http://www.modern-railways.com April 2019 Modern Railways 81
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infrastructure manager ProRail and Alstom to
operate a self-driving autonomous train on the
Betuweroute freight route. The test train comprised
a modernised ex-East German Class 202 diesel
loco equipped with Automatic Train Operation
(ATO) by Alstom and operating with Grade of
Automation level 2 (GoA2), meaning that whilst
the system controlled the loco a driver was still
present to supervise the system. The test run was
for 100km in each direction from Rotterdam.POLAND
HYUNDAI ROTEM WINS
BIG LIGHT RAIL ORDER
South Korean manufacturer Hyundai Rotem
has won an order for up to 213 low-floor trams
from Warsaw urban transport operator ZTM.
The new vehicles will be used to replace older
Konstal-built trams dating from the 1980s.
Offers from Polish-based manufacturers were
rejected; that from Pesa as it exceeded the budget
available, and the tender from Stadler/Solaris as it
could not meet the required delivery schedule.
The firm PLN1.85 billion (£370 million) order
is for 123 new vehicles, split into two batches
of 33-metre-long trams; 85 with cabs at both
ends and 18 uni-directional trams. In addition,
20 shorter 24-metre-long uni-directional trams
have been ordered. The contract includes
options for another 90 33-metre-long trams.
This was the second attempt to procure
the replacement tram fleet, as a previous
tender in 2017 in which Czech manufacturer
Škoda Transportation was the lowest bidder
was terminated as the price tendered
exceeded the budget available. The
largescale renewal of the ZTM fleet is being
part-f unded by the European Union, and
the initial 123 vehicles must be delivered by
October 2022 to qualify for the funding.RUSSIA
OVER 3,000 NEW
COACHES FOR RUSSIAN
LONG-DISTANCE SERVICES
Russian Railways (RZD) long-distance subsidiary
Federal Passenger Company has awarded
a contract worth $3.5 billion to Transmashholding
subsidiary Tver Carriage Works (TVZ) for up to
3,730 new passenger coaches between2019 and 2025. A firm order for 2,644 vehicles has
been placed with an option for up to 1,086 coaches.
The contract foresees the development of
several new series of coaches to be designated
Wagon-2019, Wagon-2020 and Wagon-2023.
These will include both single and double deck
vehicles of various types. The contract will ensure
TVZ has a stable order book for the next five years.SWEDEN
HEAVIER TRAINS FOR
ARCTIC IRON ORE LINE
Following infrastructure improvements, mining
company LKAB began operating heavier trains in
mid-February. The work included construction of
three new 1.067km-long passing loops, resignalling
and new overhead line equipment and was
undertaken by Swedish infrastructure manager
Trafikverket and its Norwegian counterpart Bane
Nor. The trains carrying iron ore to the Norwegian
port of Narvik have increased in maximum weight
to 9,180 tonnes through introduction of 32.5-tonne
axle loadings rather than the 30 tonnes (and
8,500-tonne train weight) previously permitted.
Initially two trains a day will take advantage
of the new maximum weight on a trial basis
as the wagons used have been modifiedwith new wheelsets. The line between Kiruna
and Narvik was upgraded around a decade
ago to permit introduction of 30-tonne axle
loadings, with structures and embankments
strengthened. Monitoring equipment has
been installed to establish the effect of the
new 32.5-tonne limit on the infrastructure.
The largely single-track line is used by up to
14 pairs of iron ore trains daily, plus several
passenger and other freight trains. Forecasted
growth in iron ore production could see the
number of freight trains double in the next decade,
especially if plans to transport ore mined in Finland
via the ice-free port of Narvik come to fruition.
Plans for a new 450km-long railway in the Arctic
connecting the port of Kirkenes in northern Norway
with Rovaniemi in Finland have been proposed
in recent years, but a feasibility study published
in February suggested the project is not viable.
The LKAB trains already had the heaviest axle
loadings in Europe and the new 32.5-tonne
axle limit is equal to the heaviest in use in North
America. However, operators in the Pilbara region
of northern Australia, also transporting iron ore,
have taken heavy haul to another level; Fortescue
Metals Group operates trains weighing up to
40,000 tonnes with 42-tonne axle loadings (and
plans to raise that to 43.5 tonnes), whilst BHP and
Roy Hill achieve 37.5 and 40 tonnes respectively. aTo be replaced: a ZTM Konstal tram in central Warsaw on 1 June 2013. The more
modern vehicle behind was built by Pesa; until Hyundai Rotem won this contract Pesa
had supplied all new trams to ZTM during the last decade. Keith FenderHeavy train: LKAB operates its iron ore trains with Bombardier-built IORE double-unit
electric locos. In summer trains also serve the port of Lulea in northern Sweden – one
of these led by loco Nos 129 and 112 passes Gällivare on 16 July 2018. Keith Fender078-081_MR_Apr 2019_europe.indd 81 11/03/2019 17:28