The first of five EffiShunter 1000 locomotives ordered by Trainpoint Norway was shipped from CZ LOKO's Jihlava plant to Sweden at the beginning of this week. It is expected to enter operation in the first months of 2023.
"We see the great market potential in Sweden and Norway. Here, rail transport is seen as an environmentally friendly alternative and is therefore undergoing greening. And this is of course accompanied by modernization and renewal of the rolling stock. And we want to be there," added Michal Schaffer, manager of the sales department at CZ LOKO.
According to Schaffer, the four-axle EffiShunter 1000 is in its category one of the best available on the European rail market, due to its reliable and cost-effective operation. As standard, it is equipped with the uniform European Train Control System (ETCS), and for the Scandinavian market, it will be complemented by the national ATC signaling system. This allows it to be used not only for fully-fledged line service but also for shunting. “Our ambition is for the EffiShunter 1000 to become the standard shunting locomotive in Scandinavia for the next twenty, thirty years,” commented Michal Schaffer.
In addition, last month CZ LOKO signed another contract with AC Finance, a subsidiary of Railcare, for the delivery of five EffiShunter 1000. It also includes an option for a further four locomotives.
"We consider this a great success and a vote of confidence in the CZ LOKO brand. Railcare is one of the renowned suppliers of railway infrastructure maintenance in the Nordic countries and the fact that they have chosen our locomotives only confirms their European competitiveness. However, it must be added that this is not a simple project. Although the vehicle is based on the serial version, the modifications related mainly to the local signaling equipment have cost us and will cost us a lot of effort, time, and money,” said Michal Schaffer.
CZ LOKO will now face a complicated approval process and challenging operating and climatic conditions, in which customer feedback will also be important.
