The projects financed through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) carried out by CFR Calatori represent a breath of fresh air both for us and for Romanian enterprises specialized in rolling stock repairs and production, said the company's general manager, Traian Preoteasa, on Wednesday, when presenting the current status of the rolling stock modernization project.
"I must say here that the entire PNRR program carried out by CFR Calatori is carried out by Romanian companies. All the enterprises in Romania that were profiled in repairs and rolling stock production received contracts through the PNRR, so none were left out. I told you, it is a breath of fresh air - and for us, I suspect that for them too, the rolling stock industry that has become deprofessionalized also because of the beneficiary, that is, ours, which has not issued any more orders for new rolling stock or for capital repairs. We hope to continue these programs, regardless of what the source of financing will be after the PNRR expires," said Traian Preoteasa.
He emphasized that the PNRR ensured the modernization of CFR Calatori's rolling stock by 13 - 15%.
"Given that for about 25-30 years there has been no investment in new rolling stock in railway transport in Romania, PNRR came as the only source of financing for modernization, not at all for the acquisition of new rolling stock, which allowed the public railway transport company CFR Calatori to modernize around 13-14-15% of its old rolling stock fleet, with an average age of over 40 years," he said.
The program includes 139 wagons, 55 electric locomotives and 20 diesel-hydraulic locomotives converted to a battery system.
"At this time, around 40% are completed. Softronic has a very large advance margin and will probably finish the program very soon, RELOC has around seven locomotives, they will probably finish too, SCRL started a little harder, because it has a procurement part that is the contracting authority and we had a little harder time, but it also delivered two electric locomotives and five battery-powered hydraulic locomotives, and all the companies probably deliver the wagons on time. From what I know, speaking of financing, all the rolling stock units are paid for on time. We hope that in the future we will find understanding with the political decision-makers that these projects that were carried out with difficulty - certification, homologation, everything that this new rolling stock meant - continue, because it would be a shame for the investment money and the time allocated to these certifications and to leave the companies and CFR Calatori without material "New rolling stock in the future," Preoteasa said.
Regarding the modernized wagons, the head of CFR Calatori claimed that they are very well equipped, very well thought out in terms of design and execution, and have increased comfort compared to the new Alstom frames.
"There's no point in saying what the difference is. I suspect that most of you have traveled with the new rolling stock units. It's a very big difference. I say that it's a great advantage and it's an increased comfort even compared to the new Alstom frames. They are very well-equipped wagons, very well thought out in terms of design and execution. So, I don't think that at least on long distances there is a comparison between these two rolling stock units. It's true, we need a lot of Alstoms and rolling stock units in the future. We received the frames from Alstom, we will receive PESA, we will see how we proceed, but, at the same time, let's hope that the infrastructure will also receive the necessary funds, which we know quite well that have been insufficient in the last decades so that we don't end up with the new and modernized material still traveling on old lines, because "We are already using it and it doesn't even bring us to the parameters we want, as passenger carriers," he said.
CFR Calatori presented on Wednesday, during the event dedicated to the implementation of the rolling stock modernization project, the progress of the investment financed both through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) - Pillar 1: Transition to a green economy, Component C4 - Sustainable transport, Investment I2 - Railway rolling stock, and through national public contribution, based on financing contract no. 45/13.12.2023.
Through this project, CFR Calatori is modernizing: 55 electric locomotives intended for hauling passenger trains, 20 diesel-hydraulic shunting locomotives, converted into battery-powered electric locomotives, 139 passenger carriages (1st and 2nd class carriages, bar-bistro, sleeping and berth carriages, carriages with facilities for people with reduced mobility and dedicated spaces for bicycles and skis).
The modernization of the rolling stock is being carried out by six specialized Romanian companies. In the case of electric locomotives, Softronic Craiova has delivered ten out of 19, Reloc Craiova - eight out of 19, and CFR SCRL Brasov, out of 17 electric locomotives and 20 shunting locomotives converted into plug-in battery electric locomotives, has delivered one electric locomotive and five shunting locomotives so far.
In total, 24 locomotives have been delivered so far, and by the end of 2025 the number will reach 36 units. The rest are to be delivered by the end of June 2026.
In the passenger wagons chapter, Electroputere VFU Pascani had 42 wagons in operation and delivered 19 wagons, Atelierele CFR Griviţa Bucharest out of 57 wagons delivered 10 1st class wagons, and Remarul "16 Februarie" Cluj-Napoca delivered 13 wagons out of 40.
Thus, in total, 42 modernized wagons are already in circulation, and by the end of 2025 there will be 60, with the rest to be delivered by the end of June 2026.
Under these conditions, by the end of the year, the company will have modernized a total of 96 rolling stock units: 27 electric locomotives, 9 battery-powered shunting locomotives and 60 passenger cars, offering passengers safer, more comfortable and modern trains.
Trains equipped with this modernized rolling stock are already operating on important routes, such as Bucharest - Constanta, Bucharest - Brasov, Bucharest - Iasi, Bucharest - Suceava, Bucharest - Galati, Bucharest - Cluj and Bucharest - Arad, offering passengers improved comfort and safety conditions.
At the same time, to ensure efficient maintenance and reliability of rolling stock, the project provides for the construction of two modern maintenance halls in Craiova and Baia Mare; equipping the Bucharest North and Brasov Depots with two digital simulators for training locomotive engineers; implementing a digital platform for fleet and maintenance management, aimed at optimizing operational activity and reducing train downtime.
The value of the financing contract is 2.074 billion RON, of which: European funds (loan/grant) - 590.268 million RON and national public contribution - 1.153 billion RON, plus VAT 331.221 million RON.
Deliveries are scheduled by June 30, 2026, and completion of the entire project is expected by December 31, 2026.
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