The first Pendolino (EIC Premium) is now in Poland!
The first of the 20 modern PKP Intercity trains is now in Poland. On 12 August, at high noon, the blue and silver rolling stock arrived at Wrocław Main Rail Station. The train had set off on Friday from the Italian Alstom factory, with PKP Cargo responsible for transportation.
The first of the 20 modern PKP Intercity trains is now
in Poland. On 12 August, at high noon, the blue and silver rolling stock
arrived at Wrocław Main Rail Station. The train had set off on Friday from the
Italian Alstom factory, with PKP Cargo responsible for transportation. This
first arrival will now undergo numerous tests, at locations including the test
track of the Railway Institute in Żmigród.
“From the Italian land to Poland...”
The train set off from
Savigliano in Italy on Friday 9 August, beginning a journey of around 1,500 km.
With the rolling stock not yet in possession of safety certification, it
represented a special dispatch and was conducted by a PKP Cargo EU45
locomotive. For the period of the journey through Italy, Austria and the Czech Republic
the freight carrier provided a staff of four drivers – one per stage of the
route, for each country. The EIC Premium rolling stock arrived in Poland from
the direction of the Czech Republic, via the Lichkov-Międzylesie crossing.
“EIC
Premium is a new standard for Polish railways,” says Jakub Karnowski, President of the Board at PKP
SA.
“It represents more than just a change in the level of comfort experienced
by PKP Intercity passengers while travelling. It is also the wide range of
works being performed by the other companies of our Group in implementing the
project. The modernization of the railway lines of the infrastructure
administrator, PKP PLK, and the investments undertaken by PKP Energetyka, mean
that this train sets a new, higher level for the whole of the railways,” he
adds.
fot. Bartłomiej Banaszak
Safety
certification
“The
train which has arrived in Poland will undergo all necessary tests in order to
be able to carry our passengers safely; diagnostic equipment is to be found on
board,” says Janusz
Malinowski, President of the Board at PKP Intercity. “Testing will begin at the test track
in Żmigród and will be continued on individual routes along which the train
will run from December 2014,” he explains.
EIC
Premium will be capable of a speed above that currently permitted on the Polish
market of 160 km/h. First, however, it must undergo an approval process. While
still at the Alstom factory in Savigliano in Italy the first static tests took
place. A further stage, the so-called dynamic tests – the study of the train in
motion – will now be conducted in Poland. A majority will take place at the test
track of the Railway Scientific and Research Institute, which is located close
by Żmigród, c. 40 km from Wrocław. This site allows tests to be conducted for
stability, reliability and endurance and the dynamics of devices and systems
utilized on the railways. It has available a loop of track with a length of
7.725 km.
“All
tests will be conducted by specialists from the Railway Institute,” says Dr
Andrzej Żurkowski, engineer and Director of the Institute. “At the test track
the rolling stock will first undergo dynamic testing, with tests of braking,
safety devices and the effect on traffic control devices, as well as pantograph
testing, among other research. The Railway Institute is a leading unit in the
variety of technical issues in track transport,” he continues. “Recently
tested items include a majority of the rail rolling stock introduced by
carriers for use in Poland, traffic and communication control systems (ERTMS)
and many other subsystems,” Dr Żurkowski adds.
“We
are proud of the fact that a first train of Alstom production is coming to
Poland, and will undergo tests at the Railway Institute according to schedule,”
says Lesław Kuzaj, President of Alstom in Poland. “I am convinced that
passengers will fully appreciate the modernity and safety of trains of the new
generation which will soon appear on Polish routes,” he states.
The
first stage of testing will conclude at the end of September or beginning of
October. The train will then be dispatched to the Central Main Line, among
other locations. Near Olsztyn the Pendolino will be tested on curves, while
close to Nowy Sącz its potential for travel uphill will be assessed. The tests
on railway lines are due to last until the middle of December. Once these are
concluded the first train, as a version containing measuring equipment, will
return to Italy. The analysis of the documentation gathered will then begin.
The train should receive the approval of the Office of Rail Transportation by
May 2014.
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Estimated
journey times for trains of the EIC Premium category
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Route
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Journey time
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Stations with a stop
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December 2014
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December 2014
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c. 3 hrs
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c. 2 hrs 15 mins.
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***
On
EIC Premium. In May 2011 PKP Intercity and Alstom
signed a contract for the delivery of 20 trains, the construction of a
technical base at Warsaw Grochów and train technical support for around 17
years. The value of the trains themselves amounts to EUR 400 m. In January 2013
the foundation stone will be laid at the Service Center. The completion of
construction is planned for December of this year. More information at: www.eicpremium.intercity.pl
