Romanian diesel locomotives not to be scrapped, but rather made electric

Twenty Romanian diesel shunting locomotives have been saved and given an opportunity for revival. The locomotives would typically be scrapped as they near the end of their operable lives. However, a Romanian company from Constanta is now giving them a new life.

The 20 lucky locomotives are getting propulsion systems with batteries, as a replacement for their old diesel engines, according to Euronews. Not only will this be a financial windfall for operators, but will also lead to lower pollution in depot areas, say authorities funding the project from the Romanian national recovery and resilience plan.

The locomotives would have been scrapped normally, and those 70 tonnes of scrap metal would have raised some money. The Romanian company EUROEST is now offering a better alternative. “With the help of a system patented by a private company from Constanta, dozens of CFR locomotives will be transformed and, instead of fuel, they will be able to run on batteries”, Euronews says.

Battery duration

EUROEST says that the electric locomotives are intended to be used for trailers weighing no more than 2500 tonnes, and can operate at a maximum speed of 30 kilometres an hour. Whereas a Euronews source tells the publication that the locomotives’ batteries have a lifespan of six to 12 hours depending on the type of use, EUROEST’s website speaks about a 12 to 24 hour capacity.

“The huge advantage it has both for the railway and for those who live near the depots, is the fact that the consumption of diesel disappears, which translates into financial savings”, Ștefan Roșeanu, president of the Romanian Railway Reform Authority, says.