"Hungary’s state-owned railway company MÁV has placed an order with Bombardier Transportation for 25 Bombardier Traxx P 160 locomotives valued at about EUR 80 million (USD 112 m). The contract also includes an option for a further 25 locomotives. The delivery of the first locomotive is scheduled for spring 2011.According to MÁV, the locomotives, which operate with alternating current (AC), are intended for passenger service in Hungary as well as for cross-border transport to Austria and Germany.
"Our locomotive investment project and the purchase of the new TRAXX locomotives are very important for achieving better energy efficiency within our fleet and replacing older locomotives," commented Imre Márkus, Chief Executive Officer of MÁV-TRAKCIÓ Co.
He said the new locomotives would contribute to the modernization and energy effectiveness of the Hungarian railways. They will enable the company "to reduce maintenance costs and continue to fulfil more contractual obligations for international corridors."
There are currently around 800 TRAXX locomotives in service in Europe alone.
TRAXX
The TRAXX product family is designed for the transport of goods as well as passengers in national and international routes on all networks. It consists of three electric variants (multi-system, alternating and direct current locomotives) and a diesel-electric design.
The TRAXX locomotives are characterised by their modular assembly as well as their innovative BOMBARDIER MITRAC propulsion and controls system, already in use in over 3,800 locomotives worldwide.
The final assembly of the AC locomotives for MÁV will take place at the Bombardier plant in Kassel, Germany. The car bodies will be produced at Bombardier’s site in Wroclaw, Poland, the bogies in Siegen, Germany and the bogie frames in the company’s Hungarian site of Mátranovák. The Mannheim and Hennigsdorf sites, in Germany, will supply the propulsion and controls technology as well as the propulsion equipment."
Source: Portfolio Online Financial Journal
25.01.2010