Croatian railways modernise passenger rolling stock

Croatian Railways Passenger Transport (HŽ-Putnički prijevoz) and the Railway Vehicles Factory (TŽV ''Gredelj'') signed a contract regarding the development and building of prototypes for a 4-part electric motor train in urban and suburban transport and a 3-part diesel-electric train in regional transport.

On the same day HŽ-Putnički prijevoz also signed a contract with Končar-Electrical Vehicles (Končar-Električna vozila) on the production of a 4-part electric motor train prototype for regional transport.

The contracts were signed by Marijan Klarić, director of HŽ-Putnički prijevoz, Željko Pokrovac, president of TŽV Gredelj, and Ivan Bahun, president of Končar-Električna vozila.

The business plan of HŽ-Putnički prijevoz for 2009 to 2015 envisages procurement of 18 new motor-coach trains for urban and suburban transport, 25 DMUs (diesel units) and 49 EMUs (electrified units) for regional transport.

Considering how extensive this project of rolling stock modernisation is, HŽ-Putnički prijevoz has decided to first procure prototypes in order to check the possibilities for application of modern electric motor propulsions for traction on the existing infrastructure. Besides, motor train prototypes produced according to the technical requirements of the company will also be tested by passengers during the trial run.

All these checkups will result in a final technical requirement specification for serial construction of trains which will be procured by means of a public tender. The City of Zagreb will provide a 50% subsidy for the procurement of new EMUs for urban-suburban transport, based on an agreement signed already in 2005.

The role of new regional diesel and electric motor trains is to enable a gradual substitution of conventional passenger transport trains with locomotive traction in local and inter-city transport, as well as to enable travel time reduction, higher travel comfort and reduction of total use costs.

The Croatian companies TŽV Gredelj and Končar-KEV have been entrusted with development and design of prototypes because of their excellent reputation in railway vehicles production as well as substantial references in this field.

The City of Zagreb will finance the development and building of three prototypes with HRK 20m (EUR 2.7m), the state budget with HRK 40m (EUR 5.4m) and HŽ-Putnički prijevoz with HRK 54m (EUR 7.4m) from its own resources.