The first electric line locomotive of CZ LOKO has its customer. Under the trade name EffiLiner3000, it is operated by the freight railway carrier IDS CARGO. The official handover took place yesterday in Prague.
“Our dual-system novelty drew the interest of several Czech railway carriers as it allows them to run under both current systems without changing locomotives. Figuratively speaking from Děčín to Štúrovo and then continue on an AC system to Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and countries of the former Yugoslavia. This naturally saves both time and money. It shows its business potential and we are therefore working on more machines,” says Jaroslav Plhák, Sales Director of CZ LOKO.
The dual-system, four-axle EffiLiner 3000 (365.001-7) represents a unique modernization of decommissioned Belgian Class12 locomotives, on which more than 10 companies of the Czech and Slovakian railway industry contributed under CZ LOKO leadership. It all started four years ago in April 2013, when CZ LOKO imported 12 of these retired electric vehicles from the Belgian state carrier SNCB and created an exceptional project for their comprehensive modernization.
“We are very pleased to have the first EffiLiner in our fleet. Its power, speed and other technical parameters meet our needs. We are assigning it to routes that, until now, required switching of two electric locomotives according to AC and DC power traction. This will speed up transport times, increase reliability and reduce maintenance costs. These costs are incomparably lower than those of the older vehicles,” says Michal Gajdoš, Director and Chairman of the Board of IDS CARGO. The comfort of the operating staff will increase as well. At the same time, the company prepares for a planned conversion of the traction current system on the SŽDC network, where the DC system will be receding in favour of the AC system.
CZ LOKO extended its production program, which has been based primarily on diesel-electric locomotives so far, by an electric line locomotive and also another segment of modernization of electric locomotives. Now, the company offers and provides railway carriers with an optimal solution for freight transport also in dependent traction.
EffiLiner 3000 runs in IDS CARGO colours
EffiLiner 3000 during official handover at Praha Libeň station
EffiLiner 3000 runs in IDS CARGO colours
Adam Gajdoš (left), CEO of IDS CARGO and Josef Gulyás, General Director of CZ LOKO during official handover of EffiLiner 3000 at Praha Libeň station