ABB has secured a substantial order to upgrade 19 locomotives operated by CFR Calatori, the state-owned railway passenger transport company in Romania. The project, booked in Q4 2023, involves the complete overhaul of the traction chain, including transformers, converters, and electric motors, in collaboration with local contractor Reloc, specialized in locomotive modernization in Romania and the Balkans.

The initiative is part of Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), supported by the EU, aiming to bring the country's public transport up to European standards. With Romania's aging infrastructure resulting in trains operating at an average speed of just 40 km/h, the upgrade project addresses crucial energy efficiency and reliability concerns.

The retrofitting of the locomotives with modern traction systems is expected to yield significant energy and maintenance savings, while boosting traction power to 6 MW. Utilizing advanced IGBT traction converters, new traction transformers, and AC traction motors, the efficiency improvements are estimated at around 5% compared to the older systems. Moreover, energy savings of up to 15% are anticipated through energy recuperation during braking.

Gratian Calin, Chairman of Reloc, emphasized the importance of timely delivery and energy-efficient solutions for the project's success. Roger Affolter, Head of Retrofit at ABB Traction, highlighted the significance of enhancing the reliability of CFR's locomotives, essential for achieving the goal of increasing passenger train speeds to 160 km/h. Each locomotive will be equipped with a traction transformer, traction converters, and traction motors, ensuring optimal performance for Romania's rail network.

Source: new.abb.com