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The first inter-regional electric railway frame (RE-IR) of the 37 to be produced by Alstom for Romania will arrive at the Faurei Railway Testing Centre in July 2023, in order to carry out the dynamic tests, with the second one to arrive in August when it will be tested on the Romanian Railway Company lines, after which both trains will perform running tests in multiple units, the Railway Reform Authority (ARF) informs on Sunday, on his Facebook page.
According to the ARF, between February 8-10, 2023, a team of the authority - formed by members of the project regarding the purchase of 37 inter-regional electric frames (RE-IR) - carried out a technical visit to the Alstom factory in Katowice (Poland). This visit was stipulated in the agreement concluded between the ARF and Alstom Ferroviaria SpA company, on March 25, 2022, which refers to the acquisition of 20 long-distance electric frames and their maintenance for a period of 15 years. The agreement has been supplemented later, by an additional agreement, signed on September 16, 2022, which refers to the acquisition of 17 more long-haul electric frames, told Agerpres.
"During the visit, the representatives of the supplier Alstom presented the current stage of the manufacturing of the first train. Thus, according to the contractual provisions, the first train will arrive at the Railway Testing Centre in Faurei in July 2023, for the dynamics tests, and the the second one will arrive in August 2023, for tests on the CFR lines, after which both trains will perform multi-unit running tests. Based on the results of these tests, a third train will be delivered to the ARF, which will be put into operation in December 2023, in Romania. According to the contractual clauses, the other trains will join the existing train fleet in 2024," the post says.
The maximum running speed of the electric frames is 160 km/h, they are composed of six carriages (two end carriages with driving cabins and four intermediate carriages) and provide 351 seats.
The units have an ERTMS level 1 and 2 signaling and safety system, the national PZB90 system and are equipped with air conditioning systems, wi-fi connection, bar/bistro spaces and spaces for disabled travelers, as well as an area for automatic distribution of tickets and composting machines, states ARF.
The RE-IR electric frames will connect the capital city with the main urban centres of the country, but will also facilitate inter-regional connections, contributing to ensuring mobility, reducing travel times and improving the general level of public services provided for public rail transport.
The routes to be served by the long-distance electric trains are: Bucharest North - Constanta, Bucharest North - Brasov - Arad - Timisoara, Bucharest North - Brasov - Cluj, Bucharest North - Brasov - Deda - Cluj, Bucharest North - Brasov, Bucharest North - Iasi, Bucharest North - Suceava, Bucharest North - Galati, Bucharest-North - Craiova - Targu Jiu- Petrosani - Simeria, Bucharest-North-Craiova-Timisoara-Arad, Cluj-Timisoara, Cluj-Suceava-Iasi.
The total value of the agreement for the purchase of the 37 multiple electrical units and their related maintenance services for a period of 15 years amounts to a total cost of 2,421,771,878 RON, without VAT.
The financing of the project is ensured from non-reimbursable European funds and from the state budget.
