ GMR Photography

Improvements on Line 6 In April local authorities secured fi nance for improvements on Innsbruck tram Line 6. The line will be extended to the city centre along and services will operate at hourly intervals between Mühlauer Brücke and Igls. To enable the transport of more bicycles, baby buggies and wheelchairs a special trailer will be HUNGARY ordered, which should be delivered in autumn 2022. The introduction of trailers means trams Planning to begin for Budapest Line M1 reconstruction and new trains will start to use the loop at Igls again. The trailer In 2018, BKV (the Budapest Transport Company) signed a framework contract with FŐMTERV for will be used on alternate services, although a the rebuilding and extension of metro Line M1, the fi rst underground line in mainland Europe second trailer may be ordered if the project is and the fi rst electric underground line in the world, opening in 1896. However, due to the lack of successful. RB fi nancing from Budapest city council, the contract has not yet been put into eff ect. It now appears that the Hungarian government may step in to resolve the situation and provide HUF 1.15 billion (€3.2 million) for planning work on the fi rst phase, which will include rebuilding the line and ITALY extending it from Batthyány tér to Vigadó tér at the city centre end of the route. FŐMTERV will need to supply the approved construction plans. Financing will come from the 2022 state budget. Battery tram on test in Firenze Budapest city council is also planning to for new trains for the line as the current cars GEST Sirio bidirectional low-fl oor 5-section built by Ganz in the 1970s are nearing the end of their lifespan. However, to make production more tram 2037 made an overnight test run under economic, the plan is to invite joint tenders for 22 trains for Line M1 and eight for the Budapest battery power on Firenze Line T1 (Villa Városmajor–Széchenyihegy rack line (Line 60). Preliminary type approval for both has been drawn Costanza–Careggi Ospedale) on 29 January. up by FŐMTERV, but BKV does not have funding in place for the order and hopes the government The tram, equipped with the ’s will provide the HUF 40–60 billion (€110–165 million) required. FJ On Board Energy Storage System (OBESS), ran with its pantograph lowered between Alamanni-Stazione SMN and Fortezza. M2-HÉV connection moves forward A 2.5 km catenary-free section is planned on On 23 March 2021, the Hungarian government approved HUF 4.6 billion (€12.7 million) to the new 7.2 km .2 from Piazza Libertà to fi nance planning work for the connection between metro Line M2 with MÁV-START’s HÉV Bagno a Ripoli. MC suburban Line H8/H9 at Örs vezér tere in Budapest, as well as the reconstruction of the HÉV lines in question. Planning will be managed by the government-run Budapest Development Torino Line 1 extended Agency (BFK) and is due to be completed in 2023. On 23 April Torino driverless metro Line 1 was The government hopes to secure fi nancing from the EU’s 2021–27 budget for the project, extended by 1.9 km from Lingotto to Bengasi, which has an estimated cost of HUF 200 billion (€554 million). The link between M2 and the with an intermediate station at Italia 61. The HÉV line will be on the surface and will involve crossing BKV tram Line 3. FJ extension takes the total length of Line 1 to 15.1 km with an end-to-end journey time of 25 minutes. Work on the €193 million extension Tram-train tested in Szeged city centre started as long ago as 2012 but was suspended The fi rst visit by a MÁV-START Stadler Citylink tram-train to the Szeged tramway network took a year later because the construction company place late on the evening of 24 March 2021. The primary purpose of the tests with tram-train was unable to meet contractual deadlines. 406 001 was to check clearances at stops. Work eventually resumed in 2015. The Meanwhile, 406 002, the second tram-train for the Szeged–Hódmezővásárhely line, arrived by extension was originally due to be completed lorry at Szentes depot on 16 March from , Spain, where Stadler is building 12 Citylinks for in 2014. MC the line. FJ

TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 13 LIGHTLIGHT RAIL RAIL NEWS

GERMANY Two Berlin tram extensions approved Plans to extend the Berlin tram network were approved in principle on 13 April by the Berlin Senate. The current administration is planning large-scale expansion of the tram network over the next decade with up to 15 new sections of line. Berlin public transport operator BVG recently ordered a further 117 Flexity Berlin LRVs (TR EU 300 p14) both to replace older trams and to operate services on the expanded network. The first new line from Weissensee via Heinersdorf to the S-Bahn/U-Bahn station at Berlin Pankow will connect the existing tram line at Weissensee Pasedagplatz used by tram Lines 12 and 27 with Pankow, which is already served by three tram routes, three S-Bahn lines and U-Bahn Line U2. The new radial line in north- will provide better connectivity for the Pankow district, which is forecast to see the greatest population growth of any part of Berlin between now and 2030. The new line will replace the heavily- used bus route X54 that currently serves the To be extended south: BVG Flexity 9116 is seen on the turning circle at Warschauer Strasse S-Bahn station corridor and will link Pankow with districts to on 19 September 2020. Tram services normally terminate further south opposite the U-Bahn station and the south-east, avoiding the need to travel the turning circle has not been used since the withdrawal of older Tatra trams, which operated with trailers. via central Berlin. Detailed planning will now Keith Fender begin for the 5 km route, which will have up to seven intermediate stops. The new route is Strasse south to the U-Bahn station at Görlitzer Bahnhof (closed to passengers in 1951 expected to open in 2028 at a cost of around Hermannplatz (served by Lines U7 and U8). as it was located in and all the lines €75.5 million. This will cross the famous Oberbaumbrücke it served were in the DDR). The 2.9 km, five- Another extension of the current network U-Bahn/road bridge on its road deck and pass stop line is estimated to cost €61.6 million and in eastern Berlin is planned from Warschauer through Görlitzer Park, the site of the former should also open in 2028. KF

CZECH REPUBLIC Most–Litvínov tram line to be modernised On 1 April work began on a comprehensive two-year project to modernise the 10 km interurban tram line linking the city of Most with the large petrochemical complex at Litvínov in northern Bohemia. The 1435 mm gauge high-capacity double-track line was built in 1952–61 (extended to Most main station in 1978). It now has 19 stops and is operated by the two cities’ transport authority DPmML. The project is divided into two phases, the first covering the northern section between Záluží (Chemopetrol) and Litvínov-Citadela, the second involving the southern section between Záluží and Most. Tram Lines 1, 3, 4 and 40 will be Unmodernised Tatra trams bow out in Potsdam replaced by buses during the work which On 18 April Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam (ViP) organised a special farewell run for its final involves track renewal, crossing upgrades unmodernised Tatra KT4D tram in Potsdam. Tram 301 had been retained for driver training, and rehabilitation of stops to improve but with tendering underway for new low-floor trams ViP has decided it no longer needs to access for passengers with reduced train drivers on the Tatras. 12 KT4Dm trams modernised in 2015–17 remain in service with ViP mobility. The aim is to reduce journey (TR EU 299 p32). Christoph Grimm times and improve comfort, safety and capacity. The EU is co-funding 72% of the 301 is seen passing Nauener Tor on the farewell run on 18 April 2021. Christoph Grimm CZK 647 million (€ 25 million) project. MM

14 TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 LIH RAIL NEWS

FINLAND SWITZERLAND

More Stadler Tangos for Genève First Artic X54 tram for Raide-Jokeri line arrives in Since December 2020, Stadler has been supplying Genève public transport operator TPG with nine additional Tango trams. These vehicles were ordered using an option from an The fi rst tram for the Raide-Jokeri light rail line earlier contract and are intended to provide additional fl eet capacity for the extensions of between Helsinki and arrived in the Lines 12, 14 and 15, which are currently under construction or in the fi nal stages of planning. Finnish capital on 9 April following transfer by The new Type Be 6/10 bidirectional LRVs are numbered 1833–1841, following the two lorry from Škoda Transtech’s Otanmäki plant. earlier series, 1801–1819 and 1820–1832, which Stadler supplied to TPG in 2011–18. The Škoda Transtech will supply 29 low-fl oor ForCity newest Tangos carry TPG’s latest orange and white livery, replacing the earlier dark blue and Smart Artic X54 vehicles under a €95 million white colour scheme. Andrew Thompson contract awarded by Helsinki City Transport (HKL) in 2016. Testing of the prototype vehicle, The newest Stadler trams for Genève are being transported from Stadler's Altenrhein works in eastern 601, commenced a few days after delivery at to Switzerland to the west of the country by rail. On 29 March 2021, TPG Tango 1835 is seen in transit HKL’s Koskela depot and testing will be carried during a short break in Solothurn. Traction for this train was provided by former Südostbahn Bo-Bo out on lines in Helsinki city centre during the 456 111, now in use with Müller Gleisbau AG. Andrew Thompson summer. Delivery of series vehicles is due to take place between mid-2022 and mid-2024. The 5-section bidirectional trams are 34.5 m long and accommodate 214 passengers. The articulated vehicles are designed to enable extension to seven sections, which would increase their length by 10 m. By April construction of the metre gauge line from Itäkeskus in Helsinki to Keilaniemi in Espoo had reached the halfway point and the aim is to complete tracklaying on 20 km of the 25 km route by the end of 2021. Testing will begin in 2023 and the line is due to open in June 2024. The Raide-Jokeri line will replace the orbital bus Line 550, one of the busiest bus routes in Helsinki. In February HKL exercised an option for 23 additional Artic X54 trams from Transtech for use on existing routes and the new 10 km Crown Bridges light rail line, which will connect Laajasalo, Korkeasaari and Kalasatama to the centre. The line is due to open in 2026. KB POLAND Tramwaje Warszawskie’s fi rst Hyundai Rotem trams break cover Following dynamic testing on the factory test track in South Korea, the first two Hyundai Rotem trams for Tramwaje Warszawskie began their journey by ship to Poland in early May. Trams 4201 and 4202 are expected to begin trials on the Warszawa tram network during the summer, with entry into passenger service scheduled for the autumn. Delivery of the remaining 121 trams is due to take place between early 2022 and the end of April 2023. The contract, worth PLN 1.825 billion (€400.65 million), was awarded in June 2019, and includes an option for 90 additional trams. Of the 123 low-fl oor vehicles, 85 will be bidirectional and the remaining 38 unidirectional. The vehicles are equipped with rotating bogies at the outer ends to reduce rail and fl ange wear in tight curves. 60% of components used are being manufactured in the EU, many of them in Poland. MB

Tramwaje Warszawskie 4201 is seen during a test run at the Hyundai Rotem plant in South Korea on 6 April 2021. Courtesy Tramwaje Warszawskie

TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 15 AILAIL TRAIN TRAIN

Travels in Portugal Comparing France and Germany seems only to run trains when buses cannot cope, I particularly appreciated TR EU 02 for the David Haydock is right to comment on rather than prioritising rail! material on railways in Portugal (p16). My the poor service on the Tours–Loches line Colin Penfold, Shipley, West Yorkshire interest is mainly as a passenger but also a keen (TR EU 02 p29). secondary desire to do so by train wherever However, his comparison with the Bad Points possible, in the most interesting manner and with Bentheim–Neuhausen line also underlines the In the Hungarian Heritage News story in TR EU 0 a minimum use of car and plane. problem highlighted by Jean-Pierre Farandou, (p65) it is stated that 760 mm gauge 762-14 was a Years of regular travel between the UK, Spain the President of SNCF, of serving France’s Romanian industrial loco. Neither the Hungarians and Madeira in the early 2000s gave many relatively scattered population. nor the Romanians had such a loco – 762-14 built opportunities for this, and particularly using In its 47 km the Loches line serves fewer than by Resita was a 0-10-0 for the Soviet Union. the railways of Portugal. I got to know all the 30 000 people split over eight small-to-medium- I think the loco being referred to is 764.012 frontier crossings with Spain: Valenca–Tui on sized communities (ignoring the Tours suburb latterly recorded as displayed in Ipar Utca in foot on the bridge shown on p44, and on other of Joué, which not only has two rail routes but a Bèkèscsaba after storage in Vèstő. This was occasions by taxi; Vila Formoso by the nightly frequent tram service). The German line serves indeed built in 1953 for a uranium mine with sleeper between Lisboa and or Irún; only two communities but with roughly twice the works number being 1442. If 762 is correct, that Elvas–Badajoz again by taxi, as in those years population and over half the distance. would make it an 0-4-0T; it is doubtful whether (contrary to the information in the article but as E ectively, SNCF has to carry half the number any were built in 1953. correctly given in TR EU 157 by the same author) of passengers twice the distance – so it’s not Brian Garvin, Beckenham, Kent Elvas was the archetypal sleepy sun-baked surprising the hourly service David suggests frontier terminus for the twice-daily service from in his article might require rather more In the letter from Howard Foster on the NSB Entroncamento, by the shown on p21, subsidy than its Bentheimer Eisenbahn Class El.15 electric locos in TR EU 301 (p14) it was where silent hours could be spent in solitude equivalent. incorrectly stated that Notviken is in Norway, by its full range of customs and other frontier That’s not to say the Region and SNCF could when it is actually in Sweden. This was an editorial o ces (all closed) and enjoying the splendid not do much better – rather like German error and was not in Mr Foster’s original letter. display of azulejos tiles covering the wall. There secondary lines in the 70s, SNCF (or the Région?) My apologies to Mr Foster for this mistake. KB was also Vila Real de Santo Antonio–Ayamonte, both of which had lost their rail services up to the landing stages, and the crossing of the Chineseuilt traction in Guadiana River forming the international border Readers with an interest in the Baltic States may be puzzled by the photo of Estonian locomotive was by a small open ferry capable of carrying DF7G-E 002 in TR EU 0 (p41). This loco was supplied by CNR (now part of CRRC) in China for one car (but no longer doing so due to the acceptance by Estonian Railways as part of an order for 16 of the machines placed in 2011, and presence of a motorway bridge nearby) and after having been rejected by Estonia it was returned to China and the contract cancelled. charging foot passengers €1.75. At least that’s the theory! The reality is two of the machines were supplied for evaluation, These journeys built up a wealth of rich DF7G-E 001 in October 2012 and DF7G-E 002 in October 2014, even though it was reported in experiences, memories and video records. 2013 that the trials with 001 had not been a success (I’ve seen no o cial explanation for this) and Several stand out. There was the slow narrow- that the contract had been cancelled. Despite that setback, both locomotives have remained in gauge journey along the north coast of Spain, Estonia and are alive and kicking to this day! when at one of the many stops, the traincrew Estonia’s railways went through a bizarre period after independence from the USSR in 1991, were seen to get out and go for a co ee in the bar during which a majority stake in the national railway was privatised and the new (partially on the platform, to be followed by the passengers American) owner replaced all the old ex-Soviet freight locos with second-hand GE C36-7 and who did the same, while keeping a watchful eye C30-7A diesels from the USA. Many of these are now out of action. However, rather than making for when the crew decided it was time to move another attempt to buy new locos, the American machines are being rebuilt from the underframe on. There was the non-high-speed journey from up with new engines and bodywork. A further twist to the story is that Wikipedia reports that an to Sevilla, due to take 12 hours but order for 16 General Electric TE33A locomotives built in Kazakhstan was placed by Estonia, the actually taking 16 due to a diversion, providing  rst two of which were rejected and the order cancelled. I’ve not seen this story anywhere else, not just one unexpected bonus in the form of an so must assume that whoever posted it confused the facts with the DF7G-E situation. unexpected and longer mystery tour, but then a My thanks to the editor for his assistance in sorting fact from  ction; my regret is we still do second in the form of a full and immediate refund not know all the facts, and probably never will. of the fare, because of the delay, on arrival (the Tony Olsson, Kirkby-in-Ash eld, Nottinghamshire only down-side on this occasion was the free sandwiches provided en-route). Chinese-built EVR Cargo DF7G-E 002 is seen at Tallinn Vesse yard on 13 August 2015. Finn Mller It is good to see that the Elvas–Badajoz service across the frontier has been restored, however minimally, in place of the complete withdrawal of passenger services on this line after the years when I had used it. Appreciation of the articles is greatly enhanced by having an excellent detailed Portugal Railway Map (Quail Map Co., Exeter, 2010). Planning the journeys was no problem, with the Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe, and the CP and other websites. A pleasant surprise one year was the arrival by email of a birthday card from CP! I am fortunate to have also a 1988 publication, Comboios Portugueses (Portuguese Trains), which provides a rich and beautiful photographic record of much that has disappeared since that time, with Portuguese text in profoundly elegiac style. Bill Weston, Hudders eld, West Yorkshire

16 TAS RAILWAS ERE TRANSRT S R LATR AIL RER NEW THIS NTH

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Major eet changes DSB on the horizon The Danish State Railways (DSB) eet will be completely transformed by 2030 with new Siemens Vectron locos, coaches and Alstom EMUs on order. Jan Lundstrm considers the implications of the programme for the current eet.

Photos y the author of 20 Class MQ Desiro DMUs to Arriva (which in September 2020 (TR EU 297 p11) and sold four trainsets on to Midtjyske Jernbaner) entered service a month ahead of schedule on Danish State Railways (DSB) has embarked on after losing contracts to operate regional services 26 October, initially working in the two Class a major fl eet renewal programme that will see on the Odense–Svendborg line and the northern EA diagrams. This enabled the withdrawal of the the withdrawal of many familiar classes over the part of the Roskilde–Køge–Næstved Lille Syd. last remaining DSB EAs (see below). next decade. Indeed, by 2030, the only passenger The purpose of this article is to review the The closure of the –Nykøbing Falster stock in DSB’s current fleet still in regular prospects for the fl eet on a class-by-class basis. Sydbanen from 29 April for modernisation service will be the 113 Bombardier-built double- Class EB Vectron released double-deck stock for use between deck coaches. In April DSB announced that it Helsingør and Slagelse, enabling the introduction had selected Alstom for a contract to supply DSB selected Siemens to supply its next- of Class EB on these services. Electrifi cation 100–150 EMUs to replace its IC3 and IC4 DMUs generation electric loco in March 2018, with between Ringsted and Næstved is due to and the IR4 EMUs. The delivery of Vectron an initial order for 26 200 km/h Vectrons be completed in October, which will allow electric locos from Siemens has already enabled designated Class EB. An option for a further 16 Class EB to take over regional trains to Næstved. the withdrawal of the last remaining Class EA machines, including the 1000th Vectron sold With the start of the 2022 timetable in electric locos and the Class ME diesels will by Siemens, was exercised in 2020. The fi rst December 2021, Class EB will be introduced vanish by the end of 2021. DSB also sold its fl eet three locos (EB 3201–3203) were delivered on Helsingør–Roskilde–Næstved services and

18 TAS RAILWAS ERE DSB rolling stock fl eet 000 Locomotives

Class 2020 2021 2022 202 2024 2025 202 2027 2028 202 200

EA 530000000 00

EB 0 3 26 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42

ME 29 29 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 MK 111111100 00 Kf 555555555 00

ultiple units

Class 2020 2021 2022 202 2024 2025 202 2027 2028 202 200

ER 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 19

ET 34 34 34 34 10 10 10 0 0 0 0

FT 0 0 0 0 0 11 41 71 101 131 146 MF 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 75 54 26 0 MG 63 63 63 63 63 45 0 0 0 0 0 M 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 SA 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 104 SE 31 31 31 31 31 31 31 31 31 31 31

* FT = Fremtiden Tog (new Alstom EMU). Loco-hauled coaching stock

Class 2020 2021 2022 202 2024 2025 202 2027 2028 202 200

DD 113 113 113 113 113 113 113 113 113 113 113

NC 0 0 0 0 120 120 120 120 120 120 120

Other 222222222 22

NC New Coaches  1-car Talgo sets for long-distance services Aove: EB 3201 arrives at Sorø with train Royal saloon and escort coach RØ 4343 Helgoland–Slagelse on 10 March 2021. København–Ringsted/Slagelse regional services are currently the main duties for DSB’s Vectrons. a few peak trains from København to Næstved via Køge Nord and Ringsted. Some trains from Helsingør will continue to Odense. All 42 locos should be in traffi c by December 2022, when ERTMS will be operational on the new København–Køge–Ringsted line. This will allow the introduction of Næstved–København– Nivå services formed of Class EBs and double- deck push-pull sets. At this point, the use of Class EB on Helsingør–Roskilde services will end and some Class MF (IC3) DMUs will be cascaded to other routes. Class MF will continue to dominate passenger services south of Næstved as they are the only DSB diesel trains to be Aove: The  rst Class ER EMU to receive DSB’s current red livery, set 30,  nally made its main line debut equipped with ETCS and the old Storstrøm on 12 April 2021, albeit with Class MF DMU set 58 providing propulsion, when it formed train M 6324 bridge will not be electrified. This means –Helgoland. The train is seen at Bringstrup west of Ringsted. DSB has signed a contract with regional stopping services will be “broken” Danish  rm Ole Nonbye to relivery the remaining Class ER sets using vinyls. at Næstved, with passengers continuing south changing from electric to diesel trains. There From the start of the 2024 timetable Class EB Class ER (IR4) will still be direct services from Nykøbing will take over København–Padborg–Hamburg Falster to København formed of but these services operating in top-and-tail mode with Class ER is the electric version of the Class MF will run via Køge Nord and Ringsted with fewer new Talgo coaches. Three Talgo sets will also DMU (IC3). The 4-car EMUs were built by stops. This arrangement will continue until 2024 be used with EBs on Østerport–Køge Nord– Scandia in in 1992–97 and all 44 sets when the opening of the new Storstrøm bridge Nykøbing Falster fast services. This will release remain in service with DSB. will enable the extension of electric services to Class MF sets for redeployment on services From the 2022 timetable, Class ER will Nykøbing Falster. to . primarily be used on long-distance services

TAS RAILWAS ERE 19 T and on the København–Helsingør Kystbanen. Some services from Helsingør to Næstved will also be worked by Class ER. To enable multiple operation of Class ER and release Class MF sets for use on the Sydbanen, København– Aarhus IC trains in the 1xx series will be split at Aarhus every second hour, which means passengers heading north will have to change trains. Some of the new Næstved–Nivå services due to be introduced in the 2023 timetable (see Class EB above) will be operated by Class ER (mostly early morning and late night trains). Some trains from Helsingør will continue as IC services to and as PendlerLyn to Odense. The introduction of the new Fremtiden Tog EMUs will enable DSB to begin withdrawing Class ER at the end of the 2020s. Class ET (resundstog) The 3-car dual-voltage (15 kV 16.7 Hz/25 kV 50 Hz AC), Class ET EMUs were introduced in 2000 to operate cross-border Øresundstog Aove: EA 3020 is seen at Ringsted on the night of 28 April 2021 shortly after arriving with test train services via the Øresund fi xed link between BS 306466 from Næstved. The loco was being used to test the newly-installed electri cation between København and Malmö, alongside the identical Ringsted and the outskirts of , the  nal duty for Class EA with DSB. Swedish Class X31 EMUs. Denmark owns 34 Class ET sets, 24 of which be delayed due to uncertainty over post-Covid route in early December means loco-hauled will be made available to Swedish regional travel demand (TR EU 302 p44). services will be suspended. They will return transport authority Skånetrafi ken when it takes When the new Næstved–Nivå services starts when the new Storstrøm bridge enables the over responsibility for all Øresundstog services operating in December 2022, Class ET sets will introduction of electric traction with Class EB to/from Østerport from the 2023 timetable. be released, which could enable the operation Vectrons working to Nykøbing Falster. DSB plans to use some of the remaining ten of two regional train pairs per hour between The electrifi cation of the Ringsted–Næstved sets for a new Ring Syd service from CPH Helsingør and Roskilde if the trains are not sold line is due to be completed between October Airport to Roskilde via Ny Ellebjerg, which to Skånetrafi ken for use on Øresund services. and December, which will enable Class EBs to will provide stations to the west of København Class ME take over regional services to Naestved, where with a direct link to the airport without having passengers continuing south to stations in Falster to change at København H. However, it looks DSB is planning to withdraw all its remaining and will have to change trains. likely Skånetrafi ken will need these trains. In Henschel Class ME diesel-electrics (TR EU 291 From December 2021 DSB will increase December 2020 Sweden’s administrative court p32) by December. The Sydbanen will be the use of Class MG (IC4) DMUs on the forced Skånetrafi ken to abandon a tender for closed south of Orhoved from 30 April for Nordvestbanen to Holbæk/Kalundborg, enabling new double-deck trains for these services, which modernisation work but it is likely that the class the complete elimination of Class ME operation often suffered serious overcrowding before the will briefly reappear on trains to Nykøbing on regional services in Sjælland. However, DSB pandemic. However, there is now a political Falster after the line reopens on 1 August. plans to retain two locos for special trains until dispute over whether the procurement should However, the commissioning of ETCS on this at least the end of 2022 (TR EU 302 p46).

Below: Endangered species: Class ME is now in its  nal months in tra c with DSB, with the remaining Class MF (IC3) locos due for withdrawal by December. ME 1521 passes Eskilstrup with train RØ 1239 Helgoland– 92 Class MF DMUs (also known as IC3) were Nykøbing Falster on 16 April 2021. built for DSB by ABB Scandia in 1989–98, with

0 TAS RAILWAS ERE four more subsequently acquired from Sweden. These 180 km/h 3-car sets remain the backbone of the DSB fl eet, although their role is set to diminish with the introduction of new Alstom EMUs from 2024 onwards. When Lokaltog takes over operation of Roskilde–Køge regional services (the northern part of Lille Syd) in December 2021 and the Desiros are handed over to Arriva, three IC3s will be used on NæstvedKøge. When the Sydbanen south of Orehoved reopens on 1 August following a three-month closure for modernisation work, direct trains between København and Nykøbing Falster (via the new line) will be exclusively in the hands of Class MF as these are currently the only trains in the DSB fl eet equipped with ETCS. Class MF will also continue to operate four daily train pairs between København and Struer in north-west Jylland as their ETCS capability will be required Aove: Demonstrating the exibility of the IC3/IR4 concept, a mixed EMU and DMU formation is seen on this route. On the Nordvestbanen between with train IC 54863 Østerport–Esbjerg at Viby Sjælland on 21 September 2020. Leading the train is ER Roskilde and Kalundborg Class MF will only set 09, which will continue to Esbjerg, while Class MF sets 54, 36 and 58 will be uncoupled from the train be used if there are not enough Class MG (IC4) in Odense. DMUs available. The introduction of Næstved–Nivå Below: The IC4 DMUs are due to be withdrawn by 2026. Class MG sets 64 and 67 are seen at seen at electric services with the start of the 2023 Sværdborg just south of Lundby on 12 February 2021 with train RØ 3737 København H–Nykøbing Falster. timetable will release a few Class MF sets for redeployment on other routes. Further sets will be displaced by the introduction of Talgo stock operating in top-and-tail mode with Class EB Vectrons on København–Hamburg and Sydbanen “express” services from 2024. This will enable Class MF to replace Class MG on the Nordvestbanen. With the electrifi cation of the Nordvestbanen Class MF sets will again be redeployed to replace Class MG on the Esbjerg––Aarhus line. Electrifi cation of this route is due to be completed by 2027, enabling the rundown of the Class MF fl eet to begin in earnest, with the fi nal sets scheduled for withdrawal by 2029. Class MG (IC4) Despite entering service as recently as 2008, the troubled AnsaldoBreda-built Class MG (IC4) DMUs are a candidate for early withdrawal with many sets already stored or scrapped. At the time of writing, 63 of the 82 sets built remain in the active fl eet. Operation on the Sydbanen south of Næstved will end in December as the IC4s are not equipped with ETCS. From the 2022 timetable Class MG will be the main train type on services over the Nordvestbanen to Holbæk/Kalundborg, but they will also continue to operate Aarhus– Fredericia–Esbjerg services and a few long- distance services across Storebælt. The 2023 timetable will not bring any major changes for Class MG, but the redeployment of Class MF (IC3) sets released by the introduction of Class EB locos and Talgo stock on long-distance services will enable DSB to begin large- scale withdrawals. By 2025 Class MG will be concentrated on Esbjerg–Fredericia–Aarhus, but the redeployment of further Class MF sets will allow the fi nal IC4s to be withdrawn after a short and unsuccessful career. Shunters As the table on p19 shows, DSB plans to part Aove: DSB has given four of its Køf shunters a major overhaul. One of them is Køf 253, which is seen at with its only shunting loco – MK 625 (, Otto Busses Vej depot in København on 6 April 2021.

TAS RAILWAS ERE 1 T

Aove: Artist’s impression of the Fremtidens Tog EMU, up to 150 of which will be built by Alstom.

Right: DSB has ordered eight sets of 200 km/h Talgo coaches for long-distance services. Courtesy DSB (2)

1998) – when the new depot at Mogenstrup south of Næstved opens in 2024/25. DSB also plans to dispense with its fi ve Køf tractors (, 1966–69) at the end of the decade – after a working life of 60–65 years these will certainly have given DSB excellent value! It is likely these locos will be replaced by smaller “shunting robots”, which are already in use at several locations, with increased use of main line locos for shunting elsewhere. Shunting is likely to decline further as locos and coaches operating in fi xed formations will be maintained at the same location at the same time. Fremtidens Tog On 12 April DSB announced that it had selected Alstom as preferred bidder for a contract to supply 100–150 EMUs (TR EU 303 p8). The so- called Fremtidens Tog (Train of the Future) will replace IC3, IC4 and IR4 and form the backbone of DSB’s long-distance and regional fleet, operating across the whole of Denmark. The fi rst trains are due to enter traffi c in 2024, initially on København–Fredericia and København–Esbjerg IC services, Lyntog services across the Storebælt and a few Sydbanen services. The articulated train is based on Alstom’s Coradia Stream platform and each 5-car set will seat 300 passengers. Loco-hauled stock In February 2020 DSB ordered eight 13-car sets of 200 km/h Talgo coaches based on the Talgo 230 platform. In April 2021 DSB ordered 16 additional coaches to extend each set to 15 Aove: DSB’s Class EB Vectrons made their debut on the royal train on 23 April 2021, when Queen vehicles and increase capacity to 492 seats. Margrethe II and her sister Princess Benedikte travelled to to open an exhibition. EB 3209 and These vehicles have not yet received a class EB 3210, top and tailing royal coaches S 001 and WRm 603, are seen arriving at Kolding as train EP 8443 designation and are referred to internally by København H–Vamdrup. DSB as NC (New Coaches). Unlike the recent DB order for Talgo stock, DSB has not opted on the Sydbanen as they will be maintained at (designated DD by DSB). The fl eet comprises for driving trailers and the sets will operate the new Mogenstrup depot near Næstved (along 62 Class B and 26 Class Bk intermediate with pairs of Class EB Vectrons in top-and-tail with the Class EBs and DD coaches). coaches and 25 Class ABs driving trailers. No mode. The coaches will be used on København– The backbone of the coach fl eet will continue change in the use of these vehicles is anticipated Hamburg services and some fast regional trains to be the Bombardier-built double-deck stock before 2030.

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TAS RAILWAS ERE 23 T NS Class 1600 and 1700 40 years of the Dutch “Broken Noses” French designs have been a feature of the Dutch rail scene since the 1950s and the Class 1600 and 1700 derived from SNCF Class BB 7200 were by far the most successful with 139 machines delivered to NS between 1981 and 1994. Quintus Vosman charts the history of these versatile locos, more than 20 of which remain in service with both NS and private operators.

Photos by the author Liberalisation of the Dutch railway industry In 1975 76 NS tested SNCF BB 7003 to in the 1990s saw the division of Class 1600 evaluate the design’s suitability for Dutch In 1981 83 Alsthom delivered 58 Bo-Bo electric between passenger operator NS Reizigers operations and compatibility with infrastructure. locomotives to Netherlands Railways (NS) to and freight operator NS Cargo, the latter There was also a German candidate loco, known replace the oldest electric locomotives of the post- ultimately becoming a subsidiary of Deutsche in the Netherlands as 1600P. war period. 58 locos were ordered following tests Bahn. Today, 40 years after the first locos Tests with the French loco demonstrated that, with SNCF BB 7003, the DC prototype for Class entered service, the survivors remain in in line with NS requirements, the Bo-Bo could BB 7200, which was converted from AC loco gainful employment with both NS and private haul a 600-tonne passenger train at 160 km/h, a BB 15007. Class 1600 was the fi rst Dutch electric operators, although the introduction of more 1200-tonne intermodal train at 120 km/h and a loco with electronic control systems. Following the modern traction means the Nez Cassé (broken 2400-tonne iron ore train at 80 km/h. Following success of Class 1600, NS ordered 81 similar Class nose) is becoming an increasingly rare sight on the tests several changes were made to the 1700 locos from Alsthom in the 1990s. the Dutch network. specifi cation for the NS machines.

24 TAS RAILWAS ERE The chopper system was modifi ed to ensure electromagnetic compatibility with both the Dutch signalling system and the ATB train protection system. Mitigation measures were needed to reduce the risk of overheating because the distances between stations in the Netherlands are relatively short and main lines are intensively used, which means frequent acceleration and braking. Interestingly, however, NS opted to retain the left-hand driving position of the French loco – the controls are usually positioned in the centre or on the right of the cab in the Netherlands as infrastructure is configured for right-hand running. Testing with BB 7003 demonstrated that signal sighting from the left- hand side of the cab was as good as on existing Dutch locos and multiple units, if not better. This effectively ended the tradition of right-hand drive cabs, which dated back to the steam era. The fi rst Class 1600, 1601, arrived in the Netherlands on 19 January 1981 and delivery of the class enabled NS to phase out the (1A)Bo(A1) Class 1000 electrics, ten of which Above: Class 1600 regularly worked international trains between and the Ruhr, which were were built in 1948 and withdrawn by 1982, and incorporated into the Dutch IC network, with the change between Dutch DC and German AC traction the seven Class 1500 (ex Class EM2/ taking place at Emmerich on the German border. 1606 is seen at Amsterdam Centraal on 23 May 1991 Class 77) Co-Co electrics, the last of which were awaiting departure with a service for Köln Deutz. withdrawn in 1986. Operations quickly became the established motive power for primarily because it enables portion operation loco-hauled IC and international services. The with trains splitting and joining en route to serve Upon entering service, all 58 Class 1600s were Netherlands is a country with a long tradition of different destinations. It has been said that NS named after Dutch towns and cities. Class 1600 multiple unit operation with automatic couplers, persisted with loco-hauled passenger trains

Below: 1618 is seen at Oostdijk on the Vlissingen–Roosendaal line on 28 June 2019 with Captrain Netherlands train 51056 conveying LPG gas from the DSM chemical plant at Geleen-Lutterade near Sittard to the port of Sloehaven.

TAS RAILWAS ERE 25 T

Above: For many years Class 1600/1700 were a regular sight on commuter services between Amsterdam and the area to the north of the Dutch capital. 1843 and a DDM-1 push pull set are seen working empty stock into Amsterdam to form a peak service from Amsterdam Centraal to Enkhuizen on 9 June 2005.

because it needed locos for freight trains, which run mostly at night. Domestic loco-hauled passenger services primarily connected the Randstad conurbation (including Amsterdam, Den Haag, and Utrecht) in the west of the country with destinations in the south-east. Most of the (international) freight trains also operated in this area and electric locos were generally maintained at Maastricht depot and Tilburg works. An exclusive task for Class 1600 was push- pull operation with DDM-1 coaches, the fi rst double-deck stock in the Netherlands. To provide Above: With three Italian State Railways (FS) coaches at the front of the train, NS 1615 is seen at enough locos for these services NS added ten Loenersloot on the Amsterdam–Utrecht line on 14 April 1991 with train D 205 for Ancona. machines to its order with Alsthom, taking the total to 58. The DDM-1 stock was introduced in Below: In the 1990s NS still operated holiday services from and to ‘s-Hertogenbosch. 1615 is 1985 and could only operate with Class 1600. seen at Sint-Joost between Sittard and Roermond with an overnight train from the south of France on DDM-1 operation continued until the end of 26 July 1998. The 1600 would have worked the train between Maastricht and ‘s-Hertogenbosch. 2019, primarily on heavily-traffi cked routes in the Randstad region where NS needed to enhance passenger capacity on an insuffi ciently developed rail network. Division of the  eet Reform of the railway sector and the restructuring of NS led to the division of the loco fl eet between the new entities NS Reizigers (NS Passengers) and NS Cargo, which came into effect from 1 January 2000. The Class 1600 fl eet was split between the two, with 37 machines (1601–1637) assigned to NS Cargo and 21 to NS Reizigers. The numbers of the NS Reizigers locos were changed by adding two hundred (1834–1858). Locos were subsequently exchanged between the two operators and the NS Reizigers Class 1600 fl eet expanded, with locos being

2 TAS RAILWAS ERE renumbered into the 1800 series following transfer. One of the locos transferred to the passenger operator was 1637, the only Class 1600 to receive NS Cargo’s red livery. 1637 was renumbered 1837 by NS Reizigers and reverted to its original NS yellow livery. Passenger tra c NS Reizigers Class 1800 operation continued until 2009 and the fi nal loco was withdrawn in 2010, but in 2011 some locos were quickly resurrected due to an “unavoidable” shortage of rolling stock. However, the reprieve was short lived and NS Reizigers withdrew the locos again after only a few months in traffi c. Many Class 1800s were scrapped in 2015, but some were acquired by private operators and 1856 was added to the collection of the Dutch Railway Museum (NSM) at Utrecht, regaining its original identity 1656. 1840 was acquired by the museum to provide spare parts for 1656 and was subsequently scrapped. Above: 1650 is seen at Halfweg between Amsterdam and Haarlem with a DDM push-pull set forming train 5461 Amsterdam Centraal– on 20 September 1989. The distinctive “butter y” catenary masts Freight use at this location were replaced soon after this image was taken. In 2000 NS Cargo became part of Deutsche Bahn following its merger with Railion (now DB Below: 1646 awaits departure from Roosendaal with train D285 Paris Gare du Nord–Amsterdam Cargo) and the operator’s Class 1600s quickly Centraal on 21 April 1990. acquired the branding of their new owner. 2007 brought major changes for freight operators in the Netherlands with the opening of the Betuweroute dedicated freight line between the port of Rotterdam and the Dutch- German border near Emmerich. The line is electrifi ed at 25 kV AC 50 Hz and equipped with ETCS Level 2 signalling and train protection. This meant Class 1600 could not operate on the new line and the locos therefore became less useful to Railion Benelux. However, with an increasing number of private operators looking for traction there was a market for these locos. In 2008, ACTS (later Husa Transportation Rail

Below: Domestic oil production once generated signi cant volumes of rail freight in the Netherlands. With 1309 dead in tow, 1654 has just arrived at Utrecht Lunetten yard with a loaded oil train from Schoonebeek to the port of Rotterdam.

TAS RAILWAS ERE 2 T

Above: On 30 April 1999 – oninginnedag (Queen’s Day) – 1751 and 1763 top-and-tail the royal train carrying Queen Beatrix on a visit to Houten.

Services: HUSA) bought ten units, most of ski trains from the Netherlands to Austria and In June 2011, Locon Benelux acquired them for spare parts, although 1606, 1609, 1619 France as well as summer international sleeper/ 1827 (Locon 9901) and 1834 (9902) from NS and 1621 entered service with HUSA in 2010. motorail AutoSlaap Trein services to France, Reizigers and soon after added 1831 (9904) and All four active locos received HUSA’s orange, Italy and Slovenia. EETC ceased operation 1836 (9904) to its fl eet. These were followed white and blue livery, but they became redundant in April 2015 and its three 1600s – the two by 1828 (9906) and 1837 (9903) in 2013 and when HUSA ceased rail operations in early ex-HUSA machines and long-stored 1618 – 1830 (9908) in 2014. Locon also acquired 2014. 1606 and 1609 were subsequently sold joined the fl eet of SNCF subsidiary Captrain 1824 and 1833 for spare parts. 1829 entered to Rotterdam Rail Feeding (RRF), receiving Netherlands at the end of that year. 1619 service with Locon in May 2016, but the the numbers 4401 and 4402 respectively. 1619 received Captrain’s corporate grey/lime green operator was short-lived, fi ling for bankruptcy and 1621 were acquired by Euro-Express livery, while 1618 and 1619 were repainted in in July 2017. Locon’s 1600s were then acquired Treincharter (EETC), which operated overnight Raillogix red, grey and black livery. by Railexperts (9901) and RailReLease.

Below: NS 1754 is seen departing from ‘s-Hertogenbosch with an overnight EETC motorail train to Koper in Slovenia on 2 August 2013. The loco will work the train as far as Venlo on the Dutch-German border.

2 TAS RAILWAS ERE Right: Following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reuni cation of Germany more direct and frequent services were established between Amsterdam and Berlin, initially operating with DR coaches and later with DB Interregio stock. 1643 is seen with a set of DB IR coaches working from Zaandam to Amsterdam Centraal to form a service to Berlin on 5 June 1993.

9908 and 9909 subsequently reverted to their NS numbers. More “broken noses” Rapid growth in passenger numbers in the second half of the 1980s forced NS to take urgent action to increase capacity. Proven rolling stock designs were chosen for quick delivery and the result was the fl eet of DD/AR (Dubbeldeksaggloregiomaterieel) coaches, which were technically very similar to the existing DDM-1 double-deck push-pull stock. To operate with these new vehicles, NS ordered 81 locos from GEC-Alsthom based on the successful Class 1600 and these machines were delivered in 1991–94. The locos operated in push-pull mode with 3- and 4-car DD/AR sets on busy regional and suburban routes, although they were also frequently used on InterCity and EuroCity services. The DD/AR sets were semi-permanently coupled with automatic couplers at both ends of the train, enabling them to operate with the fl exibility of an EMU. This meant that unlike Class 1600 the Class 1700s were equipped with automatic couplers. Another key difference from Class 1600 was the chopper system: those in Class 1700 locos had a fi xed frequency. Furthermore, Class 1700 could operate in multiple, albeit with the power output of each loco halved. Class 1600 was banned from operating in multiple as the 1500 V DC electrifi cation system could not provide suffi cient power. This meant that Class 1600 and 1700 were not compatible with each Above: 1637, the only Class 1600 to receive NS Cargo red livery, is seen at Houten with train 49505 from other and could not operate in multiple. Beverwijk Hoogovens Centraal steelworks to the limestone quarry at Hermalle-sous-Huy between Liège In 1998 NS introduced new mDDM Bo-Bo-Bo and Namur, Belgium on 26 August 2000. power cars with a passenger compartment on the upper deck and electrical equipment on the Below: Still in its original NS livery but with the “Railion” branding of its new owner (by this time lower deck. De Dietrich in France built 50 of renamed DB Schenker Rail Nederland), 1615, pilots 1602, 1616 and 6424 at Zevenbergschenhoek on the these power cars, which were compatible with Dordrecht–Roosendaal line with a train from Kijfhoek yard to Sloehaven on 30 May 2011. the Class 1700s to enable multiple working of DD/AR sets with both types of traction. The mDDms displaced an equivalent number of Class 1700s from operation with the 79 DD/AR sets and the redeployment of these locos enabled NS to withdraw ageing 1950s electrics, including Alsthom Classes 1100 and 1300, and the US-designed Class 1200. Those Class 1700s no longer operating with DD/AR sets lost their automatic couplers and were equipped with conventional screw couplers. Unlike Class 1600 the Class 1700 fl eet was not split between NS Reizigers and NS Cargo when NS was reorganised in 2000 and all locos remained with the passenger operator, despite an attempt by NS Reizigers to transfer the locos to NS Cargo for fi nancial reasons. Class 1700 remained fully employed by NS Reizigers until 2010, when demand for the locos fell due to the introduction of (later IC Direct) services on the HSL-Zuid high-speed

TAS RAILWAS ERE 2 T line with TRAXX MS2 (Class 186) multi- system electric locos and (refurbished) Type ICRm coaches. Class 1700 cannot operate on the high-speed line as it is equipped with ETCS and 25 kV AC electrifi cation. Class 1700+DD/AR operation also declined due to the introduction of new rolling stock. The fi rst Class 1700s were taken out of service as early as 2009, just 15 years after the fi nal loco entered service. In 2019 NS sent 35 Class 1700s for scrap and that December the last DDM-1 and unmodernised DD/AR sets were withdrawn along with 25 Class 1700s, leaving just a handful of locos in service with NS International. Since December 2019, the only remaining duties for NS Class 1700 have been the two- hourly Amsterdam Centraal–Berlin IC services, which the Dutch locos work as far as the border at Bad Bentheim where DB traction takes over. At the time of writing eight Class 1700s remain in traffi c with NS. In 2018, charter train operator Railpromo received three Class 1700s, which were bought Above: Husa Transportation 1619 is seen at Hattemerbroek on the Zwolle–Amersfoort line with intermodal from NS by its parent company. 1772, 1775 train 50063 Leeuwarden–Maasvlakte West (via Weesp, Breukelen and Gouda) on 8 February 2011. and 1781 were renumbered 101 002, 101 003 and 101 001 respectively and all received train operations have been suspended due to the DB Cargo freight trains in the Netherlands are Railpromo’s blue and white livery. The locos Covid-19 pandemic and these locos are currently now hauled by Class 189 and 193 electric locos were used on dining trains with former SNCF appearing on freight trains. or ex-NS Class 6400/6500 diesels. Grill Express coaches on a circular Amsterdam- Rotterdam Rail Feeding (RFF) operates Haarlem Rotterdam Utrecht Amsterdam route. Class 1600 and 1700 today locos 4401 (ex NS 1606) and 4402 (ex NS Railpromo fi led for bankruptcy in 2019 but a Class 1600 and 1700 are gradually disappearing 1609), mostly between Kijfhoek yard and sister company, Train Charter Services (TCS), from the Dutch network as their duties are Bad Bentheim on the Dutch-German border. took over operations in co-operation with taken over by more modern traction. DB Cargo The usual route from Kijfhoek is via Gouda, parent company LUCATU. However, dining withdrew its last operational 1600s on 4 April Breukelen, Weesp, Hilversum and Deventer. 2020, the fi nal active machines being 1604, 1611, Rail Force One (RFO) took over 1828, 1829, Technical data 1615 and 1616, which have since been sold. All 1830, 1831 and 1837 from the bankrupt Locon Benelux. Most of these locos still carry Locon’s Built: Class 1600: 1981–1983. Class 1700: 1991–94 orange and white livery although 1829 received a Builder: Class 1600: Alsthom/MTE. Class 1700: GEC Alsthom light grey livery with RFO branding in 2018 and 1830 carries an orange livery with Portuguese- Traction Motors: 2 x Alsthom TAB 674 C4 monomotors, frame mounted style (CP) diagonal nose stripes on one end and One hour rating: 4400 kW Moroccan Railways (ONCF) style lining on the Weight: 83 tonnes Maximum Tractive E ort: 294 kN Below: With DB Cargo Class 189 multi-system electric loco 189 079 dead-in-train, DB Cargo 1615 EVN: 1730 = 91 84 1 560 730-c and so on passes ‘s-Heer Arendskerke on the Roosendaal– Wheel diameter: 1250 mm Vlissingen line with wagonload train 61071 Length over bu ers: 17.48 m Kijfhoek–Sloehaven on 27 March 2017. Following withdrawal by DB this loco was purchased by Maximum speed: 160 km/h Railexperts and is now numbered 9904..

3 TAS RAILWAS ERE Above: A colourful line-up of Class 1600s at the Shunter workshops at Rotterdam Waalhaven Zuid on 15 July 2017 with DB Cargo 1613 (still in NS yellow livery), DB Cargo 1602 in the centre and Rotterdam Rail Feeding 4401 (ex NS 1606) nearest the camera.

Right: Captrain Netherlands 1621 passes Zegge on the Roosendaal–Breda line on 6 April 2018 with LPG train 51053 from Sloehaven to Sittard.

Below: Locon Benelux 9906 (ex NS 1628) passes Geldermalsen on 2 August 2013 working a Utrecht–Budapest charter in connection with the Sziget music festival in the Hungarian capital. The 15-coach train is formed mainly of Euro Express coaches with some DB vehicles.

TAS RAILWAS ERE 31 T

other, a homage to the international success of the Nez Cassé electrics. Like the RFF machines these locos mainly work between Kijfhoek and Bad Bentheim. Bentheimer Eisenbahn (BE), a German regional railway near the Dutch border, operated container trains between Coevorden and the port of Rotterdam from 2011 onwards. To haul these trains the company acquired 1835 from NS, kept the EVN registration in the Netherlands and gave the loco the company number E01. However, BE lost its status as a railway undertaking in the Netherlands the loco is now owned by Train Charter Services (TCS) and is not operational. Independent Rail Partner continues to operate the Coevorden–Rotterdam trains using TCS (ex-Railpromo) Class 1700 locos. Leasing company DC Tractie has purchased 1751, 1760, 1766, 1770 and 1780 and plans to lease the locos to operators in the Netherlands. All fi ve locos are currently at Amersfoort. Railexperts provides locos for charter trains, Above: HSL Logistik Benelux 1832 acquired a unique checkered livery after it was purchased from NS stock moves and rescue duties. The company in 2012. The loco was sidelined in April 2017 after the operator lost its licence due to safety issues and is owns 1627, ex-Locon Benelux 9901, which now owned by Rail Rolling Stock. It is seen at Amersfoort on 3 June 2018. retains its orange Locon livery. Railexperts has also acquired 9903 (ex 1611), 9904 (ex 1615) and Below: Rail Force One 1829 is seen at Gildehaus on 25 July 2019 just after departing from Bad 9902 (ex 1616) from DB Cargo, plus three locos Bentheim, where it took over a tank train bound for Rotterdam. The train is still on German territory and for spare parts (1602, 1604 and 1614), which are under German catenary albeit on the Dutch 1500 V DC electri cation system. located at Rotterdam Noord. In early May 2021 German operator RailAdventure acquired a majority stake in Railexperts and 9903 received RailAdventure’s grey livery (p46). Strukton Rail acquired 1824, the company’s fi rst electric loco, in May 2019 and following an overhaul and a repaint in the rail infrastructure firm’s yellow livery, it was outshopped in September 2019 with the name “Nicole”. Strukton Rail plans to equip the loco with batteries to enable it to operate on non-electrifi ed lines, thus reducing the company’s dependence on diesel traction. In April 2020 Strukton acquired 1736, 1740, 1749 and 1756 from NS. 1740 and 1756 have also returned to service in Strukton livery. 1736 has also been repainted but has not yet entered traffi c.

Below: RailPromo Fleet Services 101001 (ex NS 1781) and (1772) 101002 top-and-tail “Dinnertrain” 33200 Amsterdam Centraal–Haarlem–Leiden at Hillegom on 11 July 2018.

32 TAS RAILWAS ERE Volker Rail, another rail infrastructure Above: Still carrying the orange and white livery of its previous operator Locon, Rail Force One 1837 maintenance and construction company, has is seen near Wouw on the Roosendaal–Vlissingen line with train 43366 Bad Bentheim–Sloehaven on purchased 1732, 1743 and 1778. The latter was the 12 February 2021. fi rst to enter service with its new owner in January 2021 and has received Volker Rail’s corporate blue and white livery with white bodyside fl ashes in a style reminiscent of the early liveries carried by the SNCF Nez Cassé electrics. This loco has also been renumbered 7178. In addition to the four locos acquired for resurrection Volker Rail has bought 1733, 1749 and 1762 to supply spares. NS still retains eight Class 1700s, for the two- hourly Amsterdam Centraal Berlin IC services, which are formed of DB Fernverkehr coaches and operate via Amersfoort, Almelo and Bad Bentheim on the Dutch German border. At the time of writing 1739, 1744, 1745, 1746, 1750, 1752, 1761 and 1765 are in the operational fl eet and will remain on these services until the end of 2021, when they will be replaced by Vectrons. Train Charter Services manages a fl eet of three Class 1700 locos, renumbered 101001 101003, as previously used by Railpromo (see above). As dinner trains have stopped running due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the locos are being used by freight operators with duties including the Above: NS Reizigers 1739 departs from Bad Bentheim, Germany, with train IC 146 – Coevorden Rotterdam container trains. At the Amsterdam Centraal on 25 July 2019. This is one of eight Class 1700s retained by NS for these services. time of writing Lineas is renting one of these locos for Dolime trains between Veendam and Below: Railexperts 9903 Venlo (formerly DB Cargo and NS 1611) stands at Amersfoort on 14 March 2021. Hermalle sous Huy, Belgium, the 1700 working This loco was outshopped in RailAdventure grey/silver livery in May 2021 (see p46). the train between Onnen and Sittard.

Sources/Literature: • Spoorwegmaterieel in Nederland, Gerrit Nieuwenhuis and Hans Nahon, Alkmaar, 1987 • Elektrische Lokomotieven NS-serie 1600, Jos Burgemeester, Rosmalen, 2017 • Benelux Railways, Locomotives and Coaching Stock, David Haydock, Brian Garvin and Peter Fox, Sheffi eld, 2000 • Various editions of Op de Rails, the magazine of Dutch railway enthusiast association NVBS

TAS RAILWAS ERE 33 T

LokalbahnStern variety betweenH a thee r l Danube and the Salzkammergut Roland Beier pro les the operations and diverse  eet of the Austrian regional transport company, which operates passenger services on metre and standard gauge lines in Oberösterreich as well as freight trains on the ÖBB network.

Photos y the author Linzer Lokalbahn (LILO) Stern & Hafferl (StH) is one of Austria’s largest The 2X numbers indicate ownership as follows The most important branch line operated by StH public transport companies, operating 110 km (EVN class numbers in brackets): is the 58.9 km Linzer Lokalbahn (LILO), which of local railways as well as bus and ferry 20 StH Verkehr opened in 1912. The commuter line now starts services in the Land of Oberösterreich. All of 21 Lokalbahn Neumarkt–Waizenkirchen– at Hauptbahnhof, running alongside the the StH-operated standard and narrow gauge Peuerbach (NWP, no longer in use) Westbahn towards Salzburg as far as Leonding lines are equipped with DC electrifi cation and 22 Linzer Lokalbahn (LILO) in the western suburbs of Linz, where it diverges the infrastructure is owned by municipalities, 23 Lokalbahn Gmunden–Vorchdorf (GV, metre towards Eferding. with the StH group owning some shares as well. gauge) Situated 24.3 km from Linz Hbf, Eferding Train operations are in the hands of Stern & 24 Lokalbahn Lambach–Vorchdorf-Eggenberg is the hub of the LILO system with a depot Hafferl Verkehr, which also owns some of the (LVE) and workshops, which also acts as the base for rolling stock. In recent years StH has extended 25 Lokalbahn Lambach–Haag (LH, closed) StH’s open-access freight activities. In addition, its business beyond these branch lines by co- 26 Lokalbahn Vöcklamarkt–Attersee (VA, Eferding is the junction with ÖBB’s 20.5 km operating with Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) metre gauge) Haiding–Aschach branch. The latter has no rail freight subsidiary Rail Cargo Austria (RCA). 27 Lokalbahn Bürmoos–Trimmelkam (BT, passenger service and freight is handled by StH. Some StH lines still use old passenger stock, now owned by Salzburger Lokalbahn). From Eferding, LILO trains continue west which will be replaced by modern tram-trains The new metre gauge Tramlink tram-trains to to Waizenkirchen, 41.3 km from Linz. in the future. only carry three-digit numbers. NWP has This was once the terminus of LILO and the The numbering scheme gives information on been merged with LILO and Lambach–Haag junction with the Neumarkt–Waizenkirchen– the actual ownership of the vehicles. The fi ve- closed in 2009. BT was sold to Salzburger Peuerbach (NWP) line, which was merged digit numbers start with 2; locos are numbered Lokalbahn in 1993. This means StH now only into LILO in 1998. A 3.6 km branch runs 2X.0XX, while and multiple units are uses 20, 22 and 24 plus 23 for some vintage north from Niederspaching to the town of numbered 2X.1XX. In addition, standard gauge narrow gauge railcars. StH also owns some Peuerbach, which is served by direct trains rolling stock also carries 12-digit European main line locos, which carry a full 12-digit EVN to and from Linz. At Neumarkt-Kallham the Vehicle Numbers (EVN) with class numbers plus a seven-digit running number following StH line from Eferding and Linz joins ÖBB’s according to the Austrian numbering scheme. ÖBB practice. Wels– main line. In addition to the main

The Peuerbach–Niederspaching–Neumarkt-Kallham line is the only section of the LILO network where the two 1951-built Graz electric railcars ET 22 106/107) can still be found in regular use. ET 22 107 arrives at Itzling on 30 March 2021.

34 TAS RAILWAS ERE depot at Eferding LILO has smaller depots at Waizenkirchen and Peuerbach. LILO once had its own terminus at Linz Lokalbahn to the north of the ÖBB station. The station closed in 2005 and since then LILO trains have terminated at . The LILO line is electrifi ed at 750 V DC and this means only dual-voltage EMUs can be used on the fi nal section into Linz Hauptbahnhof, which is electrifi ed using the standard Austrian 15 kV AC 16.7 Hz system. Therefore only modern Stadler GTW EMUs can be found on most LILO passenger services. At the Neumarkt-Kallham end of the line the situation is different. LILO trains terminate on a separate track with DC catenary, enabling the use of older electric railcars. At the time of writing there was still a diagram for the 1951 Graz-built railcars ET 22 106 and 107 (Class 4941), one of which one is in regular use until noon on weekdays working between Neumarkt- Kallham and Peuerbach. Train services are half-hourly between Linz Aove: Veteran Bo-Bo E 22 001 (Ganz, 1915) shunts at Eferding on 21 June 2018. This is one of four and Eferding and this section is designated steeple cab electrics based at Eferding depot for shunting duties and occasional freight workings on the Line S5 of the Linz S-Bahn network. Beyond Linzer Lokalbahn. Eferding services are less frequent with trains running hourly to Peuerbach and between Below: Peuerbach has an hourly passenger service to Linz. Stadler GTW set ET 22.158 is seen shortly Niederspaching and Neumarkt-Kallham. after departing from the terminus with a service for Linz on 30 March 2021. LILO operates a fl eet of 14 Stadler GTW 2/6 EMUs, which were built in two batches in 2000 and 2005. They are numbered ET 22 151-164 or Class 4822 in the EVN scheme. The fl eet also includes departmental railcar ET 22 137 (Class 4943), which was acquired second-hand from Köln-Frechen-Benzelrather Eisenbahn (ex- KFBE 1289, Westwaggon 1954) and equipped with a second cab at Eferding workshops. LILO once had a fl eet of seven ex-KFBE 2-car units but following the arrival of the Stadler EMUs fi ve were scrapped and two were transferred to LVE. A small fl eet of vintage steeple cab locos is based at Eferding for freight duties on the LILO. The electrics trip wagons to Eferding, where they are collected by StH-operated freight trains from Aschach to Wels yard, where wagons are handed over to ÖBB. Freight traffi c is generally sparse on LILO, although there is increased activity during the sugar beet harvest in the autumn, when StH electrics collect sugar beet wagons and take them to Eferding. Bo-Bo electrics E 22 001 and 005 (Class 1940) were built by Ganz in 1915 for the Wöllersdorf ammunition factory and joined the StH fl eet in the 1930s. Both locos are still operational. E 20 006 and 007 (Class 1943) were built at Graz in 1952 and 1952. E 20 006 was obtained from Salzburger Lokalbahn (ex-SLB E64) and was initially numbered E 27 001 by StH for the now SLB-owned Bürmoos–Trimmelkam line. This loco is currently undergoing an overhaul. E 22 002 is a four-wheel electric built for LILO by Ganz in 1912. Previously used for shunting, E 22 002 is now designated as a museum loco. More museum stock is stored at Eferding depot, including four-wheel railcars ET 22 105 (Graz, 1920), ET 22 109 (Graz, 1908) and ET 24 101 (Graz, 1931). Lokalbahn Lambach– Vorchdorf-Eggenberg (LVE) Aove: Two ex-KFBE units previously used on the Linzer Lokalbahn survive on the LambachVorchdorf The 15.5 km standard gauge Vorchdorferbahn line, where they operate morning peak trains. ET 22.136 was seen at Vorchdorf-Eggenberg on opened in 1903 and uses ÖBB’s line between 30 March 2021.

TAS RAILWAS ERE 35 T

The Lambach–Vorchdorf-Eggenberg line still uses old electric railcars. ET 20.111 was about to leave Stadl-Paura on 30 March 2021 on a service from Lambach.

Lambach and Stadl-Paura, continuing on StH accident in 2004. These railcars are relatively B-B diesel locos V 20 011 and 012 (Class 2020). infrastructure to Vorchdorf-Eggenberg. The small, and more capacity is needed during the V 20 011 was formerly Tegernseebahn V14 (built whole line from Lambach has 750 V DC catenary morning peak on school days. LVE therefore 1982) while V 20 012 came from the Graz and there are two DC tracks at the ÖBB station uses 2-car units ET 22 133 and 136 (Class Köfl acher Bahn (GKB V1500.7, 1992). Both in Lambach. Apart from the LVE passenger 4942), which came from LILO in 2005. These locos were built by MaK. While the electric trains only ÖBB freight trains to Laakirchen are former KFBE 1288 and 1290 built by vehicles are based at Vorchdorf depot, the diesel use the section between Lambach and Stadl- Westwaggon in 1954 and sold to StH in 1970. locos are maintained at Eferding. Paura. There are plans to extend the passenger LVE also operates a four-wheel museum Lokalbahn Gmunden–Vorchdorf service a few hundred metres beyond the present railcar, ET 24 103, which was built at Graz in (GV) – Transeetram Vorchdorf-Eggenberg terminus along the 1912 for NWP and came to LVE in 1989. StH disused line to the Eggenberg brewery. rectifi er coach EG 25 051 (built in-house in The 14.6 km metre gauge Traunseebahn from LVE is the only StH line that exclusively 1950) from the closed Lambach–Haag line is Vorchdorf to Gmunden opened in 1911 and is uses old rolling stock. Passenger services preserved at Vorchdorf. electrifi ed at 750 V DC. The line starts at the are operated by ET 20 109 and 111 (Class For occasional freight trains LVE has Bo-Bo Vorchdorf-Eggenberg terminus of the LVE 4944). These were built by Rastatt (1956) and electric loco E 24 010 (Class 1942), which where it shares a depot with the standard gauge Westwaggon (1953) respectively and were was built by Maffei in 1910 for Wuppertaler line. The GV used to terminate at Gmunden obtained second-hand from Extertalbahn in Stadtwerke as 3608 and acquired by LVE in Traundorf but was extended to Gmunden Germany in 1970 and 1980. A third railcar 1980. StH also operates freight trains between Seebahnhof in 1990. of this type (ET 20 110) was destroyed in an Lambach and Stadl-Paura on behalf of RCA using In 2006 it was decided to connect the GV with the metre-gauge Gmunden tramway which was also operated by StH. Securing fi nance for the project was a protracted process, but in 2014 the GV line was extended to Klosterplatz and the old Seebahnhof terminus was abandoned and replaced by a new station nearby with the same name. In 2018 the link between Klosterplatz and the tram terminus at Franz- Josef-Platz was opened and through services began running from Gmunden Bahnhof (on ÖBB’s Attnang-PuchheimStainach Irdning Salzkammergutbahn) to Vorchdorf via Gmunden city centre. The whole system has since been branded Traunseetram. In 2016 Tramlink tram-trains built by Valencia arrived at Vorchdorf. The 32 m-long six-axle articulated vehicles are numbered 121131. 121123/127131 are based at Vorchdorf for Traunseetram services while LVE ET 24.101 was built at Graz in 1931 for the LVE. It has now been restored in its original livery with its 124126 are allocated to the Vöcklamarkt original number ET 24.001. On 25 August 2016 it was found in the yard at Vorchdorf-Eggenberg. Attersee line (see below). The tram-trains are

3 TAS RAILWAS ERE KEY Aschach an der Donau ÖBB standard gauge lines electri ed 15 kV AC Peuerbach To Aigen-Schlägl ÖBB standard gauge lines non-electri ed Stern & Haerl standard gauge lines, electri ed Stern & Haerl standard gauge lines closed To Passau Linz Urfahr Stern & Haerl narrow gauge lines, electri ed Eferding Niederspaching Narrow gauge tram line LIN Preserved/Heritage Line To Summerau To Schärding Neumarkt- To Wien Kallham Linz Hbf To Braunau Haiding Haag am Hausruck Ried im Innkreis Marchtrenk

Wels Hbf

Neukirchen Lambach Ampwang bei Lambach

To Braunau Rohr-Bad Hall

Timelkam Vöcklamarkt Attnang- Vorchdorf- Puchheim Vöcklabruck Eggenberg

Steindorf bei Strasswalchen Kammer-Schöring Gmunden To Salzburg Attersee TRAUNSEE Gmunden Seebahnhof

ATTERSEE To Selzthal Grünau im Almtal To Ebensee and © 2021 Platform 5 Publishing Ltd. Stainach-Irdning now the regular motive power on the whole line. (Graz, 1922) is based at Vorchdorf depot and line with services operated by a fl eet of three Since the depot at Vorchdorf has only limited used for summer excursions. In addition, there is Tramlink tram-trains (124126). These vehicles capacity and the tram depot at Gmunden is too a departmental railcar, ET 23 112 (SWS, 1954), are based at Attersee but major maintenance small, some tram-trains are stabled overnight which was acquired from the Wynental- und is carried out at Vorchdorf, which requires at Engelhof. However, there are plans to build Suhrentalbahn in Switzerland in 1994. transport by lorry. a new depot here. Lokalbahn Vöcklabruck–Attersee Attersee depot also maintains vintage four- For excursions, StH maintains a small fl eet of wheel railcar ET 20 104 (Ganz, 1914), which was vintage trams at Gmunden tram depot. These are The 13.4 km metre gauge Atterseebahn starts at acquired from Bratislava in 1942. The railcar is No. 5 (Graz, 1911), No. 8 (Lohner, 1961) and No. Vöcklamarkt on the ÖBB Linz–Salzburg main used on regular excursions during the summer 100 (Graz, 1898, ex-Pöstlingbergbahn IV). The line. The terminus at Attersee has a depot and period. In addition, there is a departmental vintage trams perform regular turns during the is situated close to the lake of the same name. railcar, ET 23 111 (SWS 1954), which is a sister summer. Four-wheel museum railcar ET 23 103 Like the Traunseetram this is a passenger-only of ET 23 112 at Vorchdorf.

Below: The narrow gauge line from Vorchdorf to Gmunden is now part of the Transeetram tram-train system, which includes the former Gmunden tramway. On 30 March 2021 Tramlink tram-train 130 departs from Eisengattern with a service for Gmunden.

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StH activities on ÖBB lines In 2008 StH signed an agreement with ÖBB freight subsidiary RCA to provide locomotives and traincrews for several RCA freight workings in the Lambach/Wels area. StH bought two Class 2016 diesel locos for these services and acquired two more in 2011 when RCA extended its partnership with the company. These locos are numbered 2016 910913. StH subsequently expanded its main line freight loco fleet with the acquisition of Vectron DE diesel 247 905 (see front cover) from Siemens in 2015 and TRAXX 3 LM 187 333 from Bombardier in 2018. The diesels are used on Aschach–Haiding– Wels, Steyrermühl–Linz, Linz–Attnang- Puchheim–Ebensee–Bad Aussee and Wels– Laakirchen freight trains. The Class 187 is used on limestone trains from Ebensee quarry to Gmunden cement works. The short branch Aove: The Transeetram includes street running through the heart of Gmunden. On 30 March 2021 to the quarry is not electrifi ed, so the last mile Tramlink 128 is seen at Rathausplatz. diesel module is required. As can be seen from the list above, there is a considerable amount of StH diesel operation on electrifi ed lines and the company has decided to order four Vectron DM electro-diesels from Siemens. These will arrive in 2022 and will replace Class 2016.9, which will be sold. Meanwhile StH has recently sold 247 905 to contractor Bahnbau Wels and hired 223 062 as a replacement (p55). New vehicles and new lines Oberösterreich Land recently signed an agreement with the Austrian federal government on additional S-Bahn services around Linz. A new connection from Linz Hbf to Linz Urfahr will be built with a new road/rail bridge across the Danube. North of the bridge, another new line will branch off the line to Linz Urfahr, heading east to Pregarten. The new line to Urfahr and on to Kleinzell will become Line Aove: StH owns four Class 2016 rornners and uses them on freight trains, which it operates in S6 and the Hauptbahnhof–Pregarten line will cooperation with RCA. 2016 911 is seen at Haiding with an Aschach–Wels working on 25 August 2016. become Line S7. These new lines will be linked with Line S5 from Eferding and will be operated Below: TRAXX 3 LM 187 333 is used to haul limestone trains between Ebensee and Gmunden, the last by new tram-trains. mile diesel module being required for the non-electri ed sidings at the quarry. On 13 August 2020 the Oberösterreich Land has joined a consortium loco is seen stabled at Ebensee station. of German tram-train operators to procure new vehicles. These will be used on the new lines S6 and S7 and will also replace the old LVE stock and at a later stage the LILO Stadler GTW EMUs. Operation of Lines S6 and S7 will be tendered but StH is likely to bid. Visiting StH lines The branch lines operated by StH are in tourist areas and so there is plenty of accommodation. The city of Linz is worth visiting in its own right, not least for its narrow gauge tram system and the famous Pöstlingbergbahn. The StH metre gauge lines give access to two wonderful lakes, the Attersee and Traunsee (at Gmunden), which can be explored by boat. An old steamboat (Gisela) operates from Gmunden in July and August. Both lakes are also a good starting point for hiking tours. Linz can be reached by ÖBB Wien–Salzburg services and DB ICE services from Germany via Passau. Lines in the area have clockface timetables and are therefore a convenient way of getting around.

3 TAS RAILWAS ERE European Railway Atlas

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TAS RAILWAS ERE 3 T

Modernising the Berlin U-Bahn eet Berlin public transport operator BVG is planning to completely renew its U-Bahn eet by the mid 2030s. Keith Fender looks at the status of the existing eet and BVG’s plans for replacement rolling stock. Photos by the author

The Berlin U-Bahn system, the fi rst line of which station, opening on 15 February 1902. This initially with Kleinprofi l trains operated by the opened in 1902, is the largest in Germany and line is now the eastern end of Line U1 although Hochbahn company as construction costs had indeed one of the most extensive in Europe. The Stralauer Tor station, located immediately north consumed the entire budget due to hyperinfl ation network comprises nine lines totalling 155.2 km of the famous Oberbaumbrücke over the Spree, so there was no money to buy new trains! and 174 stations, the newest addition being the no longer exists as it (renamed Osthafen) was The legacy of the change in design standards of the section of Line U5 under the city centre, destroyed in World War II. The station was not from the 1920s onwards means there are two which opened in December 2020. The standard rebuilt as it lay exactly on the boundary between basic types of train in use today (in some gauge system currently uses a fl eet of 1302 750 V East and West Berlin – today (as in 1902) the line ways this is comparable to , where DC vehicles of six different basic designs. Most continues only 380 m north to the Warschauer smaller “tube” trains and larger “sub-surface” of these trains will be replaced over the next few Strasse terminus, which also was the location of stock is used, although in London this stems years by two large new fl eets of Stadler-built the network’s fi rst maintenance depot. from the depth of the tunnels, not the date of EMUs. This article aims to provide an overview The initial line opened in full between Berlin construction). Since 1929 the system has been of the existing fl eet, as readers wanting to see Zoologischer Garten station and Warschauer under the control of the city via BVG. This and photograph the current variety of trains now Strasse a few months after the first section was a limited company, Berliner Verkehrs- only have a few years to do so. on 17 August 1902. The Hochbahn company Aktiengesellschaft, which was nationalised Historical overview extended its network before and after World in 1938 and is now a public body, Berliner War I, reaching Charlottenburg in the west and Verkehrsbetriebe, also abbreviated to BVG. The fi rst Berlin U-Bahn line was, like many Pankow in the east of the city. The construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 others in cities such as Paris, , New Initially all of the fi rst four lines were built disrupted the operation of some lines and York and , actually partly built on for trains only 2.3 m wide. However, from the resulted in U-Bahn lines beneath East Berlin viaduct as a Hochbahn () It was 1920s onwards the construction of new lines was where trains ran non-stop through “ghost” built and fi nanced by Siemens and Deutsche funded by the city rather than private investors, stations that were sealed at street level and Bank with the fi rst section from Stralauer Tor allowing the use of 2.65 m wide, 3.4 m high patrolled by East German border guards, as to Potsdamer Platz, which had an underground AEG-designed trains. The fi rst opened in 1924, trains were only usable by West Berliners.

40 TAS RAILWAS ERE Left: The  rst pre-series Type J trains are due to be delivered in autumn 2022. These trains will replace older stock on the Grosspro l lines. Courtesy BVG

During the post war division of Berlin, BVG operated services in West Berlin (and under East Berlin) while the network in East Berlin was operated by Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVB). There was limited co-operation between the two bodies before the fall of the Berlin Wall and the two were unifi ed as Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) from 1 January 1992. The restoration of service to the “ghost stations” and reinstatement of sections of line severed by the Wall was undertaken in the early 1990s together with some minor extensions to several lines. Today’s network includes lines serving the city’s outer suburbs, extending as far west as Spandau, north to Alt Tegel and Wittenau, south-east to Rudow and east to Hönow. Some extensions took many decades as work started before World War II was not completed until after German reunifi cation in the 1990s. Above: Kleinpro l Type IK17 set 1034, temporarily  tted with extra external steps for operation on Two types of train Grosspro l lines, is seen at Wuhletal on Line U5 on 22 September 2020. The Kleinprofi l (small profi le) trains are used on Services today the fi rst lines to be built before World War I with growing annually (2.2% in 2019). BVG operated coaches not more than 2.3 m wide  dimensions BVG operates the U-Bahn network as nine 21.6 million train-km on the network in 2019 were based upon contemporary tram cars. Today lines numbered U1–U9. Apart from some short which translated into 2.7 billion passenger-km. these lines are numbered U1–U4. sections of parallel running at interchange New trains on order The Grossprofil (large profile) trains are stations each line is separate from the others 2.65 m wide and are used on lines built from the although empty stock can move between lines In March 2020 BVG ordered 606 new U-Bahn 1920s onwards, which today are numbered U5– either via junction stations or using a small vehicles from Stadler at a cost of €1.2 billion, U9. During the 1960s the East Berlin transport number of normally non-passenger connections to be delivered as 2- or 4-car sets for both company BVB converted unused DR owned between lines. Most BVG U-Bahn trains are 4-, Kleinprofi l and Grossprofi l lines. Options for a S-Bahn EMUs (out of use due to the S-Bahn 6- or 8-car formations comprising combinations further 894 vehicles, likely to be ordered in 2030, passenger boycott in West Berlin) for use as of either 2- or 4-car EMUs. plus a 32-year spare part supply contract were Type E trains on the Grossprofi l Line E (now BVG provides all-night services on all but the included in the deal worth €3 billion in total. U5) in East Berlin. These trains were withdrawn two shortest lines from Friday night to Sunday The new trains have been designed to share as in 1994. morning. Pre-pandemic passenger numbers were many common components as possible which

Berlin U-Bahn Network

TAS RAILWAS ERE 41 T should reduce long-term maintenance costs The original contract included options for being used on the Grossprofi l lines – although signifi cantly. another 34 trains but ultimately a further 58 as mentioned above this is not completely This order, which was delayed by legal sets were ordered: 11 in 2015, 27 in 2016 and unprecedented as it happened in the 1920s. disputes (reportedly instigated by Alstom), 20 in 2017. The 2017 order resulted in legal Unmodifi ed Type IK is also used on Kleinprofi l followed BVG’s previous smaller order with action from Siemens, which objected to the Lines U1 and U2. Stadler for the Type IK EMU, which is based fact the contract had not been tendered. BVG’s Entire eet to be replaced on the manufacturer’s Tango light rail vehicle rationale in awarding the contract “urgently” design. The new trains to be designated Type without a tender was that the existing trains on A wide variety of trains are in use on the system J (Grossprofi l) and Type JK (Kleinprofi l) are Line U5 had become extremely unreliable and today, including those built for both East and closely based on the Type IK trains built in planned repairs to the Type F79 trains were West Berlin plus stock built since 1990. BVG 201520 and retain their body profi le, which deemed uneconomic, so new trains were needed has sold large numbers of second-hand U-Bahn extends outwards in the centre of the vehicle, promptly. Eventually a settlement was reached cars to the North Korean capital Pyongyang thus providing slightly more interior space. that involved BVG and Siemens agreeing how (see TR EU 247, July 2016), with 60 2-car Stadler will assemble the new trains at its many older trains could not be repaired – with LEW built Type G trains and 108 2-car ex- Berlin-Pankow site and the company is investing just 14 new Stadler trains eventually “permitted” West Berlin Type D trains exported in the early around €70 million in a new production hall, to take their place. The last unit from the 1990s. Type D is no longer in use in Berlin. and logistics/commissioning facilities. The fi rst fi nal IK20 batch, set 5078, was delivered in By the time delivery of the Type J/JK fl eets prototype trains should be delivered in autumn December 2020. is completed in the midlate 2030s (assuming 2022 with passenger service beginning in 2023. Type IK, like all BVG trains, is classifi ed the planned follow-on orders are placed by Initially 12 Type JK Kleinprofi l and 12 Type J by the order batch so “IK20” relates to those 2030), it is likely the entire current fl eet, except Grossprofi l vehicles will be delivered formed as trains delivered in 2020, although they were the new Type IK trains, will be replaced  by either 2- or 4-car trainsets. Over the next decade ordered three years earlier. Type IK is broken 2035 even the Type H/HK trains delivered early the new fl eet will progressively replace almost down into four batches: IK15 (prototype units in the 21st century will be more than 30 years all the existing trains, with Stadler planning to 1025/1026), IK17 (10271037), IK18 (10381064 old. Currently trains from the early 1960s are deliver one new 4-car train every fi ve working and IK20 (50655078). The IK20s are numbered still in use! days from December 2023. differently to previous batches in part to refl ect The fl eets that will be replaced by the mid- Type IK their use on Line U5 (alongside IK17) but also 2030s are described below. It is probable the because the BVG number series above 1070 is oldest trains will be withdrawn fi rst, although The forerunner of the new Type J/JK, the already taken by Type G, although it is planned BVG is likely to withdraw trains due for fi rst two prototype 4-car Type IK Kleinprofi l to renumber Type IK20 in the series from 1065 overhaul, so some older but recently overhauled trains were ordered in June 2012 and entered upwards once Type G has been withdrawn. or refurbished trains may survive longer. service in September 2015. Each trainset is The Kleinprofi l Type IK17 and subsequent Kleinpro l e e t formed of four cars with full-width gangways Type IK20 trains underwent suspension enabling passengers to walk the length of the modifi cations to cope with higher platforms Type A3 unit. Originally multiple working was possible and additional external door footsteps were with the relatively modern Type HK Kleinprofi l fi tted to reduce the gap between the train and 231 2-car Type A3 sets were built by ABB trains (19992006, /Bombardier), the platform edge. These trains have been in Henschel, AEG, Siemens and Waggon-Union but since software updates in 2020 this is no regular use on the Grossprofi l Line U5 since in batches in 196094, most originally for use longer possible. 2017, the only instance of the smaller trains in West Berlin.

42 TAS RAILWAS ERE These units were a Kleinprofi l version of the larger Grossprofi l (and now withdrawn) Type D trains introduced from 1957. The fi rst 54 2-car sets were delivered in 1966 following eight prototypes in 1960, but a further 118 2-car sets were built. Some trains classifi ed A3L, the “L” denoting Leicht (Light), with aluminium bodies instead of steel, were built in 196671. There are numerous detail differences between the various batches. In 1982 a small batch of new Type A3L units was acquired. These Type A3L82 units differed from those built before as they were based on the more modern Type F Grossprofi l train and therefore had a different front-end design, despite BVG still classifying them as Type A3. Remarkably, for a train type introduced in 1960, more new units were ordered in 1992 as the now-unified BVG needed more trains, and quickly, to operate the reunifi ed Line U2. After 1961 this line had been severed in operational terms by the Berlin Wall between Gleisdreieck and Mohrenstrasse Above: A Type A3 66E train led by set 513 is seen arriving at the Warschauer Strasse terminus of (Thälmannplatz in DDR days), although empty Line U1 service on 16 August 2014. BVB trains continued to run to Potsdamer Platz to reverse). The reunifi ed Line U2 opened Below: A Type G train led by set 1084 arrives at Gleisdreieck on 24 September 2020 with a on 13 November 1993 and the 51-strong A3L92 westbound U2 service. batch of trains was delivered in 1993 and 1994, enabling BVG to dispense with the fi rst batch of the LEW-built Type G sets, which were sold en masse to . In the early 21st century BVG decided to refurbish and life-extend the fi rst production batches of Type A3. 28 Type A3 64E and A3 66E (E = Ertüchtigungsprogramm or refurbishment programme) 2-car sets (numbered 482537) were upgraded in 2001–05 and remain in service today – most are still likely to be in use in 2024, when they will be 60 years old! The original 1960-built prototypes have been withdrawn, as have the 1982-built A3L82 fl eet plus some of the last 1960s/early 1970s A3L trains, which suffered from aluminium bodywork corrosion. Car numbers are in the range 482 (A3 64E)–884 (A3L66) with many gaps. Type A3 trains remain in use on all four Kleinprofi l lines (U1–U4). Type G 123 2-car Type G sets were built in 1974–89 by LEW, originally for BVB in East Berlin. The remaining trains have been converted to 4-car sets with pairs of units permanently coupled. Ten sets designated Type GII were diverted when new from BVB use and exported to Greece, where they operated on the Piraeus– Athína metro from 1983 to 1985 until replaced by MAN designed trains, also built by LEW. The ten “Greek” sets were returned to East Berlin but were never used there and were eventually included in the batch of 120 cars (60 sets) sold by BVG in the early 1990s to North Korea. These were converted to overhead power for use on the Pyongyang metro. The trains were delivered as BVB Class 135 but are now numbered 10701094 having been rebuilt as 25 4-car sets.

Left: Type A3 trains cross at Gleisdreieck on 24 September 2020

Right: Type HK trainset 1015 leads a Line U2 train out of Gleisdreieck station on 24 September 2020.

TAS RAILWAS ERE 43 T

Type G is now used exclusively on Line U2 as operation on Line U1 ended in December 2020. Type HK The 25 4-car Type HK trainsets were built in 19992006 by Adtranz/Bombardier. Like the similar Grossprofi l Type H, these were the fi rst Berlin U-Bahn trains to have gangways within the set. These trains are likely to remain in service until the last sets from the JK future order are delivered and may survive longer if service frequencies are increased. The Adtranz- built prototypes are numbered 1001–1004 while production trains are numbered 1005–1024. Type HK primarily operates on Line U2, with some sets being used on Line U1. Grosspro l e e t The Grossprofil fleets are larger and more homogenous with only two basic train types. Type F ABB Henschel, AEG, O&K, Siemens and Waggon-Union built 257 2-car Type F trainsets, most originally for West Berlin. Like the Type A3 trains on the Kleinprofi l network, the Type F was ordered in multiple batches with deliveries stretching from 1974 (F74) to 1992 (F92). The Type F92 batch of Above: Type H prototype 5001 is seen at Alexanderplatz with a U5 service to Hönow on 7 April 2011. trains enabled BVG to replace the ex S-Bahn Type E trains inherited from BVB. likely to remain in service until the last of the before the pandemic again closed U55 in March The more modern cars (Type F79 onwards) Type J sets are delivered and may survive longer 2020 was operated using Type F76E trains. The have curved windscreens and like Type A3 the if service frequencies are increased. Type D cars have returned to the museum fl eet. oldest production Type F trains were modernised Type H is numbered 50015046 and like Type Photographing the U-Bahn (to become types F74E and F76E) in 2011–18. F operates on all Grossprofi l lines. Those used As described above, BVG chose to buy Type IK on Line U5 are essentially captive to the line Because large parts of the system are above trains to replace Type F79 on Line U5 and almost as Type H is unable to use the Waisentunnel ground, photographing the different train types all F79s have been withdrawn due to aluminium empty stock connection between U5 and U8 at is not difficult. Some stations, especially at corrosion although three have been refurbished. Alexanderplatz. the extremities of the lines that operate on the Type F is numbered 25003013 (with many A small number of 2-car Type D trains dating surface, offer good photo opportunities but so gaps) and these trains can be found on all from 1956/57 remained in use until recently do many other locations alongside or above the Grossprofi l lines (U5–U9). for the isolated Line U55 between Berlin lines on viaducts or bridges in the city centre. Type H Hauptbahnhof and Brandenburger Tor. These Thanks to the wide variety of trains in use it had been taken from the BVG museum fl eet in is possible to see every type of Kleinprofi l train In 1994–2002 ABB Henschel, Adtranz and 2017 to release Type F79 cars for use elsewhere. on Line U2 – and good photo locations exist at Bombardier supplied 46 6-car Type H trainsets The Type D trains worked U55 services until or near Gleisdreieck station, including a multi- to replace Type D, which dated from mid-1950s. it was suspended due to construction work in storey car park adjacent to the U2 viaduct. All These trains, featuring full width gangways, are mid-2018. The brief service, mostly in 2019, Kleinprofi l types except Type G are in regular use on Line U1, which includes the famous Oberbaumbrücke – good pictures are possible near the bridge in the early morning and early evening if the sun is shining. For the Grossprofi l lines the city centre is more problematic as stations are underground and often busy. However, in the suburbs multiple opportunities exist above ground on some lines. U5 has above ground connections with the S-Bahn at Wuhletal, which also has some passing main line trains on the Berlin–Kostrzyn Ostbahn. The northern end of Line U6 also features several sections with surface running. References A good history of the system is Berliner U-Bahn. Zeitgeschichte in Liniennetzplänen – von 1902 bis heute/Berlin Subway Contemporary history in route maps published by GVE Verlag Uwe Poppel with German and English text and available on back order from Above: Type F79 set 2674 is seen at with a U55 service to Brandenburger Tor www.Platform5.com. on 10 September 2009. Line U55 became part of Line U5 with the opening of the Brandenburger Tor Another useful resource is the BVG website Alexanderplatz section on 4 December 2020. www.bvg.de (German and limited English).

44 TAS RAILWAS ERE TRANSRT S R LATR AIL RER REENTL LISHE TRAM & URBAN LIGHT RAIL VOLUME 2: GERMANY: PRIVATELY OWNED NEW BUILD BALTIC & EASTERN EUROPE MULTIPLE UNITS A guide to the tram fleets of all light railway and tramway networks operating Fleet lists and information for new multiple unit types built since 1999 for in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia. Contains private passenger operators in Germany. The lists are presented in European fleet lists of the tramway networks in each town and city, plus brief information Vehicle Number order and grouped in batches by operator. Shows unit about every tramway undertaking. Also includes brief details of in formations and operator fleet numbers with a second listing of all units in each country, plus details of tramway museums. 114 pages. £17.95. operator fleet number order. Illustrated. 88 pages. £15.95. TRAM ATLAS NORDEUROPA LIVERPOOL & MANCHESTER RAILWAY ATLAS Updated second edition of this illustrated guide to all tramway and metro A new atlas showing the current and historical railway networks of networks in Scandinavia and the Baltic States. Includes a detailed route map Merseyside, Greater Manchester and surrounding areas. Shows open and of every city with a tramway or metro, showing all stops, loops, single-track closed lines, with track level detail showing all junctions, crossovers, sections, depots and workshops etc. Also includes historical and operating yards, depots and industrial sites. All stations are shown with platform information, fleet summaries and many colour photographs. 144 pages. £19.95. detail, opening and closure dates. Also shows the many tramway systems which once flourished in the area. 256 pages including 180 map pages. BAHN EXTRA 2/2021: DEUTSCHLAND 1945-47: Hardback. £30.00. EISENBAHN DER NACHKRIEGSZEIT EK SPECIAL 140: DIE DB – V 100 An illustrated review of the railways of Germany in the period immediately An up-to-date and comprehensive overview of the V 100 (Classes following the Second World War. Comprised of articles looking at how the 211-213) locomotives that are still in existence. Looks at examples in railways began the transformation from destruction to reconstruction. use with private operators, the few locos still with DB, and those in Also looks at success stories in later years. Includes a separate folded preservation. Also looks at conversions to Alstom/Gmeinder Class 214s map of Germany’s railways in 1948. 98 pages. German text. and recent Class 714 locos for DB tunnel rescue trains. Includes a full list £13.95. TR Subscriber Price £11.95. of all surviving locomotives. 98 pages. German text. DAMPFBETRIEB DER DR: £13.95. TR Subscriber Price £11.95. EIN STREIFZUG VON NORD NACH SÜD HILL RAILWAYS OF THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT An album of high quality black & white photographs illustrating An illustrated survey of seven branch lines that climbed into the mountain the operations of between 1967 and the ranges of and Pakistan, using ingenious feats of engineering to assist 1980s. Presented in the form of a journey across the GDR, taking in their climb into seemingly impenetrable terrain. Contains a good description express passenger trains, local or urban services and a variety of of each route, operating information, route maps and gradient charts, plus freight along the way. Extensive captions provide further anecdotal a listing of the locomotives operated. Over 270 historical and present-day information. 192 pages. Hardback. German text. £45.95. TR Subscriber Price £41.50. photographs, mostly in colour. 208 pages. £25.00. DIE DAMPFLOKOMOTIVEN DER BAUREIHEN 60 BIS BRUSH DIESEL & ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES 91 DER DRG, DRB, DB UND DR 1980-2020 Comprehensive volume containing details of every steam locomotive built A detailed account of the company’s history from 1980 until 2020, focusing for Germany’s railways of Classes 60 to 91. Includes a brief description on the diesel and electric locomotives built during the period. Includes large of every class, tabulated technical specifications and black & white orders for BR Class 60, Class 92 and Eurotunnel, before looking at how photographs. Then follows a list of all locos built with builder, date of re-engineering became the mainstay of work undertaken. Includes detailed construction, works number, running number(s) and date of withdrawal for lists of all locos built in the period and up-to-date tables listing locomotives every loco. 560 pages. Hardback. Approximately 400 illustrations. German built pre-1980 (Class 31, 47 etc). 184 pages. Hardback. £24.50. text. £59.95. TR Subscriber Price £53.95. THE STEAM ENGINES OF WORLD WAR II IN KURSBUCH DER DEUTSCHEN EUROPE MUSEUMSEISENBAHNEN 2021 A detailed history and album of photos of German, British and American The 2021 edition of Eisenbahn Kurier’s essential guidebook to heritage railways steam locos built just before and during World War II. Includes German, in Germany. Contains proposed timetable information for many active railways British and American locos built for the UK and mainland Europe. and a host of other useful information for every heritage line. Also gives contact Contains a history of each type including summaries of versions of each details/websites for each location and printed QR codes to enable easy access class that were distributed to each country in Europe. Well illustrated. to railway websites. German text. 176 pages. £8.95. 160 pages. Hardback. £40.00. THE RAILWAYS OF PORTUGAL UNSERE NEUBERGERBAHN 1879-2000 A collection of colour and black & white photographs showcasing the changing A pictorial history of the former branch between Mürzzuschlag and Neuberg in face of railways in Portugal since the 1970s. Begins with steam traction and the south-east Austrian state of Steiermark (Styria). Includes a short history old railcar types on both the broad and metre gauge, before the introduction of the line from its opening in 1879 to its closure to regular passenger trains of various interesting diesel types. Also covers recent modernisation, the in 1996 and all traffic in 2000. Photos show locos and railcars in use on the spread of electrification, rebuilding of major stations and the opening of the branch and there is a short chapter on the Südbahn Museum in Mürzzuschlag. National Ralway Museum at Entroncamento. 144 pages. Hardback. £19.95. 120 pages. German text. Hardback. £20.95. TR Subscriber Price £18.95. R

Available from the Platform 5 Mail Order Department & www.platform5.com To place an order, please follow the instructions on the back cover of this magazine.

TAS RAILWAS ERE 45 ROUND UP

INTERNATIONAL

Wien–Paris Nightjet details revealed RZD Lastochka EMUs on Moskva– services ÖBB has confi rmed that the Wien–Paris Nightjet Russian Railways (RZD) introduced dual voltage Class ES1P Lastochka Premium EMUs on service due to start operating in December international services between Moskva and Minsk on 1 May. A ceremonial launch took place 2021 will initially operate only three times a on 30 April with simultaneous departures from Moskva Belorussky and Minsk. week. This is due to a shortage of suitable Trains depart from both stations at 06.20 and 16.00, arriving at 13.10 and 22.55 respectively rolling stock – sleeping cars will be in short with stops at Vyazma (one pair only) and Smolensk in Russia and Orsha in . supply until Siemens delivers the new ÖBB Each 5-car trainset seats a total of 345 passengers in business, economy and basic class Nightjet sets. accommodation. This is the fi rst international route to use Lastochka EMUs. TB The Wien–Paris train will be formed of two sleeping cars, three couchettes and two seated coaches. Trains will depart from Wien EU “ready to support” new Beograd–Skopje line Hbf on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at On 26 April Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, tweeted after a meeting with 19.10, arriving at Paris Est at 09.40. From Paris President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić that the EU is “ready to support” the new Beograd–Skopje rail link. Est, trains will depart on Tuesday, Friday and Although Serbian media reported that the proposed new line would be high speed, it is very Sunday at 19.58 with arrival at Wien Hbf at unlikely that it will be built for speeds exceeding 160 km/h. The existing 449.5 km Beograd–Niš– 09.50. Intermediate stops will be at Salzburg, Skopje line is electrifi ed and partly double track. TB München Ost and Strasbourg while München Hbf will be omitted. RB

Lineas takes over IRP Belgian freight operator Lineas has acquired NETHERLANDS Dutch freight operator Independent Rail Partner (IRP). Based in Zwijndrecht near Rotterdam, IRP was founded in 2011 and has RailAdventure acquires majority stake in Railexperts 35 employees and 12 locos. The shares in IRP RailAdventure announced in early May that it had acquired a 65% stake in Dutch train were transferred to Lineas, but the plan is to operator Railexperts. The company was established in 2010, initially concentrating on maintain IRP as an operative unit within the winter sports trains from Amsterdam to Austria (Alpen Express) and summer tourist trains to Lineas-organisation. The transaction also international destinations. includes IRP’s sister company Rail2U, which In 2016 Railexperts began operating stock movements for NS. In the early years the is the holder of the license under which IRP company rented traction from LOCON Benelux, but in 2017 it acquired its fi rst electric operates its trains within the Netherlands. For loco 9901 (ex-NS 1827) from LOCON. The fi nal Alpen Express ran in March 2020, just before Lineas, the acquisition is an important step in Covid-19 led to the total collapse of international passenger traffi c and Railexperts has since the company’s growth strategy to partner with concentrated on stock movements, primarily the delivery of new SNG EMUs from CAF and or acquire other dynamic private players. ICNG EMUs being supplied to NS by Alstom. IRP and Lineas have already been In July 2020 Railexperts acquired DB Cargo’s last six Class 1600 locos: 1611, 1615 and 1616 co-operating for some time. The limes trains were earmarked for return to service with 1602, 1604, and 1614 supplying spare parts (see from Hermalle-sous-Huy in Belgium to p26 for a full history of Class 1600). 1616 (now numbered 9902) and 1611 (9903) returned to Veendam in the Netherlands, operated by service in September 2020 in DB red with Railexperts logos. Lineas under a contract with Nedmag, are RailAdventure moves the ICNG sets to the German-Dutch border station of Bad Bentheim, hauled by an IRP loco with IRP traincrew. where a Railexperts loco takes over for the remainder of the journey to Amsterdam It appears likely that IRP will be employed Watergraafsmeer depot, Railexperts acting as subcontractor to RailAdventure in the to provide “last mile” services in the port of Netherlands. RL Rotterdam for Lineas’ international network of Green Xpress trains, which currently serve Railexperts 9903 was outshopped in RailAdventure livery in early May. Its fi rst day in service 23 destinations across Europe. These trains in its new livery was 8 May 2021, when it hauled a new 8-car ICNG EMU from Bad Bentheim to run almost daily, combining intermodal and Amsterdam Watergraafsmeer. The train is seen at Baarn. Richard Latten wagonload traffi c in a single train. Lineas has created this network in only four years and it could become an important competitor for DB Cargo’s recently established Westports network if Rotterdam can be developed as a second GXN hub alongside Antwerpen. RL/CH

France–Spain sugar train launched On 26 January Fret SNCF and Spanish subsidiary Captrain España launched a weekly sugar train between the north and centre of France (Sillery and Pithiviers) and Spain (Valladolid and Valencia) for the French sugar company Cristalco. The service operates via the Hendaye/Irún border crossing between France and Spain, the point at which a transhipment between standard gauge and broad gauge takes place. 1300 tonnes of sugar is carried in 34 containers on 17 fl at wagons. DAH

46 TAS RAILWAS ERE NEWS ROUND UP

GREECE

Pendolino reaches Athína An ex-Trenitalia ETR.470 EMU reached Athína for the first time on 12 April, when ETR470.07 ran to the capital while undergoing testing and crew training. ETR.470.07 is still the only ETR.470 on Greek metals, although ETR.470.01 began its journey from Italy to Greece on 11 May. Plans for a special run on 25 March, the 200th anniversary of the start of the Greek War of Independence were abandoned due to heavy snowfall in mid-February, which brought down several trees on the line, severely damaging the catenary north of Athína. During this time, pairs of Adtranz DE2000 diesels were used on loco- hauled trains between Athína and Inoi junction. The trains are being refurbished in Italy and converted from dual-voltage (3000 V DC/ 15 kV AC) to the Greek 25 kV AC system. The inaugural run is now expected in June with commercial operation no sooner than the end of the summer, subject to the delivery of the remainder of the five converted trains. NF

ETR.470.07 is seen between Tauros and Réntis on 12 April 2021 on the first trip to Athína. The train did not run to Piraeus as the platforms are too short for the 9-car 237 m long trains. Nick Fotis

BULGARIA

Tender for new EMUs collapses Overhaul of BDZ locos continues as more Smartrons arrive In early April a tender for 16 new EMUs Some time ago BDZ began overhauling stored locos in response to a severe shortage of for BDZ Passengers was terminated serviceable traction. Diesel loco 06 080, and electrics 46 013, 46 037 and 44 099 have been “due to the non-appearance” of two overhauled by Reloc at Craiova in Romania and have returned to service in Bulgaria, while participants (Alstom and Stadler), leaving 46 124, was repaired by Remarul in Cluj. 20 Class 44 electrics are to be overhauled for BDZ only Siemens in the evaluation. As a single Passengers in the Czech Republic and in Slovakia. So far 44 205 and 44 070 have returned from bidder is not permitted the tender will ČMŽO at Přerov in the Czech Republic and 44 088 from ŽOS Vrútky in Slovakia. have to be cancelled. CB Following an order for ten Siemens Smartrons, all of which are now in Bulgaria after the delivery of 80 041/042/048 and 049 in mid-April, loco availability is now good. The latest locos are named Knyaz Boris (ruled 852–889), Tsar Simeon Veliki (893–927), Tsar Peter 1 (927–969) and New station at Gorna Banya Tsar Samuel (997–1014) respectively. Delivery of locos from a second order for five Smartrons A new station at Gorna Banya, 10 km from announced by BDZ in February 2020 will begin in a few months. CB Sofia city centre on the line to Pernik and Radomir, opened on 24 April. The station is an Looking immaculate after its recent overhaul by ČMŽO in the Czech Republic, BDZ 44 070 is seen at interchange with Line 3, offering Sofia on 1 April 2021 with a train from Varna. Ivo Radoev easier access to the city from the south-west. A 4 km extension of Line 3 from Krasno Selo to Gorna Banya opened the same day. A pedestrian tunnel connects the metro and main line stations at Gorna Banya. CB

“TSV” imports Ludmilla The government-owned Transport Construction and Recovery Company (TSV) has acquired a 1976-built ex-DB Cargo Ludmilla diesel- electric loco from Germany for use on track maintenance trains. The loco is now numbered 07 367 under the Bulgarian numbering system. Pimk Rail will be responsible for maintaining the loco, having previously leased some of its ex- BDZ Ludmillas to TSV. The loco carries large TSV lettering in Cyrillic. CB

TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 47 NEWS ROUND UP

FRANCE

SNCF Infra fleet renewal French Railways’ infrastructure engineering subsidiary SNCF Infra has a fleet of almost 600 locomotives, which are used to move materials around the country, on-site trains, shunting and rescuing failed trains. SNCF Infra is currently taking delivery of 44 new Class BB 79000 (Vossloh DE 18) 1800 kW Bo-Bo diesel-electrics, equipped with TVM 430 cab signalling, via leasing company Akiem, which will replace Class BB 67200 which date from 1963, on engineering trains over high-speed lines. At present, well over 300 main line locos are diesels built 40–60 years ago, although 150 have been modernised in the past 20 years. In early 2021 SNCF’s freight unit Fret SNCF advised SNCF Infra and French track maintenance companies that it was putting a large number of Class BB 60000 1000 kW Bo-Bo diesel-electrics (built by Alstom/Vossloh Espana, 2006–11) up for sale. It has now emerged that SNCF Infra will acquire 50 of these locos by 2025; the subsidiary already owns 20 of the class. SNCF SNCF Infra is to acquire ten more Class BB 75000. 75076 and 75016 are seen at Ecaillon on 1 October 2020 Infra will also purchase ten more Class BB 75000 with a Pont-à-Vendin to Tergnier train. David Haydock heavy diesels by 2024. A further order for Vossloh DE 18s seems to have been dropped. non-modernised Class BB 63500 (26 locos) and other SNCF activities. SNCF Infra will also The newly-acquired locomotives will all Class BB 66000 (19) and BB 66400 (7). At the continue to hire four electric locos each gradually replace Classes BB 64600, BB 69000, same time the BB 67400 fleet will be slashed winter to de-ice overhead wires when BB 69400, BB 67200 and BB 67400. All of the from 25 to 12 locos. required. The Class BB 22200 fleet will remain latter class should be withdrawn by 2024. All of In 2022/23, SNCF Infra will withdraw stable – four locomotives are equipped to Class BB 67200 will be gone by the end of 2026. its two Class BB 8500 electrics which are operate at 200 km/h and are used to power There will be a “clear out” of 70 of SNCF based at Toulouse and power snowploughs infrastructure monitoring trains on high-speed Infra’s oldest diesel locos by the end of in the Pyrenees. They will be replaced by lines; the other 13 locos are used to move 2021, with the withdrawal of all remaining Class BB 7200, hired when necessary from equipment around the network. DAH SNCF Infra locomotive fleet 2021–26 Captrain France takes six BB 27000 April 2021 End of 2021 End of 2026 Since the end of 2020 SNCF subsidiary Captrain France (CPTF) has won considerable amounts Electric locomotives 20 19 17 of traffic from Fret SNCF, including the BB 8500 (2940 kW, 1964–74) 2 2 - Froidcombi container train between Dourges BB 22200 (4360 kW, 1976–86) 18 17 17 and Avignon plus trains of Kronenbourg beer from Hausbergen (Strasbourg) to Lieusaint, Diesel locomotives 380 337 289 south of Paris. Rather than hire additional BB 60000 (1000 kW, 2006–11) 20 20 70 electric locomotives from Akiem as is usually the case, CPTF has purchased outright six Class BB 63500 (605 kW, 1956–71) 26 - - BB 27000 from Fret SNCF (see stock changes). BB 64600 (605 kW, 1956–71) 39 39 10 Fret SNCF has thus sold at least 76 locos to other SNCF subsidiaries, possibly with more to BB 64600 (605 kW, 1956–71) 19 - - follow. DAH BB 66000 (1030 kW, 1959–68) 7 - - BB 69000 (1040 kW, 1959–68) 58 56 51 Class X 72500 DMUs to be BB 69400 (1040 kW, 1968–71) 62 62 62 refurbished for Railcoop BB 67200 (1470 kW, 1963–68) 76 73 - On 10 April President of the Auvergne- Rhône-Alpes region Laurent Wauquiez visited BB 67400 (1765 kW, 1969–75) 25 12 - Montluçon to discuss co-operative Railcoop’s plans to launch a new Bordeaux–Lyon service BB 75000 (2200kW, 2006–10) 42 42 52 in June 2022. He announced that nine Class BB 75000 (2200kW, 2006–10) 42 42 52 X 72500 3-car DMUs previously used by the region would be modernised by the company BB 79000 (1800 kW, 2019–) 6 33 44 ACC at Clermont-Ferrand, the first two units Diesel shunters 174 164 130 having arrived at ACC’s workshops on 3 April. Railcoop MD Nicolas Debaisieux stated at the Y 8000 (224 kW, 1977–89) 133 123 89 meeting that the company would start with Y 8400 (224 kW, 1990–95) 41 41 41 operation of two trains a day over the whole of the route but that additional trains over part of Total 574 520 436 the route could be added gradually. DAH

48 TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 NEWS ROUND UP

HUNGARY

Go-ahead for modernisation of Budapest suburban lines GYSEV tenders for IC coaches The government-run Budapest Development Centre (BFK), which is responsible for strategic GYSEV has issued tenders for a contract development projects, in the Budapest area announced on 12 March 2021 has invited tenders for to supply eight sets of 200 km/h planning work for the rebuilding the Budapest–Lajosmizse and Budapest–Veresegyház–Vác lines. coaches plus six additional coaches. Each In the Budapest Agglomeration Railway Strategy (BAVS), released for public consultation in set will seat at least 160 passengers in February, these two lines were identified as having the biggest potential for increasing passenger second class and 36 in first class with two numbers through route modernisation. Both lines are single track with several speed restrictions wheelchair spaces, eight bicycle spaces, and the line to Lajosmizse is not electrified. The aim is to increase line speed to a minimum of and a toilet accessible for passengers 80 km/h, and where possible 120 km/h, with certain sections double-tracked to achieve 10–15 with reduced mobility. There will also be minutes headways closer to the capital, with 30 minute headways elsewhere. Stations and stops a trolley storage area with an electricity will be upgraded with park-and-ride and bike-and-ride facilities. supply for food heating, or a buffet area. The construction plans drawn up by the winning bidder will need to be approved by 2022. The GYSEV purchased 26 200 km/h IC coaches project will be financed using EU funds. from Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) in Once modernisation works are completed, capacity of the line to Vác via Veresegyház will 2016 and these are now the mainstay of increase three-fold and to Lajosmizse by up to four times, eliminating thousands of car journeys Budapest–Sopron/Szombathely services. into Budapest every day. Current daily ridership is around 10 000 passengers on the line to The deadline for submission of Vác via Veresegyház and 5000 on the Lajosmizse line. Planning will include eliminating several tendering documents was 27 May and 95% level crossings and on the latter line, the at Üllői út, which is used by tram Line of the points available in the valuation 50. Furthermore, electrification will be extended from Lajosmizse to Kecskemét as there is also will be awarded for price. The final set will suburban traffic at that end of the line. This will enable hourly through services from Budapest- need to be delivered within 54 months of Nyugati to Kecskemét, which is a county seat. FJ contract signing. FJ Green FLIRT highlights MÁV Group sustainability goals Battery train tender withdrawn due On Earth Day (22 April), the MÁV Group announced that it aims to be climate neutral by 2050 and that it has developed a strategy to achieve this aim. In addition to reducing greenhouse to electrification gas emissions, the strategy aims to cut waste, improve sustainability through the use of new A tender for 20 battery-electric multiple units technologies and use energy more efficiently. To promote the company’s decarbonisation plus an option for 30 more, originally issued in strategy, MÁV-START outshopped TRAXX electric loco 480.010 in a special green livery in May 2020 then withdrawn a month later and February 2021, while EMU 415.061 was unveiled in a special green livery on relaunched in August, was again withdrawn 22 April. FJ by MÁV-START in late April 2021. The official reason is that with the electrification projects MÁV-START 415.061 in a special livery promoting the decarbonisation of transport, leads train 2044 announced in MÁV’s sustainability strategy, 11.51 Budapest-Nyugati–Esztergom west of Piliscsaba on 28 April 2021. András Teknős battery trains will not be required. However, some of the electrification projects will only be finished between 2030 and 2050, by which time the most modern DMUs in the fleet (Russian- built Class 416 and Siemens Class 426 Desiro) will be more than 40 years old and there are no plans at present to procure new DMUs or EMUs. Furthermore, the planned rate of electrification still means only 50% of the network will be wired by 2050. Lines planned for electrification by 2030 (some of which are already in progress) are: · Zalaszentiván–Nagykanizsa · Szabadbattyán–Tapolca–Keszthely · Ukk–Tapolca · Kőbánya-Kispest–Lajosmizse–Kecskemét · Püspökladány–Biharkeresztes (Romanian border) · Szeged–Röszke (Serbian border) Metrans to build new intermodal terminal in Zalaegerszeg The original plan was to use the BEMUs Intermodal operator Metrans has announced plans to build a new container terminal at between Balatonfüred and Tapolca, on the Zalaegerszeg near the Slovenian and Croatian borders on important freight routes to the Adriatic. Szombathely–Pécs line and on Hatvan– The terminal will start operating in phases from 2023. The location is also close to a motor vehicle Somoskőújfalu services. While there will be test circuit and the Rheinmetall military vehicle manufacturing plant. The Hungarian government through electric services from Szombathely/ is providing HUF 4 billion towards the project and will build the railway access to the terminal, Győr to Pécs via Tapolca and Fonyód, as well as while the city of Zalaegerszeg will construct the connecting road infrastructure and utilities. The from Szombathely to Pécs via Nagykanizsa and total cost of the terminal including these connections is HUF 30 billion (€83 million). FJ Kaposvár, there will still be a gap on the route of the InterRégió service from Szombathely to Pécs as Gyékényes–Barcs–Szentlőrinc is not earmarked Electrification energised on Százhalombatta–Ercsi cut-off for electrification. There will also be a gap in A 15.7-km-long cut-off is being built between Százhalombatta and Ercsi as part of the rebuilding the wires between Börgönd and Sárbogárd on of the Budapest–Pusztaszabolcs line to avoid Dunai finomító and eventually enable 160 km/h the route from Győr to Pécs via Komárom and operation. The infrastructure is largely complete, and the catenary was energised on 11 March. The Székesfehérvár. FJ new section is due to open in the summer. FJ

TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 49 NEWS ROUND UP

SPAIN

RENFE restructures ticketing for Galician high-speed line load testing complete long distance services At the end of March ADIF Alta Velocidad confirmed that static and dynamic load testing had RENFE has announced plans to completely been completed on bridges and viaducts on the 119.3 km section of the Galician high-speed line restructure the fares system for Larga Distancia between Pedralba de la Pradería and Ourense on the Galician high speed line. (Intercity, and ) and AVE services The tests were designed to subject structures to the most unfavourable load types and in readiness for summer 2021, in a bid to distributions, with trains crossing at a range of speeds, including while braking. The tests were stimulate domestic rail travel, improve the undertaken using two locomotives and ten hopper wagons loaded with ballast, giving a total competitiveness of rail and make it more weight of 953 tonnes. The maximum speed reached during the tests was 80 km/h. On each attractive to concessionary fare card holders. bridge or viaduct, instrumentation was installed in 40 different positions to detect any potential The existing fare structure and travel classes deflections, subsidence and deformations. are to be eliminated. Instead, three ticketing A total of 40 load tests were undertaken along the new and rebuilt stretch of railway, together tiers will be introduced: with 68 detailed infrastructure inspections involving viaducts and bridges. About 80% of • Básico: The most economical option, the 103.9 km section new line between Pedralba de la Pradería and Taboadela consists of separate enabling passengers to travel with three formations for the two tracks, so the amount of testing was considerably greater than for an ordinary large items of luggage free-of-charge, with double-track railway with parallel tracks occupying the same civil engineering structures. access to the PlayRENFE infotainment system The final load tests were carried out on a much older structure, the massive reinforced concrete and fast Wi-Fi. For a fee, it will be possible to viaduct spanning the Miño river in Ourense. The 415 m long, 46 m high structure is on the 15.4 km change the date of travel, cancel the ticket, stretch between Ourense and Taboadela (built in 1958), which has now been dual-gauged and is and choose seats. to be used, temporarily, for high-speed services until a new line, bypassing Ourense to the east, • Elige: passengers will be able to opt for is completed. In addition to dynamic testing, telecommunications, signalling and electrification either Estándar or Confort accommodation, testing has also been carried out. dining options (cold dishes in Estándar, hot The next stage, now in progress, is a series of test runs by ADIF AV’s laboratory trains, focusing in dishes in Confort), choose seats, purchase an part on pantograph/overhead wire performance and ETCS Level 2 operation. This will be followed adjacent seat for a discount of 30% on the by test running of passenger trains up to the maximum line speed, followed by route learning Elige fare, and travel with a pet (in a suitable for staff. The aim is to launch commercial services in the second quarter of this year, although an animal container), again for a supplement. inauguration date had not been announced as this issue of TR EU went to press. MB • Premium: A comprehensive fare which includes all the options of Elige, including all A ballast train is seen carrying out load tests on the As Teixeiras viaduct, which is 508 m long and rises the optional extras. 94.8 m above the valley floor. Courtesy ADIF AV There will be two levels of accommodation: Estándar, the former Turista accommodation with 2+2 seating; and Confort with greater seat pitch, 2+1 seating, the option of a quiet coach. This is the former Preferente accommodation. low-fares high-speed services will retain their own independent ticketing system and accommodation types. The changes are targeted at passengers over 60 years of age (entitled to Tarjetas Doradas discount travel), families with children aged under 14, and young people (aged 14 –26). With each option, these groups will be entitled to further discounts on the cheapest ticket available. At present, however, these groups are only entitled to discounts on the most expensive fare option – Flexible. Tarjeta Dorada card holders will receive a guaranteed minimum 25% discount on the best price available for any service, with some of the best discounts applying to off-peak services. At present the average discount for Tarjeta Dorada holders is 36% but this will New freight flow for Euskotren increase to 49%. In mid-April Basque metre-gauge operator Euskotren announced that it had agreed a four-year Children will receive a guaranteed 40% contract with the Railsider rail freight branch of logistics firm Algeposa to move between 100 000 discount on all tickets. At present the 40% and 150 000 tonnes of imported steel coils between the port of (between Donostia and discount only applies to children travelling as Irún) and Durango east of . From Durango the coils will be distributed by road. The switch to part of families who have paid for tickets at the is forecast to eliminate around 6000 lorry movements a year on the A8 motorway. flexible rate (and not Promo rates). This is a substantial achievement for Euskotren. Between the mid-1980s and mid-1990s the Young people (14–26 years) currently have to Basque metre-gauge network was devoid of freight services, and in 1996 when these were buy the Carné Joven (free, via the autonomous revived, they were the fruit of an agreement between FEVE and Aceralia (now ArcelorMittal) to community in which the user resides), which move steel coils between Avilés (Trasona) and Lasarte or the Bilbao district (). In recent enables a 20% discount on the price of the most years this traffic has diminished substantially, and in 2019 Euskotren moved only 5460 tonnes of expensive ticket. The Tarjeta+RENFE Joven costs freight. Some of this would have also come from the FEVE network, in the form of aluminium bars €50, and this enables discounts of 30–50% on from the Alco smelter near San Cibrao in Lugo province, bound for Irún and France. the price of the most expensive ticket. Under the Algeposa and Euskotren will now study options for boosting rail freight on the Basque network. new system, there will be 30% discounts on the One obstacle to international traffic is the track layout at Irún – between the metre gauge cheapest fare available for any service. MB and 1435 mm gauge tracks there are 1668 mm gauge tracks, complicating transhipments. MB

50 TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 NEWS ROUND UP

NORWAY

Freight returns to the Raumabanen On the night of 25 April the first intermodal freight service operated by Onrail departed from Åndalsnes for Alnabru yard in Oslo, hauled on the non-electrified Raumabanen by leased Nordic Re-Finance (ex DSB) diesel TMe 1509. Traction on the electrified Dovrebanen is provided by hired ex-SJ Class Rc4 locos. The train carried containers from a wide range of Norwegian businesses. Previously freight operations had been rendered unviable by the threat of landslips on the Mannen mountain near Åndalsnes, which has led to extensive line closures. The long-anticipated slip occurred in late 2019, meaning the threat of further disruption has receded, but neither CargoNet nor Green Cargo were willing to restart the services they previously abandoned. OnRail has therefore filled the gap, with support from infrastructure manager Bane NOR. Onrail plans to run five train pairs a week. PK

TMe 1509 stands at Åndalsnes with the first Intermodal train on 25 April 2021. Courtesy Bane NOR

Symbolic vote for rail in the far north In a surprising development, the campaign to ROMANIA extend the Nordlandsbanen towards Narvik and Tromsø received a huge boost when an Romanian-built battery shunters for CFR depots alliance of left and centre parties in the (Norwegian Parliament) assembled a majority The Reloc factory in Craiova has supplied ten remote-controlled battery shunters to CFR to approve a resolution to bring forward depots around the country to replace diesel locos. The manufacturer says the Batrack LT- planning for new railways in the far north. REL-10 road-rail units are 100% Romanian and environmentally friendly. The battery shunter The transport minister criticised the motion, can operate for up to 12 hours between charging cycles. CB claiming it will divert funds from more deserving projects and calling it irrelevant Operating under remote control, Batrack battery shunter 99 53 9 999 006 is seen in action at as no funds were committed. However, the Bucureşti Călători depot adjacent to GM-modified diesel 64 1046, with the controller walking resolution is highly symbolic for showing alongside. Mircea Dorobanţu the strength of feeling over the project and the need to invest meaningfully in transport infrastructure in the far north. There may also be significance in that national elections for the Storting take place this autumn and the parties are vying to win votes in the far north. PK

Go-Ahead Nordic appeals to Prime Minister over franchise terms The Aftenposten newspaper has leaked a letter written by the director of Go-Ahead Nordic, Cathrine Elgin, to the office of the Norwegian Prime Minister urgently seeking a meeting to discuss how Go-Ahead might be able to meet the obligations in its franchise agreement, in which the operator promised to reduce annual government support for the Oslo–Stavanger Sørlandsbanen and branches from NOK 486 million (€49 million) to NOK 150 million by the end of the ten-year franchise. The franchise bid was based on traffic growth projections that seemed optimistic at the time and now look impossible in the wake of Covid-19. The Rail Directorate admits that CFR Desiro DMUs impounded following stalled overhaul there could be a long-term permanent loss of Six CFR Class 96 Desiro DMUs sent to the Remarul works in Cluj for overhaul in 2018 have still 20–30% of rail passengers against 2019 levels. not been released, causing an estimated loss to CFR of about €7.5 million. Since 2018, the CFR Go-Ahead argues that such a loss makes any manager involved has left the company and the price of the overhaul has escalated. The units, franchise unviable, and wants to know how the which CFR urgently requires in service, remain impounded and out of action. CB government intends to respond. PK

TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 51 ROUND UP

SWITZERLAND

SOB stock update Scrapping of historic Class RABe 526 EMUs begins Südostbahn took delivery of Traverso EMU MittelThurgauBahn (MThB) received Class RABe EMUs 526 680 to 689 in 1997/98 – the fi rst RABe 526 117/217 from Stadler on 8 April, the set “low-cost” GTW articulated units produced by Stadler and intended for the operation of the entering service on 10 April. Thus the second (Rorschach–) Romanshorn–Schaff hausen Seelinie taken over from SBB in June 1997. Driving batch of 11 Traverso EMUs, ordered for IR 26/IR 46 trailers Bt 221–224 were delivered from May 1999. Then in August 2001 526 681 received the Basel/Zürich–Locarno services, is now complete white livery of the new SBB/MThB subsidiary to operate regional services, initially branded after a delay due to the pandemic, which Bodensee, then Thurbo, now a subsidiary of SBB. resulted in the partial use of FLIRT and FLIRT 3 However, these “pioneer” EMUs, which were the forerunner of the Stadler GTW and FLIRT units built for the Voralpenexpress. multiple units, have now reached the end of their service life. Replaced by 13 more modern The third batch of Traversos will follow on GTW sets from SBB and BLS (ex-RM), disposals started with the dispatch of 526 680 and 681 without interruption. These units were ordered for plus trailers Bt 221 and 222 for scrapping in late April. More units will follow after store, for the Aare Linth service IR 35 –Burgdorf–Zürich– the most part, in Etzwilen. Ziegelbrücke–Chur, to be operated by SOB from Despite the rundown of the class, 526 683 and 686 were active on peak services on December 2021. By the end of this year a further Line S9 between Wil and Wattwil for two weeks at the end of April. CA batch of FLIRT 3 units, RABe 526 006–010 will also be delivered, for extra capacity and as reserves. CA 526 686 and 683 are seen at Lütisburg on the Wil–Wattwil line on 23 April 2021. Christian Ammann RhB in the red in 2020 After losing a third of its passenger traffi c due to Covid-19, metre gauge operator RhB recorded a loss of CHF 6.9 million in 2020 compared with a record profi t of CHF 7.1 million in 2019. Without fi nancial support from the Confederation of CHF 13 million, RhB would have made a loss of CHF 19.9 million. The number of cars carried through the Vereina tunnel also fell by 22%. For RhB subsidiaries Glacier Express and Panoramic Gourmet, Covid-19 has been disastrous. On the other hand, freight traffi c increased slightly in 2020. RhB expects a further loss in 2021. CA

Ossingen bridge to reopen in July Closed on 22 January for safety reasons, the 145-year-old Ossingen metal bridge has been reinforced with steel cross braces between the tracks, which stabilise the bridge against lateral forces produced by trains. From the end of July the Winterthur–Stein am Rhein service will be fully restored. CA

Sensetalbahn modernisation complete After an engineering blockade lasting almost 15 months, regular operations resumed on the 6.8 km long Sensetalbahn between Flamatt and Laupen on 5 April. This rural line on the cantonal border between Bern and Fribourg has been extensively modernised since December 2019 and with barrier-free train access and extra car parking spaces at all four stations along the line. The redesign of Neuenegg station has been particularly extensive, with the construction of lengthened platforms, a new underpass for pedestrians and the installation of a new crossing loop. At the Laupen terminus, the old station site has been abandoned entirely and the new single track platform erected about 300 m closer to Neuenegg, directly beneath the 12th century castle. This has allowed the closure of a level crossing in Laupen and created additional Park & Ride facilities for bicycles and cars. S2 services now once again run through from Langnau to Laupen at 30 minute intervals throughout the day. These are formed of BLS Class RBDe 4/4 EMUs, type ABt 972 driving trailers and “Jumbo” coaches, which are due to In the shadow of the town’s 12th century castle, a BLS Line S2 service led by driving trailer be replaced by new Stadler EMUs by December 2022. ABt 972 is seen at the new Laupen terminus shortly after arrival from Langnau on 8 April Andrew Thompson 2021. Andrew Thompson

52 TAS RAILWAS ERE ROUND UP

SWEDEN

WWF livery for X2000 To mark the 50th anniversary of the World Wildlife Fund an SJ X2000 set has received a partial special livery. Power car X2 2013 and fi rst class car UA2 2995 have been adorned with vinyls illustrating endangered animal species. FE

SJ X2000 power car X2 2013 and fi rst class trailer UA2 2995 are seen with their newly-applied World Wildlife Fund promotional vinyls on 26 April 2021. Courtesy World Wildlife Fund

Mälartåg contractual woes continue SJ and Mälardalstrafi k (MÄLAB) have reached an agreement regarding the continued operation of Mälartåg regional trains around Stockholm after SJ decided to withdraw from the contract. The agreement covers the last three months of the current contract from 12 September to 11 December 2021. It provides SJ with the fi nancial conditions to continue operating among other issues, MÄLAB’s evaluation model contravened the Act on services at the current level. This also permits an orderly transition ahead the Procurement of Concessions. MÄLAB was given three weeks from the of the introduction of more new trains and services from 12 December, start of May to appeal against the verdict. when MTR Jota, a subsidiary of Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation, is to take Despite SJ’s legal challenge, MTR will still operate Mälartåg from over operations. SJ terminated the contract for the four Mälartåg routes December through a direct award contract with MÄLAB, which runs prematurely on 12 March after incurring huge losses due to a sharp decline until December 2023. In addition, there is the possibility of a two-year in traffi c because of the pandemic. extension. The new contract also covers Upptåget Gävle–Uppsala MÄLAB may now need to restart the procurement of a new contract and Sala–Uppsala services (currently operated by ) from for Mälartåg. In December 2020, MTR won the contract for eight years 12 June 2022. FE based on a bid of SEK 489 million (€48 million) per year. SJ’s bid exceeded MTR’s off er by around SEK 200 million, with Arriva’s bid falling between the two. However, SJ believes that the evaluation model used by MÄLAB Containerships launches new intermodal shuttles was so defi cient that it encouraged unrealistic and tactical pricing. SJ Logistics fi rm Containerships has launched intermodal shuttle services therefore fi led an appeal with the Administrative Court, which has now under its own auspices linking the port of Helsingborg with up to approved SJ’s application. The Administrative Court has conceded to SJ six Swedish terminals. The fi rst train ran on 11 April, serving Gävle, in two of the three complaints it has brought against MÄLAB, ruling that, Stockholm and Eskilstuna. The trains are operated by Green Cargo. PG

FlixTrain launches Stockholm–Göteborg services FlixTrain launched its fi rst services in Sweden of six ex-DB coaches (TR EU 303 p6) with a FlixTrain is responsible for network planning, on 6 May, when it began operating 38 train total of 562 seats. The coaches have been ticket sales, marketing, customer service pairs per week on the Stockholm–Göteborg extensively refurbished by Talbot Services in and pricing. Tickets went on sale in late April route in competition with SJ and MTR Aachen and have been fi tted with new seats, with Göteborg–Stockholm fares starting at Express. The fi rst commercial service was the at-seat power sockets, and Wi-Fi. Each train SEK 129 (€12). PG 07.30 Göteborg–Stockholm. has four spaces for passengers with reduced The operator serves intermediate stops mobility and wheelchair accessible toilets. Around ten minutes from its destination, Hector at Södertälje Södra, Hallsberg, Skövde and The service is operated by Hector Rail using Rail 243.002 passes Jonsered with FlixTrain train Falköping, with a journey time of 3h 25 and Vectron locos, two of which (243.001 and 002) 23001 Stockholm–Göteborg on 6 May 2021. speeds of up to 200 km/h. Each train is formed have received FlixTrain’s bright green livery. Anders Jansson

TAS RAILWAS ERE 53 NEWS ROUND UP

GERMANY Increased frequencies for Stuttgart S-Bahn network IC2 woes continue, KISS to take over Gäubahn IC services in 2022 The Stuttgart S-Bahn network is set to benefit Problems with DB Fernverkehr’s (ex Bombardier) TRAXX+Twindexx IC2 double-deck push-pull from 15-minute frequencies on core routes, trains continue to cause delays and cancellations, despite more of the third and final batch longer trains and a new “express S-Bahn” of trains being completed. From late March, the Class 147.5 loco fleet began to receive a new semi-fast service between Stuttgart Feuerbach software release – the sixth major software change for locos that are only a few years old! and Weil der Stadt after Baden Württemberg Whether the new software will prevent the repeated problems encountered with these Land awarded an increased share of federal trains is not clear – initial indications in April were not positive as services continued to be “regionalisation” funding to Stuttgart area cancelled due to technical failures. From 9 April DB took the locos with the new software transport authority Verband Region Stuttgart out of use until Alstom (which now owns Bombardier and therefore this problem) can (VRS). VRS will now receive 9.9% of the total come up with a solution that works. DB has substituted Class 101-hauled IC trains for some from 2022–32 instead of 9.1% previously, of the affected IC2 sets and given low passenger numbers due to Germany’s new national representing an increase of €106 million over coronavirus lockdown since April also simply cancelled some services. this period. The additional funds will enable Despite the problems, DB started Class 147.5 operation on the Leipzig–Norddeich Mole higher frequencies and ensure that peak trains route from 25 March with trains IC 2034/2035/2036 and 2037 initially booked for the class, are longer 8- or 12-car formations. instead of the earlier (and much more reliable) Class 146.5-powered version of the IC2. 58 additional Class 430 EMUs are on order Meanwhile, DB has announced that services on the Stuttgart–Singen–Zürich IC route via from Bombardier (now Alstom): ten will be the Gäubahn will be converted from Class 147.5+Twindexx IC2 sets to DB Fernverkehr’s other delivered in 2021 and the remainder in 2022. IC2 train – the ex-WESTbahn Stadler KISS EMU fleet (Class 4010/4110). The 6-car Class 4010 The new trains will incorporate the new trains that will be transferred to DB as the Austrian operator receives its new 6-car KISS trains interiors and new exterior livery tested in will be used for services from Stuttgart to Singen, replacing Class 147.5. By December 2022 three prototype refurbished trains (both Class at the latest the EMUs will work to Zürich, replacing the current loco-hauled trains (normally 430 and older Class 423) in 2020. Plans to fully ÖBB Class 1016/1116 in Germany and SBB Re 4/4II south of Singen). The Class 147.5 operated refurbish the older train fleets have been IC2 trains are equipped with ETCS and authorisation for use in Switzerland was part of the developed; this is likely to take until the mid- original contract. Whether they will ever be used there is unclear. KF 2020s. The entire fleet of 215 trains (including the new Class 430s) will also be equipped with An IC2 Twindexx set powered by 147 567 is seen working a Singen–Stuttgart IC service on 6 August ETCS, which will be required for operation in 2020. From December KISS EMUs will replace the Class 147.5+Twindexx trains on the Gäubahn. The central Stuttgart when the new underground train is on the 1.2 km connecting chord above the old Stuttgart Nordbahnhof that opened in 1895, Hauptbahnhof opens in December 2025. KF allowing access to Stuttgart (and the then planned Hauptbahnhof). This line will lose its passenger services in December 2025 when the new underground Hauptbahnhof opens. One of the new “Stuttgart 21” tunnels is directly below the train at this point. Keith Fender test track revival? Industrieanlagen-Betriebsgesellschaft (IABG), which is responsible for the former maglev Emsland test track near Lathen, has confirmed that it has been approached by China’s CRRC about reopening the site as a test area for new maglev vehicles. CRRC has continued to develop the German Transrapid technology under license from Thyssen-Krupp. CRRC’s latest CRRC600 series maglev is being built for use on a planned 400 km maglev line connecting Shanghai with Ningbo via Hangzhou. The project announced in 2020 as part of coronavirus economic stimulus plans is due to be complete by 2035. Demolition work at the Emsland test site, which began five years ago, has largely focussed on stripping out the electrical equipment – none of the concrete structures have been demolished, although significant work would be needed to reactivate the 31 km test track with both new electrical equipment and refurbishment of the 31 km test track itself. Use of the site as a test track has also been proposed by local politicians keen to attract technology companies to the area. The elevated test circuit was built between 1980 and 1983 and used to test Transrapid maglev prototypes. Test operation ceased in Railjet tested on Rhein Main NBS 2010 following the fatal accident that killed An ÖBB Railjet set propelled by Taurus loco 1116 234 made a test run on the Rhein Main high-speed 23 people on 22 September 2006 and the site line between Köln and Frankfurt Flughafen on 15 April. Siemens confirmed to TR EU that the tests officially closed in 2011. The later Transrapid were pre-planned with ÖBB but the exact purpose of the test run was not disclosed. DB confirmed vehicles were designed for speeds of up to that there are no plans to introduce Railjet trains onto the route. 500 km/h and could seat 156 passengers. The Rhein Main NBS, uniquely in Germany, was built for use only by distributed traction EMUs, Several of the Transrapid prototypes have been although DB Netze test trains do run on the line, normally operated by DB Systemtechnik Taurus preserved by museums in Germany. KF 182 506. KF

54 TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 ROUND UP

AUSTRIA

Stern&Haff erl diesel swaps Following its recent order for four Vectron Dual Doubling the Salzburger Lokalbahn Mode locos with Siemens (TR EU 302 p51), Passenger numbers on the Salzburger Lokalbahn from Salzburg to Ostermiething/ Stern&Haff erl (StH) has decided to sell its most Lamprechtshausen have increased signifi cantly in recent years and a further boost is modern . Vectron DE 247 905 expected when the extension to Mirabellplatz in the centre of Salzburg opens. To cope with (pictured on the front cover), which was acquired additional demand, line capacity needs to be increased to enable shorter headways between from Siemens as recently as December 2017, trains. This will be achieved by doubling sections of the line. Between 2023 and 2025 a total has now been sold to contractor Bahnbau Wels of 3 km of double track will built near Muntigl and Siggerwiesen at a cost of €14.5 million. (BBW), which is part of the Rhomberg group. The This will enable the operation of 15 minutes headways into Salzburg in the morning and back latter has a train operating licence through its in the afternoon. subsidiary Rhomberg Rail. The loco will be based To enable 15-minute headways throughout the day the following sections will be doubled at the BBW facility at Wels for use on engineering in 2026/27 at a total cost of €30 million: trains in Austria and southern Germany. • Bürmoos–Ziegelhaiden (2.2 km) The sale of 247 905 leaves StH without a • Anthering–Fürwang (2.4 km) spare diesel loco and Siemens Eurorunners • Bergheim–Muntigl (1.5 km) have been drafted in. StH hired 2016 901 from • Itzling–Bergheim (2.1 km). Steiermarkbahn in April. Alpha Trains 223 062, newly adorned in the leasing company’s green These enhancements will also enable 7½-minute headways between Mirabellplatz and and silver livery, took over from 2016 901 in Bergheim. The overall €146 million modernisation plan also includes station rebuilds and early May. RB other measures. RB

SLB 54 is seen near Muntigl with a service for Salzburg on 26 August 2015. This section of line will Extension of Covid-19 measures be doubled by 2025. Roland Beier In the light of the continuing Covid-19 pandemic, the emergency PSO contract for the operation of Wien–Salzburg fast trains with ÖBB and WESTbahn has been extended until 7 July. As this issue of TR EU went to press ÖBB expected to restart international Nightjet services by 24 May but this has already been postponed several times. München–Innsbruck– Italy EC trains and Railjet services to Italy remain suspended until 20 May. The reductions in Wien–Budapest and Wien–Praha Railjet services have also been extended. RB

Zillertalbahn freight resumes Many years after the last freight train ran on the narrow gauge Zillertalbahn in Tirol, timber will again be carried between Jenbach and Fügen. The sawmill at Fügen was previously supplied with timber by road from Jenbach due to the high cost of transhipping standard gauge wagons onto narrow gauge transporters. Now a new concept has been developed. Former transporter wagons for standard gauge wagons have been converted by mounting tall ÖBB weathers the Covid storm stakes on each side. Similar devices are being In a video press conference on 23 April ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä reported the company’s fi nancial used on standard gauge wagons. A special grab results for 2020, revealing that it managed to achieve earnings before tax (EBT) of €59.6 million lifter can take a full bundle of timber and move it (€169 million in 2019, when the forecast for 2020 was €179 million) despite the huge impact of from a standard gauge to a narrow gauge wagon the pandemic. Revenues fell by €696 million but ÖBB cut costs by €378 million and received in one step. A similar device is being used for €199 million in state aid. unloading at the sawmill siding at Fügen. Today The passenger division carried 163 million passengers (2019: 267 million). Revenue from ticket Zillertalbahn only has three large Gmeinder sales dropped from €1.13 billion to €692 million while payments for PSO contracts increased diesels, the fourth having been sold to the slightly to €1445 million. This means that only one third of revenue was generated by ticket sales. Pinzgauer Lokalbahn, and all three machines are The EBT of the passenger division dropped from €100 million to €6 million. required for passenger services. Therefore it has Rail Cargo Austria (RCA) reported a decline in traffi c volume from 105 to 95 million tonnes. been decided to hire two diesel locos. Vs73 (ex Within Austria, volumes fell from 74 to 68 million tonnes. The decline stems from a reduction in ÖBB 2095 006) has been hired from Pinzgauer wagonload traffi c – intermodal transport volumes remained stable. Measured by gross tonne-km Lokalbahn and will be used as reserve. VL23 (ex within Austria, RCA lost 10% of its traffi c while competitors gained 3.5%, continuing the trend seen JZ 740-024) has been hired from Steiermarkbahn recent years. Interestingly, however, RCA’s EBT actually increased from €5.1 million to €7.6 million. and will be the regular motive power. There will The infrastructure division reported an EBT of €10.2 million (2019: €38.2 million), Staff numbers be up to three pairs of freight trains Monday– remained stable at 41 672. ÖBB said that it hoped to get back to normal from July 2021. However, Friday. The new service will cut lorry traffi c and passenger fi gures were still low during January to March and a return to pre-pandemic levels is not the rail contract runs for ten years. expected before 2023. The fi rst fully loaded test run took place on Freight traffi c also began to recover in the fi rst part of 2021, although automotive traffi c is still 22 April using VL23. RB well below normal levels. RB

TAS RAILWAS ERE 55 NEWS ROUND UP

TIMETABLE CHANGES POLAND

INTERNATIONAL Final ex-NS DM90 DMU delivery The Kulturzug/Pociag do Kultury/Culture Train On 5 April the final batch of eight of the 32 ex-Netherlands Railways (NS) Class DM90 2-car DMUs between Berlin and Wrocław will not now acquired by SKPL in November 2020 were moved from Germany to Poland. All 32 were moved by restart until 11 June at the earliest. RailAdventure across Germany to the Polish border, whence SKPL took over haulage for the final All international overnight services operated part of the journey to Koźmin Wielkopolski, near Ostrów Wielkopolski, where safe storage has by ÖBB Nightjet remain suspended as the been arranged on the Nasycalnia Podkładów factory siding. plan to resume services from 28 April was The first four of the DM90s arrived in Poland in December 2020 via the border crossing at Horka postponed. A staggered return to normal and Węgliniec, and were then moved to Zagórze by Captrain Polska using a Class SM42 diesel. service is now expected to take place between However, problems then arose over the route being used in Germany – the DMUs reportedly 24 and 27 May. exceeded the permitted . It was therefore decided to route the movements via The Alpen-Sylt Nachtexpress operated by RDC Berlin and the crossing into Poland via the Frankfurt (Oder)–Rzepin border crossing, and then Deutschland is scheduled to run twice a week store the trains at Koźmin Wielkopolski because of the limited capacity in the sidings at Zagórze. between Westerland and Salzburg this summer Once they have been modified for use in Poland, SKPL plans to use some of the DMUs for its and will convey an additional portion between own passenger services and to offer the remainder for hire to other Polish operators. Westerland and Konstanz. The service is now The DM90 sets sold to SKPL are: 3402, 3404, 3406, 3407, 3411, 3413, 3415, 3421, 3425, 3427, 3428, expected to start running from 15 July. 3429, 3430, 3431, 3432, 3433, 3434, 3435, 3436, 3437, 3438, 3439, 3440, 3441, 3443, 3444, 3445, 3446, 3447, 3448, 3449 and 3453. MB FRANCE The return of an overnight service between Paris and Nice, originally scheduled for 16 April, has been postponed owing to the Bahnoperator leases Cargounit Vectrons latest coronavirus restrictions. On 31 March rolling stock leasing company Cargounit took delivery of multi-system Vectron Engineering work between St Denis-près- locos 193 489, 566 and 657, which had arrived in Poland on 18 March. These locos are now Martel and Aurillac sees trains replaced by being leased to Bahnoperator, which plans to use them on intermodal services between the buses until 27 August. break-of-gauge at the Poland–Belarus border and logistics terminals in Hamburg, Duisburg and Rotterdam. SPAIN Bahnoperator, a sister of German company TE Bahnoperator, which is part of Beijing Trans Services between Cáceres and Mérida have Logistics, has yet to receive its operating licence for Poland, so Freightliner PL is increased from two to three per day. currently operating trains on its behalf. The first use of the Vectrons occurred on 8 April, when one of the locos moved of two rakes of empty Type Sggmrs platform wagons from the CLIP GERMANY Logistics terminal at Swarzędz to the transhipment siding complexes at Małaszewicze. The FlixTrain is planning to restart all of its German loaded wagons then returned westwards, one train heading to Swarzędz and the other to a services from 24 June. destination in Germany. Bahnoperator will eventually lease five Vectrons from Cargounit. The fleet will comprise IRELAND two versions – one equipped for use in Poland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, the Czech Iarnród Éireann restored nearly all services on Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania, and the other also equipped for use in Bulgaria, Monday–Friday from 4 May. Slovenia and Croatia. This means Bahnoperator will be able to operate in almost any country in , enabling through haulage to and from ports on the Mediterranean, Baltic HUNGARY and North Sea coasts. MB A revision to the Hungarian national timetable was made on 11 April. Major changes Bahnoperator Vectron 193 566 and DB 170 036 are seen at Swarzędz on 8 April 2021 with a train include a new two-hourly Székesfehérvár–Baja from Swarzędz CLIP Container Terminal to Małaszewicze. 193 566 is named “Rafał”, after Cargounit’s IR service. The two through Ex trains which Technical Director, Rafał Hejmo. Bahnoperator’s other two Vectrons are 193 489 “Sergiusz” and previously ran between Budapest and Baja 193 657 “Wojtek”. Radek Kopras have been withdrawn, but the new IR trains have good connections at Sárbogárd with IC trains from and to Budapest. Another new timetable will be valid from 19 June when electric trains are introduced on services between Budapest and Balatonfüred. The new timetable is expected to include hourly IR trains Budapest–Balatonfüred and two-hourly IC trains Budapest–Tapolca. A two-hourly Szombathely–Nagykanizsa–Pécs IR service has also been introduced. SWEDEN Independent operator FlixTrain introduced a number of services between Stockholm and Göteborg on 6 May.

This is an edited version of information supplied by European Rail Timetable Limited and is taken from the May edition of their timetable. For further information or to purchase the timetable please visit www.europeanrailtimetable.eu or call 01832 270198.

56 TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 NEWS ROUND UP

PKP Intercity needs more SM/SU42s In late April PKP Intercity announced it needs to hire two Class SM42 or SU42 diesels, with an option to hire a third. The hire term will be five months from contract signing. If a third locomotive is hired, the lease will only run from 18 June to 5 September – the summer holiday season. The bid deadline was 28 April. The hired locos will be used to haul long- distance trains on non-electrified lines. PKP Intercity already has a fleet of ten modernised SU42s. In June 2019 it awarded a PLN 90.3 million (€19.83 million) contract to H. Cegielski – FPS to rebuild 13 more locos. MB

SU4220-001 (formerly SM42-033) stands on accommodation bogies outside the FPS works in Poznań on 14 April 2021 following comprehensive modernisation. Radek Kopras BELGIUM BLS Vectrons spread their wings Though the delivery of the 25 Vectrons for BLS Cargo equipped to operate in Belgium (475 416–440) was suspended by Siemens before half of the fleet had been delivered, the locos have expanded their operating range. Since entering commercial service in Belgium in October 2020 locos have exclusively worked the so-called “Ambrogio shuttles” from Mechelen over the Montzen route to the German border, the loco remaining on the train all the way to Gallarate in Italy. However, from the second half of April, the BLS Vectrons have also been deployed on the thrice-weekly Crossrail container trains from Frenkendorf-Fullinsdorf south of Basel to Antwerpen-Waaslandhaven. In Belgium, the trains do not use the usual route via Montzen but run from Antwerpen to the Belgian-Dutch border at Roosendaal, continuing their journey to Switzerland via the Netherlands and the BLS Cargo 475 421 awaits departure from Antwerpen-Kallo yard on 28 April 2021 with a lightly-loaded Rhine Valley. Crossrail is a subsidiary of BLS, Crossrail train E 47027 to Frenkendorf-Fullinsdorf in Switzerland. On this occasion the train had to be hence the use of BLS Cargo traction. stabled at Kallo as some tracks at the scheduled starting point at Waaslandhaven yard were out of Since 2 May BLS Vectrons have also worked service due to engineering works. On the main line, Lineas TRAXX 186 507 passes the Vectron with train the Piacenza–Zeebrugge GTS intermodal E 46254 from Gent to Padborg, the so-called “Volvo train” carrying palletised freight bound for Sweden. shuttles, which run five days a week. CH Carlo Hertogs

Orange Class 66 returns The end of Rotterdam Rail Feeding (RRF) operations on the Belgian network at the start of 2019 also meant the disappearance of the EMD Class 66s in the distinctive orange livery of parent company Genesee & Wyoming (GWI). However, the livery made a comeback in April when HSL hired former RRF machine 561-04 (EVN 92 80 1266 041-3 D-BRLL) from Freightliner Deutschland, another GWI-owned operator. At the end of April the loco was being used by Railtraxx, another Belgian private operator that runs far more trains on the Belgian network than HSL. It is not clear how long 561- 04 will stay in Belgium. CH

On 28 April 2021 561-04 is seen climbing away from the Antigoon tunnel on the Antwerpen left bank working train Z 60225 from Antwerpen-Schijnpoort to Antwerpen- Krommenhoek. Carlo Hertogs

TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 57 NEWS ROUND UP

CZECH REPUBLIC

Massive diversions underway ČD Class 193 Vectrons throughout), EC 270–285 Maloměřice and two at Kutná Hora stations. RJ On 6 April work began on upgrading one Metropolitan and RJ 256/257 Graz– will also provide two additional Vectrons during of the last unmodernised stretches of SŽ's Praha–Berlin have been diverted via the the traffic closure peaks; these will be deployed Corridor 1, the 9.96 km Ústí nad Orlicí–Brandýs steep and sinuous Brno–Havlíčkův Brod–Kutná on the whole Kutná Hora–Brno–Přerov route. nad Orlicí section between Česká Třebová Hora–Kolín line, extending journey times by Until now, loco banking services are and . The CZK 3.4 billion EU-funded 15–25 minutes. In the case of the two train pairs only permitted with two active Vectrons on project involves upgrading track and catenary, continuing north of Praha, delays are partially each train due to possible problems with resignalling, rehabilitation of 14 bridges and offset by eliminating a stop at Praha Hlavní, the interference currents in track circuits, but the remodelling of Brandýs nad Orlicí station. city’s main station, and the trains now run non- SŽ has already conducted trials to prove The iconic halt at Bezpráví, famous among stop between Praha-Holešovice and Brno. All if combining other loco types is a feasible enthusiasts, will be abandoned. The maximum other trains also call at Kolín and Brno-Královo option. Tests took place on 19–23 April line speed will be raised from 80 to 110 km/h Pole. SC Pendolino trains between Praha and between Žďár nad Sázavou and Kuřim using when the project is completed in mid-2023. and long-distance services on Lines RJ Vectron MS 193.214 and Metrans TRAXX MS2 The start of work on this bottleneck will Ex1, Ex2, R18 and R19 have been retimed. All loco 386.019 hauling a rake of 21 RJ coaches. bring about an unprecedented wave of regional trains between Choceň and Česká Double-heading of TRAXX 3MS locos (ČDC/ interruptions and diversions for all passenger Třebová will be replaced by buses from 4 May RJ Class 388.0/388.2) in pairs has already been and freight traffic, resulting in significant to 11 December. authorised. Tests with ČDC’s Class 363.5 dual- capacity constraints on the routes from Kolín Most freight trains have also been diverted voltage locos are also in the pipeline. to Brno and eastwards to . This will to the steeply-graded line via Havlíčkův Brod On 27 April ČD Pendolino set 680.006 made a be made even worse later this year with the through the Vysočina hills, where the most trial run between Praha and Brno via Havlíčkův ongoing upgrading work on the Poříčany– difficult section lies between Tišnov and Vlkov Brod, to test electro-magnetic compatibility Velim section and within the Pardubice u Tišnova (18.8 km). The double-track line, and tilting equipment, although ČD claims it junction, and on the Brno–Blansko and built in 1953 and electrified in 1966 at 25kV AC, does not intend to temporarily use Class 680 on Březová nad Svitavou–Svitavy sections north has been partially upgraded in recent years this route. The sets attained 160 km/h between of Brno, which will last until mid-2023, heavily in preparation for use as the diversion route. Řikonín and Vlkov u Tišnova. MM impacting long-distance services on Line Ex3. At the request of rail freight operators, SŽ has Since 6 April, all Czech Railways (ČD) and selected RegioJet (RJ) for a three-year contract RegioJet daytime long-distance international to provide four Class 193 Vectron electric locos Fatal freight train collision at Světec trains including EC 172/173 to work as bankers for heavy freight trains. At 14.16 on 4 April two freight trains collided Budapest–Praha–Hamburg (now hauled by Two locos are permanently based at Brno- at Světec station near Bílina on the busy Ústí nad Labem–Chomutov line. The driver of Unipetrol Doprava (Orlen UNIDO) train Nex 54334 carrying 113 000 litres of propane- New double-deck push-pull coaches on test butane in GATX tank wagons worked by diesel Testing of the new Škoda-built push-pull coaches for ČD is underway at the VUZ Velim test loco 753.740 passed a red signal and collided centre, with two of the five 3-car sets arriving at the site in mid-April. The first test run took head-on with ČD Cargo train Pn 66403 loaded place on 14 April, when 750.719 was used to haul and propel one of the sets on the small test with coal in Innofreight containers and hauled circuit. This was followed by tests with ČD electric loco 380.006. by electric loco 123.023. Both locos and four The coaches were ordered in March 2019 and will be used on the Ostrava–Frýdlant nad wagons derailed and the UNIDO loco caught Ostravicí–Frenštát pod Radhoštěm line, initially working with Class 750.7 diesel locos until fire. The UNIDO driver was killed and the ČD electrification has been completed. KB Cargo driver suffered serious injuries. Both locos were damaged beyond repair. MM Driving trailer ABfbdmteeo 86-72 002 is seen on 14 April 2021, the first day of testing at Velim, with 750.719 providing traction at the rear. Dalibor Palko Local line becomes a testbed In March 2016 signalling supplier AŽD Praha acquired the disused Čížkovice–Obrnice and Dolní Bousov–Kopidlno branches. The former, the so-called “Plum Railway”, has been extensively rehabilitated and used as a testbed for AŽD’s signalling technologies, even enjoying regular PSO passenger services since December 2019. However, until recently the 22.4 km Dolní Bousov–Kopidlno line has remained idle. Work began in late 2020 on modernising the line, which AŽD plans to use for testing driverless trains. The line is being fitted with lineside fencing and AŽD’s new GTA-100 level crossing protection system together with an ESA 44 electronic interlocking. The company also plans to test new remote control technology and autonomous train operation. Following negotiations with local communities, AŽD now also plans to introduce summer weekend tourist trains, likely to be worked by AŽD’s own Class 810/010 railcars or a vintage MBŽS-owned Class M.131.1 railcar. MM

58 TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 NEWS ROUND UP

ITALY

Trenitalia takes over Line SFM 1 More new EMUs for FNM With effect from 1 January Trenitalia took over In mid-March the Lombardia region allocated €351 million to FNM for the acquisition of 26 new services on Line SFM1 Pont–Rivarolo–Chieri double-deck high-capacity Class ETR.421/521 EMUs from Hitachi Rail Italy, and 20 medium (95.5 km, 17 stations), formerly managed by capacity 4-car Class ETR.204 EMUs from Alstom. The latter differs from the similar Class ETR.104 Gruppo Torinese Trasporti (GTT) of Torino. Pop EMUs currently being delivered to Trenitalia as they will be equipped with ETCS from delivery, Currently the service runs from 05.00 to 21.00 with more spaces between seats, two toilets, and a family area. Seating capacity will be 260, and is operated by ETR.103/104 Pop EMUs. Trains compared with 276 for the ETR.104. are only running between Rivarolo and Chieri as The new trains will be delivered by 2025 for use on Milano–Tirano (20 trains), Milano–Bergamo the Pont Canavese–Rivarolo section is closed for Airport (16 trains) and Milano–Malpensa Airport (ten trains) services. electrification work, which is expected to take FNM signed the €125 million order for the ETR.204 sets in April. The order is part of a framework about two years. A further €85 million will be contract signed in November 2019 and brings the total investment in the renewal of the FNM fleet allocated by the state to modernise the line. Line to around €2 billion. Deliveries are due to start in June 2023. MC SFM1 was created in December 2012 when the Passante cross-city line in Torino opened. MC Roma–Lido line to be modernised The Lazio region and Roma Capitale signed an agreement in March to modernise the Roma– Medway receives Class E.494 Cristoforo Colombo (Lido di Ostia) line, which is managed by Roma transport operator ATAC Private freight operator Medway took Roma. The project involves track renewals (€40 million), refurbishment of catenary, modernisation delivery of a Class E.494 TRAXX DC3 electric of signalling (€22 million), a new depot and workshop (€40 million), new 6-car EMUs and loco (3000 V DC and 1500 V DC at reduced refurbishment of the existing fleet (€60 million). power) from Bombardier. The loco, ordered in The 28 km 1500 V DC line has 13 stations and opened in 1924. It has been branded Italy’s third- November 2020, is numbered E.494.233 and is worst railway by Italian commuter association Pendolaria due to its life-expired rolling stock, named Sophia. The loco is part of a batch of six frequent failures and cancelled services. MC E.494s worth €18 million ordered for operation within Italy. In March the company launched its latest RFI livery for E.402.142 new intermodal service linking the ports of In January RFI electric loco electric loco E.402.142 was repainted in a blue and yellow livery La Spezia and Genova with Pordenone, 90 km at Trenitalia’s Foligno works. E.402.142 and 149 were purchased from Trenitalia by the north of Venezia. In 2021 Medway expects to infrastructure manager in November 2018 although they had been on hire to RFI since July run 5000 trains (2000 in 2020) carrying 250 000 2010. The locos are used to haul the Archimede diagnostic train. MC TEU and covering 1.5 million train-km. MC E.402.142 is seen at Foligno works following its repaint. Courtesy RFI EVM and DP order CZ Loko shunters In April freight operators EVM Rail and Dinazzano Po (DP) each ordered a Class 744 EffiShunter 1000 Bo-Bo diesel shunter from Czech builder CZ Loko. The locos will be equipped with an 895 kW CAT C32 engine, electric braking, anti-fire and anti-wheelslip systems. The locos, numbered 744.026 (EVM) and 027 (DP), will be authorised to operate on the RFI, FER and Ferrovie Nord networks. Delivery is scheduled for mid-2021 and the locos will be maintained by CZ Loko Italia. There are currently 25 Class 744 in Italy with eight operators: MIST (5), MIR (5), Trenord (4), DP (3), RTC (2), Trenitalia-TPER (3), Sangritana (2) and EVM Rail (1). MC

UKRAINE DENMARK

Kovel–Izov electrification underway Tendering begins for first battery train order Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia) says it has started Midtjyske Jernbaner and Region Midtjylland announced a tender on electrification work on the 94 km Kovel–Izov line near the 13 April for seven battery trainsets. The trains are expected to enter –Poland border. Ukrzaliznytsia says electrification will service in 2024 and will thus be the first battery trains in Denmark. enable the average freight train weight on the route to be Three of the trains will be used on Vemb–Lemvig–Thyborøn increased from 4600 to 6000 tonnes. services, replacing the last Y-tog DMUs in regular use in Denmark, The line is an important freight route, carrying significant while the remaining four sets will operate Holstebro–Skjern volumes of iron ore from the Kryvyi Rih region to steelworks in services, replacing the four ex-DSB Desiro DMUs recently acquired Poland. The 394.7 km Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa (LHS) broad by Midtjyske Jernbaner from Arriva. The latter line is part of the gauge line in Poland is an extension of the Kovel–Izov line. government’s proposed infrastructure plan, which includes As part of the electrification project, 24 km of track will be investment in charging infrastructure for battery trains. The tender modernised, as well as six station platforms and 18 station therefore has a negative option on four of the trains, as these are buildings. TB subject to political negotiations on the infrastructure plan. JL

TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 59 ROUND UP

STOCK CHANGES

“Class 61000” INTERNATIONAL 5001731 ...... NRAIL–Captrain France 04/21 182 521 ...... MRCEStB TL 04/21 BELGIUM 185 678 ...... HSL Logistik–Railpool 04/21 185 678 ...... Railpool–Retrack 04/21 SNCB 186 148 ...... Akiem–HSL 14/04/21 GERMANY 187 003 ...... LOMO–Railpool 03/21 08054* ...... GCR–FML 11/12/20 187 003 ...... Railpool–CD Cargo Austria 03/21 * correction: 08554 remains at GCR GERMAN RAILWAYS, PART 1 187 014 ...... Captrain Deutschland–Akiem 04/21 REFURBISHED, LIVERY N 077 003 ...... EOB–HBH ...... 05/03/21 187 014 ...... Akiem–Metrans Rail 04/21 807, 822, 825, 842, 844 077 010 ...... HS–EOB ...... 14/03/21 189 209 ...... RFO–MRCE 03/21 077 025 ...... HB–EOB ...... 05/03/21 189 209 ...... MRCE–Retrack 04/21 DAH 077 028 ...... FMB–EOB ...... 14/03/21 189 282 ...... SBBCI–DB Cargo 09/03/21 077 030 ...... FMB–EOB ...... 08/03/21 189 284 ...... SBBCI–NIAG 09/03/21 111 125, 169 ...... TS–TU ...... 01/03/21 192 017 ...... LION Rail–northrail 09/20 111 176 ...... TS–Wdn ...... 27/03/21 192 017 ...... northrail–ITL 09/20 FRANCE 111 216, 226 ...... MH1–Wdn ZUG ...... 24/02/21 193 642 ...... MRCE–boxXpress.de 03/20 120 120, 127 ...... MH1–Wdn BLC ...... 30/03/21 193 697 ...... New–LTE 25/03/21 412 9452 ...... New–AH1* ...... 17/02/21 193 941 ...... New–FOXrail 28/03/21 15014, 15021 ...... AC–Wdn 03/21 412 9453 ...... New–AH1 13 ...... 03/03/21 266 004 ...... RHC–BRLL 04/21 25673, 25679 ...... AL–Wdn 01/21 412 9454 ...... New–AH1 13 ...... 24/03/21 266 004 ...... BRLL–FDE 04/21 26006, 26008 to 26010, 26012, 26013, 143 064, 231 ...... FGM–LH2 ...... 31/03/21 266 037 (513-10) ...... Lineas–BRLL (to UK) 03/21 26015 to 26018, 26030 to 26032, 26035 ...... NO–VI 02/21 143 298 ...... NN1–Wdn ...... 19/03/21 266 113 (653-03) ...... XRAIL–RRF 24/03/21 26061, 26234 ...... NO–FE 02/21 143 333 ...... BCS–Wdn ...... 26/03/21 272 204 ...... MRCE–Sold to CLR 14/04/21 26199, 26216 ...... FE–Wdn 01/21 143 336, 358 ...... NN1–Wdn ...... 18/03/21 66073 ...... IN–Wdn 02/21 143 348 ...... DA–LH2 ...... 12/03/21 66407 ...... IN–Wdn 03/21 146 125 ...... HB–FGM ...... 16/03/21 66417, 66455 ...... IN–Wdn 02/21 146 132 ...... HB–FGM ...... 01/03/21 AUSTRIA 67206 ...... IN–Wdn 02/21 146 220 ...... RF–HB ...... 11/03/21 Z 31535/31536, 31539/31540 ...... New–AN 03/21 146 221 ...... RF–HB ...... 26/03/21 ÖBB Z 31537/31538 ...... New–AN 01/21 146 274 ...... AK–WR ...... 30/03/21 Z 50577/78, 50579/80, 50581/82 ...... New–AG 12/20 1144 015, 027, 060 ...... VH–WW 01/04/21 147 014 ...... BLO–BCS ...... 02/03/21 Z 50583/84, 50585/86, 50587/88 ...... New–AG 01/21 147 015 ...... BLO–BCS ...... 03/03/21 1144 034 ...... IN–WW 01/04/21 Z 50589/50590 ...... New–AG 02/21 1144 049 ...... BL–WW 01/04/21 232 259 ...... HS–EOB ...... 05/03/21 Z 50591/92, 50593/94, 50595/96, 50597/98 New–PN 03/21 232 669 ...... EOB–HS ...... 05/03/21 1144 085 ...... GZ–WW 01/04/21 Z 50627/50628 ...... New–AG 02/21 2068 006 ...... VH–Wdn 01/04/21 233 281 ...... LH1–Wdn to Poland ...... 20/02/21 Z 56617/18, 56643/44, 56645/46, 261 049 ...... AM–LH1 ...... 19/03/21 2068 015 ...... VH–GZ 01/04/21 56647/48 New–NO ...... 03/21 2068 031 ...... GZ–BF 01/04/21 261 107 ...... LH1–FMB ...... 19/03/21 Z 56633/34 ...... New–NO 12/20 265 025 ...... HS–AM ...... 05/03/21 2068 034 ...... BF–GZ 01/04/21 Z 56635/36, 56637/38 ...... New–NO 01/21 2068 036 ...... GZ–VH 01/04/21 266 411 ...... EOB–FMB ...... 14/03/21 Z 56639/40, 56641/42 ...... New–NO 02/21 266 431 ...... EOB–HS ...... 14/03/21 4746 114, 115 (3-car) ...... New–FD 30/03/21 Z 56707/08 ...... New–CT 01/21 4020 209, 216, 217 (3-car) ...... FD–Wdn 31/03/21 266 435 ...... EOB–FMB ...... 08/03/21 Z 57133/57134 ...... New–MR 01/21 294 605 ...... HB–LH1 ...... 22/03/21 GKB Z 57135/136 ...... New–MR 02/21 294 607 ...... LH1–HS ...... 22/03/21 Z 57137/57138 ...... New–MR 03/21 V700.1 ...... Wdn xx/03/21 294 615 ...... New–AM to RPRS ...... 16/03/21 TGV 324, 346, 354, 355, 389, 390, 393 ...... PC–Wdn 01/21 294 628 ...... FB–RM ...... 24/03/21 LTE TGV 330 ...... PC–Wdn 02/21 294 662 ...... MIH–NN2 ...... 03/03/21 TGV 848 ...... New–PC 11/20 2016 922 ...... sold to GKB 08/03/21 294 676 ...... FMB–NN2 ...... 23/03/21 TGV 849 ...... New–PC 12/20 294 703 ...... KG–EHGV ...... 24/03/21 StH TGV 850 ...... New–PC 01/21 294 705 ...... RM–RM ...... 15/03/21 247 905 ...... sold to BBW* 31/03/21 BC 294 739 ...... FMB–RM ...... 07/01/21 294 740 ...... RM–FMB ...... 17/03/21 ZB 27034, 27037, 27042, 27046, 27048, 27051 294 779 ...... RM–TK ...... 15/03/21 ...... Sold by Fret SNCF to Captrain France 04/21 VL23 ...... hired from STB 04/21 294 781 ...... RM–RM ...... 15/03/21 27128 ...... Akiem–RegioRail 03/21 294 807 ...... EHGV–KG ...... 24/03/21 Vs73 ...... hired from SLB 04/21 37527 ...... Akiem–Hired to Europorte 04/21 BBW: (Bahnbau Wels). 294 808 ...... FMB–RM ...... 17/03/21 294 824 ...... RM–TK ...... 15/03/21 RB 294 825 ...... TK–FMB ...... 24/03/21 294 851 ...... NN2–MIH ...... 03/03/21 295 004, 067, 089 ...... AM–Wdn to RPRS ...... 01/03/21 352 102, 103 ...... BRG–Wdn NRAIL ...... 01/03/21 352 105 ...... BRG–Wdn VL ...... 01/03/21 362 582 ...... EHGV–EOB ...... 30/03/21 363 117, 178, 235, 652 EHGV–EOB ...... 30/03/21 363 167 ...... RM–TK ...... 15/03/21 363 223 ...... TK–RM ...... 15/03/21 363 625 ...... RM–EHGV ...... 11/03/21 425 068, 078 ...... FF–RL 4 ...... 01/03/21 463 082, 083, 084 ...... New–RF 3 ...... 25/03/21 472 009 ...... AOP–Wdn 3 ...... 29/01/21 472 033 ...... AOP–Wdn 3 ...... 28/01/21 628 207 ...... RL–Wdn 2 Arriva CZ ...... 27/02/21 628 235 ...... FK–Wdn 2 Arriva CZ ...... 27/02/21 802 066, 365 ...... AH1–Wdn ...... 12/03/21 802 069, 444 ...... AH1–Wdn ...... 16/03/21 802 646 ...... AH1–Wdn ...... 17/03/21 802 711 ...... AH1–Wdn ...... 15/03/21 802 712 ...... AH1–Wdn ...... 11/03/21

* ...... Correction Arriva CZ ...... Transferred to Arriva CZ BLC ...... Sold to Bahnlogistic 24 from RPRS ...... Hired from RPRS NRAIL ...... Returned to Northrail to RPRS ...... Returned to RPRS VL ...... Returned to Vossloh Locomotives

GERMAN RAILWAYS, PART 2 109 026GVG–Sold to Fahrzeugtechnik Wolf (spares) 04/21 151 039 ...... Flex–SRI 26/04/21 151 039 ...... SRI–LOMO 26/04/21 151 119 ...... BYB–Saar Rail 23/02/21 151 124 ...... SRI–LOMO 02/21 151 124 ...... LOMO–SRI 26/04/21 151 124 ...... SRI–Flex 26/04/21

New Effi shunter 300 locos 622.003 and 622.004 for Serbian passenger operator Srbija Voz are seen at the CZ Loko works at Jihlava in the Czech Republic on 20 April 2021 shortly before being dispatched by road to Serbia. Dalibor Palko

60 TAS RAILWAS ERE ROUND UP

155 218 ...... Railpool–Sold to IntEgro 03/21 159 206 ...... BoxTango–ELP 03/21 159 206 ...... ELP–EBS 03/21 MOLDOVA 159 216 ...... ELP–HLG 14/04/21 159 220 ...... EBS–ELP 03/21 159 224 ...... ELP–HHPI 14/04/21 159 225 ...... ELP–MEG 13/04/21 CFM fi nancial crisis deepens 202 725, 753 ...... MWB–Sold to Bahnlogistik24 20/04/21 203 162 ...... ALS–MEG 14/04/21 In late April, the President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, accused the management of Moldovan 212 279 ...... ENON/EGP–Sold to HEIN 11/4/21 232 253 ...... ID–PKP Cargo 13/09/18 Railways (CFM) of purposely driving the company towards bankruptcy. In March, CFM’s 232 253 ...... PKP Cargo–ID 13/09/20 commercial debts had reportedly reached MDL 700 million (€35 million) and the company owed 232 253 ...... ID–GT Rail 03/21 234 278 ...... SEL–EGP 04/21 MDL 92 million in unpaid staff wages. 295 071 ...... RNE–Sold to Splittgerber & Stoll 02/21 A study by the publication democracy.md detailed many organisational issues over recent 295 088 ...... RPRS–sold to RBL 24/04/21 363 187 ...... DB Cargo–sold to RNE 01/21 decades including mismanagement, corruption, dubious contracts, thefts and travel without 363 187 ...... RNE–sold to ENON 04/21 tickets. It was said that 70% of passengers were rail workers who travelled free-of-charge. The 363 187 ...... ENON–EGP 05/21 4185 006 ...... RDC Asset–Vossloh Locomotives 03/21 report also claims theft of diesel fuel and other items was commonplace. CB 4185 006 ...... Vossloh Locomotives–Railadventure 03/21

ITALY

TRENITALIA E.655.413 ...... Wdn 02/21 ATR.220.057, 058 ...... New–FG 25/02/21 ETR.103 031 ...... New–AN 18/02/21 ETR.104.066 ...... New–FG 18/02/21 ETR.104.078 ...... New–GB 16/02/21 ETR.104.081 ...... New–MT 16/02/21 ETR.104.137, 138, 139 ...... New–TC 16/02/21 ETR.521.055 ...... New–RS 09/02/21 ETR.521.056 ...... New–GB 09/02/21 ETR.521.057 ...... New–MT 09/02/21 ETR.521.061 ...... New–RS 09/02/21 ETR.521.058 ...... New–MT 25/02/21 ETR.521.063 ...... New–RS 23/02/21 ETR.521.064 ...... New–MT 23/02/21 OTHER COMPANIES 494 577 ...... New–Railpool 23/03/21 494 577 ...... Railpool–Captrain Italia 23/03/21 DINAZZANO PO Dj 464 ...... Sold to Bonaventura (270 339) 04/21

Paşcani-modernised CFM DMU D1M 005 seen at the Socola terminus in Iaşi, Romania, on 4 October NETHERLANDS 2015. Passenger services ran from here via the cross-border broad gauge line to the Moldovan capital Chişinau, although all international services from Moldova are currently suspended due to the NS pandemic. Mircea Dorobanţu 2761 ...... New–LD 03/03/21 3011 ...... New–LD 18/02/21 3012 ...... New–LD 10/03/21 3014 ...... New–LD 14/03/21 CROATIA PORTUGAL

CP HŽPP Class 6111 overhaul programme completed 0365 ...... Reinstated 30/01/21 2326 ...... Reinstated–LCA 23/12/20 On 22 April TŽV Gredelj outshopped 6111 004, the fi nal Class 6111 EMU to be overhauled for 2406 ...... Reinstated–LCA 23/02/21 national passenger operator HŽPP. Between the mid-1970s and early 1980s Ganz in Hungary 2607 ...... Reinstated–PCO 10/02/21 2611 ...... Reinstated–PCO 08/02/21 built 50 3-car EMUs for the and Sarajevo divisions of (JŽ). The 2623 ...... Reinstated–PCO 15/01/21 Zagreb units were second class only, while Sarajevo operated both second class only sets 3526 ...... Reinstated–LCA 18/03/21 (identical to the Zagreb trains) and an inter-city version with a bar and fi rst class seating. PCO = Porto Contumil In 1993 25 trainsets were renumbered into the HŽ numbering system (24 Zagreb units and New livery a single unit from Sarajevo) but only 13 Class 6111s remain in use. HŽPP anticipates that the 5619 ...... 250 years of Castelo Branco city overhaul of 6111 004 will extend its life by 14 years. TB DATA SUPPLIED BY LUISFER DAH HŽPP 6111 004 stands at Resnik station east of Zagreb following a test run on 29 April 2021. Toma Bačić SWITZERLAND

SBB 16814, 16815, 16816, 16817, 16820...... for scrap 18/03/21 421 372, 392, 430 351 ...... for scrap 03/21 Equipped with hybrid auto coupler 420 261 ADVERTISING LIVERIES 460 031 ...... Ceneri Base Tunnel, removed 03/21 CJ (standard gauge) 577 101 ...... Scrapped 03/21 577 102 ...... Scrapped 01/14 RhB ABe 4/16 3126 ...... New 07/04/21 OTHERS 837 901 ...... Stauff er–Sold to OeBB 10/4/21 CA

TAS RAILWAS ERE 61 EEEE NEWS NEWS

NETHERLANDS

Preserved Plan U DMU makes “rust busting” runs on HSL-Zuid Preserved ex-NS Plan U 3-car DMU 151, now owned by preservation group Stichting 2454 CREW was used for a special “rust busting” run on the northern part of the HSL-Zuid high-speed line between Rotterdam and Hoofddorp near Schiphol airport. This section was closed for maintenance on the weekend of 13/14 March. The Plan U set was used to clear rust from the railhead on the connections between HSL- Zuid and the conventional network at both Rotterdam and Hoofddorp. The DMU ran from Amersfoort via Utrecht Centraal and Leiden Centraal to Hoofddorp. 151 then ran via Den Haag HS and Rotterdam Centraal to the HSL- Zuid connection in the north of the port city. After completing its duties, the unit returned to Amersfoort via Breukelen and Weesp. “Rust busting” is carried out to ensure the ABT- EG fi rst generation train protection system functions correctly as oxidation of the railhead Stichting 2454 CREW’s ex-NS Plan U DMU 151 stands on the chord between HSL-Zuid and the Schiphol– might adversely aff ect train detection. If no Leiden line at Hoofddorp during a “rust busting” run on 14 March 2021. Quintus Vosman trains have used a section of track with ABT-EG for 24 hours, rust busting has to be carried out ten years ago. If a line is closed for engineering rough wheel/rail contact ideal for this task. In before services can resume at the normal line work, the rails must be cleared of rust before 2021 Roestrijden.nl will make 11 rust busting speed. In such situations the driver drives on the track maintenance company hands it back runs on the HSL-Zuid transition sections. sight at a maximum of 40 km/h. By rust busting to the traffi c control. Using preserved stock Other preserved trains, such as Mat’54 with the preserved diesel train set on Sunday, is cost eff ective for the track maintenance Hondekop EMU 766, have also appeared regular services could resume on Monday companies and any profi ts go into a fund on such workings. The revenue from the morning without having to reduce speed when managed by association Stichting Holland 14 March rust busting operations generated entering or leaving the high speed line. Spoor, which donates tens of thousands of enough funds for the restoration of three Roestrijden.nl initiated rust busting Euros to projects at preserved railways and freight wagons at STAR, the preserved railway operations using preserved rolling stock over railway museums. Older stock also has good between Stadskanaal and Veendam. QV SWITZERLAND

SEFT empties Grono depot RhB shunters preserved Preservation group SEFT, which formerly Withdrawn RhB diesel shunters Gm 3/3 231–233 (Moyse 1975–76) have been transferred ran the Mesolcina metre gauge line from to preservation body DFB (Dampfbahn Furka-Bergstrecke). One loco will replace Gm Castione-Arbedo to Grono in 4/4 71 “Elch” (ex FO, ex-Finland) which needs an overhaul. The others will supply spares. canton, is currently emptying the old Gm 4/4 71 has been donated to French secondary railway preservation group MTVS but will depot at Grono. On 27 April electric railcar not be moved to Crèvecoeur until late summer. CA/DAH BDe 4/4 6 (ex RhB 491) was moved to RhB’s Landquart works where it will be cleaned Gm 3/3 231 is seen shunting at Landquart on 18 September 2008. David Gubler. and repainted in its original RhB livery. It will then be moved to the Bahnmuseum Albula at Bergün on the RhB Albula line, thus saving this Bellinzona–Mesocco unit from the cutter’s torch. The train will be exhibited outside the museum and will serve as a cafeteria for visitors. CA

CJ railcar preserved in Belgium Chemin de fer du Jura metre gauge electric railcar ABDe 4/4 603 (SIG/SAAS, 1953) has been acquired by a private individual and was transported on 7 April to be plinthed at Musson in Belgium. Matching driving trailer Bt 704 has been scrapped. CA

62 TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 HERITAGE NEWS

POLAND HUNGARY Csömödér–Kistolmács line extended Tidying up at Wolsztyn As part of the Green Mura Programme (named In readiness for the return of tourists, the management of the Wolsztyn Parowozownia after the river Mura), work is underway to museum are planning a clean-up campaign. At present there are only three active steam extend the narrow-gauge line from Csömödér locos (a far cry from the late 1990s) and 30 stored locos, many of them in poor condition. to Kistolmács into the village of Kistolmács, Some of the locos are dumped on the far side of the yard opposite the station. Ten of where bus connections and more facilities these locos will be cosmetically restored during 2021 at a total cost of around PLN 1 million are available, including a lake for bathing (€220 000), and repositioned on specially-provided sections of track with information boards. and fishing. It is also planned to buy five sleeper coaches, together with an ex-Mitropa for use Operations are expected to start on the on railtours. MB extension before the end of the summer. FJ

Examples of classes Ol49, Ty42 and a Pt47 in store at Wolsztyn in November 2020. Danuta Artwińska Tömörkény fish farm railway under new ownership One of two surviving fish farm railways in Hungary, the 760 mm gauge Tömörkény system, changed owners on 1 April 2021, when the local national park took over the operation of the fishery lakes. It is planned to retain parts of the railway infrastructure for operation with draisines and the main line will be able to handle loco-hauled services but the earthworks are in poor condition. It is planned to maintain one locomotive in operating condition. FJ

GERMANY

Pandemic delays opening of Härtsfeldbahn extension The metre gauge Härtsfeldbahn in Baden- Württemberg has completed its planned 2.7 km extension from Sägmühle to Katzenstein on FRANCE the shores of the Härtsfeldsee. Reopening was scheduled for 1 May but had to be postponed Brohltal Mallet to visit Baie de Somme due to the new nationwide coronavirus Plans for former Brohltal-Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft 0-4-4-0T Mallet 11sm to visit the Chemin de Fer lockdown imposed in April. de la Baie de Somme on 3/4 July have been announced, although full details are not yet clear. The The 2.9 km section of the Härtsfeldbahn loco, which has been in use on the Brohltalbahn since 2015 (after a 49 year period out of use), was between Neresheim and Sägmühle reopened built by Humbolt in Köln in 1906 (works number 348). KF in October 2001 after being completely rebuilt by volunteer preservation group Härtsfeld- Museumsbahn eV. The metre gauge line was part of the 55.5 km Aalen–Dillingen (Donau) line ITALY that opened in full in 1905 and closed in 1972. A further 2.3 km extension from Katzenstein to Dischingen is now planned. For details of Pietrarsa museum services in the Härtsfeldbahn later in the year reopens visit www.hmb-ev.de. KF On 29 April the Italian national railway museum at Pietrarsa near Napoli LEW V60 for LDC reopened to the public. Cottbus-based heritage train operator Lausitzer The museum was closed Dampflok Club has added an LEW-built Class on 22 February due to V60 diesel locomotive to its fleet. The loco, the restrictions caused which carries the number 345 206, is main line by Covid-19 pandemic. registered but never worked for DR or DB. Further information Built in Hennigsdorf in 1979 (works No. on the museum 16575) the loco was used by East German including opening agricultural machinery manufacturer times can be found at VEB PETKUS Landmaschinenwerk in www.fondazionefs.it MC Wutha (Thüringen). In 1994 it was sold to Hörseltalbahn and from 2007 it was with TWE One of the latest exhibits to go on display at Pietrarsa is Sicilian narrow gauge diesel railcar RALn (which became part of Captrain Deutschland in 60.12 (Fiat, 1949). The railcar, was formerly an exhibit at the railway museum in Villarosa, 100 km west 2009), where it gained its Class 345 number. of Catania. It was rescued in September 2019 by Fondazione FS Italiane and cosmetic restoration The loco will be repainted into DR livery by was completed in July 2020. Antonio Bertagnin LDC, which will use it for stock movements and offer it for hire to other operators. KF

TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 63 ORDE IDERS DID YOU ISS EARLIER ISSUES O Keep your copies of Today’s Railways Europe in pristine condition with an attractive Today’s EUROPE Railways cordex binder. Each binder holds TODAY’S 12 issues safely and securely for easy reference and storage, with the Today’s Railways logo foil blocked on the spine without UK or Europe distinction. Each binder is also supplied with a sheet of date transfers that may be affixed to the spine of your binder. Price £8.95 (UK) £9.95 (Overseas) inclusive of postage & packing. RAILIf so copies of TODAY’S RAILWAYSWAYS EUROPE issues 121–126, 129–252, 254–303 and ORDER OR OR ORDE IDERS Today’s Railways issues 4–41, 43–68 I would like to order ...... Today’s Railways Cordex Binder(s) in red binding and 72–120 are still available. I would like to order ...... Today’s Railways Cordex Binder(s) in blue binding UK prices are £5.95 each; Overseas BLOCK CAPITALS PLEASE prices are £6.55 each. All prices are inclusive of postage and packing. Name: ...... To obtain your copies, please send your Address: ...... sterling cheque, money order or UK postal ...... Postcode: ...... order, payable to Tel. No: ...... (Daytime) ...... (Evening) ‘Platform 5 Publishing Limited’, to: Payment (Delete as appropriate) Today’s Railways Europe Back Issues, I enclose my cheque/UK postal order for £ ...... made payable to: “PLATFORM 5 PUBLISHING LTD.” Platform 5 Publishing Ltd., Please debit my Visa/Mastercard/Visa Debit/Maestro number: 52 Broadfield Road, SHEFFIELD, S8 0XJ, ...... ENGLAND. Card Issue No./Date (Maestro Only): ...... Expiry Date: ...... Credit/Debit cards: Security No.: ...... Date: ...... We accept Visa, Mastercard & Maestro. Signature: ...... If you wish to take out a 12 issue subscription to TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE please see page 67. www.platform5.com 4 S O 04 000 04 4 24 Hour Sales Orderline: O D TREU P P L 52 Broadfi eld Road, Sheffi eld, S8 0XJ, England. 0114 255 8000; Fax: 0114 255 2471 IN THE NEXT ISSUE... TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE CZECHOSLOVAKIAN CO COS ISSUE 305 (JULY 2021) Andrew Thompson tells the story of the Škoda six-axle Class 180–183 electric ON SALE 28TH JUNE 2021 locos, many of which remain in service To take out a subscription to Today’s Railways Europe, please see with private freight operators in the Czech page 67. Available from all good newsagents. Republic, Slovakia and Poland. PORTUGAL’S NATIONAL RAIL PLAN In the second instalment of his article on Portugal’s railways between 1980 and 2030, Manuel Tão examines the country’s rst strategic rail plan for nearly a century. RAIL CENTRES: JENA Keith Fender and Alan Yearsley explore the main line railways and tram network in and Photo: Andrew Thompson around Thüringen’s second-largest city. TRACTION ARCHIVE Metre-gauge through Carreño Mike Bent charts the history of the electrified narrow gauge line from Gijón to Pravia in northern , which for many years operated an eclectic fleet of passenger stock.

The railway between Gijón, Avilés and Pravia in northern Spain owed its existence to local iron ore mining. Gijón–Avilés was the first electrified railway in Asturias, and by the early 1960s was carrying more than 2 million passengers annually. For much of its life services were provided by a diverse fleet of electric trains, some of foreign origin. In the early 1880s various companies started investigating development of the iron ore deposits in Carreño municipality, between Gijón and Avilés. Initially the mineral was moved by road to Veriña station, and thence via the Norte’s main line to Gijón, where it was transhipped to wagons on the 1445 mm gauge FC de Langreo for the run to the Duro-Felguera steelworks in the Nalón valley. It was not until 1894 that it was possible to send the ore direct from Veriña to the Duro-Felguera works, via the Norte’s new branch line from Soto de Rey to Ciaño. In 1885 the mining companies merged as the Sociedad Minas de Hierro de Carreño, but still lacked of an efficient transport system in the Carreño district. In September 1900 Minas de Hierro y A Belgian in Asturias: the ex-SNCV Type S electric railcars were designated Class 34xx by FEVE and received Ferrocarril de Carreño was established with the metre-gauge operator’s blue livery. This June 1981 view was taken near today’s Avilés Apeadero, looking the objective building a railway between north-west up the Ría de Avilés. The landscape has since changed considerably – the huge white Centro Aboño, separated from the emerging deep Niemeyer now occupies the far bank and the area in the foreground is a linear riverside park. Pierre Herbiet water port of El Musel by the headland that ends in Cabo Torres, and the fishing port of freight traffic ceased, while passenger traffic which ferried the iron ore to Gijón, for onward Candás. The Ministry for Public Works granted remained sparse. Today there are no traces of transport to Langreo by rail, and also for the concession on 15 February 1902 and the the branches, but there are remains of loading export. In 1919–21 a 7.5 km ropeway was built 8.95 km metre-gauge line from Aboño to facilities at both Regueral and Perlora stations. to a loading staithe at Regueral. The mines at Candás opened on 8 January 1909. Including That at Perlora was fed by a conveyor belt from Llumeres were active until 1967 and boasted a the branches to the iron ore mines at Coyanca, a nearby limestone quarry which served the 650 mm gauge rail network, on which Borsig Regueral and Piedeloro the network totalled Tudela-Veguín cement factory in Aboño. 0-4-0 WT No.26 of 1912 was used. This loco 14.88 km. Construction involved the boring of In the early 1900s Langreo-based Duro is preserved in the Museo de Minería in El five tunnels ranging from 36 m to 566 m along Felguera had started iron ore mining activities Entrego. Tracks existed, at sea level, near the the coast between Aboño and Perlora. on the coast at Llumeres, to the east of Cabo start of the ropeway, and higher up near the Motive power consisted of three Krauss-built Peñas. Here a quay was built for small vessels, mine, but all traces of them have vanished. 2-6-0Ts, while passenger stock comprised a pair of coaches supplied by the Sociedad Española de Construcciones Mecánicas de Beasain (now CAF). Until 1916 the line also made use of three 4-4-0Ts built by North British for the incomplete and abandoned line from Gijón via Lieres to near El Entrego, before they were sold to the Haro–Ezcaray line. Aboño was an unsatisfactory terminus, being about 1.5 km from the Norte’s station at Veriña. However, a was installed on the latter company’s 4.1 km branch from Veriña via Aboño to the coal staithes at El Musel, and the Sindicato Asturiano del Puerto del Musel also built a 1 km metre gauge line from Aboño to quay level at El Musel, passing through a 339.3 m tunnel under Cabo Torres, specifically for Carreño trains, most of whose iron ore was destined for northern Europe. FEVE 3416 leaves Gijón in June 1981. The terminus was then a new facility, situated out of view to the east The mines around Coyanca, Regueral and beyond the sheds in the background. Behind the railcar are the three tracks of the FC de Langreo, which Piedeloro were worked out by 1914, and the will then cross these on the level a bit further west. Pierre Herbiet

TODAY’S RAILWAYS EUROPE 304 65 TRACTION ARCHIVE

To facilitate access to Gijón, a 0.9 km branch for the FC Anglo-Vasco-Navarro, and two built with various Type N cars, which were converted was built from Aboño station to Muniello- in 1936 by Mariano del Corral for the FC de to trailers. The FC de Carreño decided to Tras del Río, within walking distance of Veriña Astillero a Ontaneda. Also used were an SECN- retain their pale yellow livery, and added extra station. This did not prove very popular, so in built diesel and a Porter-built 2-6-2T belonging pantographs. This stock, dating from 1953–59, spring 1917 negotiations were opened with the to the Vasco-Asturiano, dating from 1902. Two was marshalled into four 3-car sets with a Sindicato to extend the tracks across the quays trailer cars acquired from CTFV of València and motor car at each end. By the end of the 1960s in El Musel to the terminus of the Sociedad four more from the Bilbao to Durango and the ex-SNCV fleet consisted of motor cars Tranvías de Gijón, whose metre gauge line Arratia tramway, regauged from 1365 mm, were MBfah 10–17 and trailers RBfah 15–28. from the city centre ended adjacent to the used to provide more capacity. A Ferrostahl Under the State Railway Modernisation Plan transatlantic liner terminal. The new Gijón– diesel railcar (2011) and trailer were delivered of 1963 the company obtained loans, enabling Candás service began on 20 June that year. in summer 1956 but had mistakenly been fitted it to rebuild the viaduct at Perlora, and build Between December 1917 and August with 914 mm gauge wheelsets, having been a landslide shelter on the coastal stretch 1919 the company prepared projects to built at the end of an order for . between Xibares and Tranquero. In Gijón a new electrify the line, at 650 V DC, reopen the Passenger traffic increased substantially, terminus was built on wasteland vacated by the section between Candás and Regueral, and especially after the opening of the ENSIDESA FC de Langreo, inaugurated on 12 August 1968. build an 11.3 km extension thence to Avilés. steelworks at Trasona near Avilés in the early While traffic was healthy, the state-imposed Government authorisation was duly granted, 1960s – passenger numbers reached more than fares freeze of 1963 caused the FC de Carreño’s and the Avilés extension was opened on 3 2.5 million in 1970. In 1961 there were 15 train financial health to deteriorate rapidly and only August 1922. Three tramway-type motor cars, pairs daily between Gijón and Avilés. the support of banks kept the line open until it MAB.1–MAB.3, built by Nivelles in Belgium were was taken over by FEVE in July 1974. acquired. These were part of a batch ordered Varied fleet During the following years the only notable by the Odessa tramway company but never To cope with the increasing traffic east of Avilés change was the adoption of FEVE’s blue and delivered due to World War I. Their drivers the two “Odessa” motor cars, by the early 1950s silver livery for the ex-SNCV trains, whose lives were somewhat confused by the labelling of retired in need of spare parts, were rebuilt by were limited by the decision to re-electrify at the controls in Cyrillic! Both electrification and Candás works as MABfah 4 and 5, four new 1500 V DC. This took place on 27 February 1981, the Avilés extension worked wonders, and in trailers being built for them, (RBfah 5–8). Two and a fleet of new CAF-built Class 3500 EMUs 1923 497 081 passengers were carried. electric shunters acquired in the early 1920s took over all services east of Avilés. Nevertheless, direct through running to (also originally destined for Odessa) were also FEVE also modernised the infrastructure. Gijón remained a frustration for the company rebuilt at Candás, and numbered 3 and 4. Between Xivares and Perlora the troublesome and its passengers. In 1921 a direct line to Two trams from the interurban line between coastal stretch was eliminated by the boring Gijón from Aboño was proposed. Public Works A Coruña and Sada, built by Carde y Escoriza, of a 1.2 km long tunnel. A new halt was built rejected it: the route was to be used for the were acquired, and redesignated MABfah, near Candás town centre, and the catenary was proposed railway between Gijón and Ferrol. 6 and 7, together with two in 1957 from the extended from Avilés to Pravia in 1986. West of During the 1920s and 1930s the development 1435 mm gauge L’Arrabassada line in Barcelona Candás the ascent to Regueral was realigned. of local bus services saw the FC de Carreño which became MABfah, 8 and 9, together with At Avilés a new joint station with RENFE was inexorably losing passengers – there were just a motorised van, numbered 2. provided. The original Avilés station, now 335 114 in 1931. But at last, in May 1936 the This a motley fleet of electric vehicles was an unstaffed halt, hit the headlines briefly in company was granted permission by Public quite unsuited to the growing ridership. spring 2012 when a wild boar was discovered Works to invite tenders for tracklaying between Therefore, in 1962 four second-hand lodging there! Muniello-Tras de Río, Veriña and Gijón. While Type S motor cars (9649, 9654, 9659 and 9668), The unfortunate saga of the stations in Gijón, during the early phase of the Civil War, central together with four trailers, were acquired from which began with the construction of the joint Asturias remained under Republican control the SNCV’s lines in Antwerpen, Belgium (later RENFE/FEVE terminus in El Humedal in the late there was sufficient time to complete the line. designated Class 34xx by FEVE). These were 1980s, has already been related in TR EU since The Fascist invaders then decided to lift the followed in 1965 by 10070, another Type S and early 2011, when the Sanz Crespo “temporary” track, and use it elsewhere, so it was back to two Type N cars, 10425 and 10447, which had terminus was brought into use, and appears to the old system of trains and trams connecting been modified to S specifications, together be continuing, without resolution. outside the transatlantic terminal in El Musel. But as industrial activity increased in the 1940s, the trams and trains got in the way of coal trains being shunted on the quays, to the frustration of the port authorities. In July 1948 the FC de Carreño received State approval to relay the Aboño–Gijón line, and to build new stations at Veriña and in Gijón. The line reopened on 1 October 1950. The focus then shifted to the other end of the line – Avilés, and the completion of the railway to Pravia and Ferrol. Here construction had started in the 1920s, including the boring of the 1030 m Caseras tunnel east of Soto del Barco, but had then been abandoned. It was not until the mid-1940s that work restarted, tracklaying being completed in 1953. Coal traffic started in October 1953, the fuel from the mines in the Aller and Caudal valleys destined for transport by sea to the steelworks in the Bilbao district. However, it was not until 11 September 1956 that passenger services west of Avilés started, An interesting June 1981 view of Candás, looking towards Gijón. The island platform has just been relocated, the FC de Carreño being the operator, using a to allow two tracks to be laid between it and the main platform. Both platforms have been raised, to Billard diesel railcar, another (AM1, later AMG1) accommodate the future Class 35xx EMUs, whose entrances do not have steps. The depot is built by Carde y Escoriaza and Siemens in 1926 behind the photographer to the right, and the station is about 1 km from the town centre. Pierre Herbiet

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* Today’s Railways subscriber prices are only available to Today’s Railways subscribers. When ordering goods from the Platform 5 Mail Order Department, please quote your 6 ‑character subscriber reference. This can be found on the address sheet used to send your copy of Today’s Railways. Postage & packing charges still apply unless specifically stated. Customers wishing to purchase from the Platform 5 sales stand at railway events will still be entitled to the same discounts. However, you should bring along an address sheet used for posting your copy of Today’s Railways as evidence of your subscription. PLATOR AIL ORDER wwwplaoro The R ailways of Manchester A new history of the railway network that has grown up to serve the great industrial city of Manchester. This comprehensive volume traces the development of every 19th century railway company that served the city and describes the evolution that gave rise to today’s modern railway network. It examines how different railway companies fought to gain a foothold and looks at the Grouping years, when the LMS and LNER both retained a presence in the city. The post-war austerity and subsequent closures are examined, and fi nally the book turns to the railway of the 21st century, with its privatised operators, modern urban trams and heritage railways. Two centuries of rail transport, which have included many world fi rsts, are brought together to give a fascinating insight into how the railways have helped to shape this great city. The information is brought to life by more than 350 photographs, diagrams, maps and other illustrations. 272 pages. Hardback. £40.00 MAIL ORDER PRICE 5.00 C R R O R

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POSTAGE & PACKING: Please add 10% UK (minimum £1.00, maximum £8.50); 20% Europe; 30% Rest of World. Postage on DVDs £1.50 (UK); £3.00 (Overseas). (Note: overseas prices include dispatch by Air Freight. – Transit time: Europe 2 Weeks; Rest of World 4 Weeks). Please allow 28 days for delivery in the UK. Telephone your order and credit/debit card details to: 0114 255 8000 (UK) +44 114-255-8000 (from overseas) or Fax: +44(0)114-255-2471. Please state type of card, card number, issue no./date (maestro cards only), expiry date, card security number (last 3 digits on signature strip on back of card) and full name & address of cardholder. Or send your credit/debit card details, sterling cheque, money order or British Postal order payable to Platform 5 Publishing Ltd. to: E Mail Order Department (TREU), Platform 5 Publishing Ltd, 52 Broadfield Road, SHEFFIELD, S8 0XJ, ENGLAND A IMPORTANT NOTE: Today’s Railways subscribers MUST quote their 6 character subscription reference to qualify for the discounts advertised. EAI For payment in Euro by International Transfer, please pay to our Euro account: BANK: HSBC IBAN: GB29 HBUK 4012 7639 1482 13 BIC: HBUKGB4B (GBP 1 = ¤1.16 at present)

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