INDIA: Indian Railways (IR) is preparing to tender for 35 hydrogen trains at an estimated cost Rs 28bn ($US 338.9m). Fuelling infrastructure will require an investment of Rs 700m per line. IR has held talks with Siemens, Cummins, Hitachi, BHEL and Medha Servo about manufacturing trains for IR’s heritage lines, such as the 762mm-gauge Kalka - Shimla line. Medha Servo is running a pilot project to retrofit hydrogen fuel cells to a DEMU operating on the 1676mm-gauge Jind - Sonipat line.
Ukraine: Ukraine Railways (UZ) has received the final 15 coaches from an order for 100 placed in 2021 with domestic manufacturer Kryukiv Carriage Works before the Russian invasion. Previously delivered coaches have been used for wartime Unity Trains, and for carrying evacuees and diplomats. The final 15 vehicles have been designed to transport passengers in wheelchairs, and some have crew accommodation. The new fleet will regularly run in trains from Kyiv to various cities, as well as on Odesa - Lviv and other routes.
France: A fleet of 12 class BB 27300 locomotives formerly operated by French National Railways (SNCF) on Line N of the Paris commuter network has been sold to leasing company Beacon Rail following replacement by Régio2N EMUs. Transport authority Île-de-France Mobilités asked SNCF to conduct its first sale of surplus rolling stock by auction as the electric locomotives still have a service life of 20-30 years. Proceeds from the sale will contribute to financing the Île-de-France rolling stock renewal programme.
Mozambique: Mozambique Ports and Railways (CFM) is investing $US 24.3m to acquire 350 platform and specialised tank wagons due to growing demand for rail shipments of containers and liquids from the south and central regions. While deliveries are expected to be completed in July, with the wagons being built in China under a contract with the China Railway 20 Bureau Group, the first batch of 100 wagons has already arrived at the port of Maputo, each with a capacity of 80 tonnes.
Spain: National operator Renfe has awarded Stadler a €136.7m contract for the supply and maintenance of 12 high-power 1435mm-gauge electric locomotives for 15 years. They will be used to haul domestic and international freight on the Mediterranean Corridor where infrastructure manager Adif is installing 1435mm-gauge track. The programme also includes work to accommodate freight trains up to 750m in length. The locomotive order will be partially financed by the European Union (EU) which has approved a grant of €15m within the framework of the Next Generation Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (NRRP).
- Renfe has launched a €37.9m tender for the purchase of 149 freight wagons, with the NRRP financing the acquisition to the tune of €14.5m. The bidding will be in two batches, the first for 74 type Sgnss 60ft container wagons able to carry a minimum of 70 tonnes of net cargo at up to 100km/h. The second batch will comprise 75 type Sdggmrss wagons to carry road semi-trailers, able to carry a maximum load of 22.5 tonnes per axle at up to 100km/h. The bogies must be able to accommodate both 1668mm and 1435mm-gauge axles. Bidders may submit an offer for one or both lots.
Poland: Pesa has awarded Spanish company Ingeteam a contract to supply 120 high-power traction converters for 60 locomotives, with the converters to be delivered in 2023 and 2024 from Ingeteam’s factory at Ortuella in the Basque Country. The locomotives will operate in Poland and neighbouring countries at up to 160km/h and the order will see the largest volume of traction convertors being manufactured at the Ortuella plant since it opened in 2019. Ingeteam was awarded a similar contract to supply converters for 100 Pesa locomotives last year.
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