Romania Updates Railway Fleet: Acquisition of 33 IC3 Trains from Israel

The Romanian railway company Ferotrans TFI has announced the acquisition of 33 diesel trains of the IC3 model from Israel Railways (IR) for $1.5 million, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

These trains, built between 1990 and 1994, will be shipped to Romania by sea from the port of Haifa and will be used for passenger transportation in the area around the city of Iași.

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The modernization of railway transport in Israel led to the decommissioning of IC3 trains in November 2023, after which they were replaced by new models.

These decommissioned trains will now have a second life on Romanian railways, where they will serve passengers in the eastern region of the country.

The IC3 trains are three-car sets, developed in the 1980s through the joint efforts of ABB Scandia and Danish Railways DSB.

The main feature of these trains is the presence of an automatic coupling device and inter-car couplings, which allow for easy connection of the train sets.

The 400 hp diesel engines located in the end cars enable the trains to reach speeds of up to 180 km/h.

The ability to couple the train sets allows for effective management of passenger flow, providing a high level of operational flexibility.

The coupling system with the passenger or head car allows the driver and passengers to move freely between cars thanks to the retractable control panel.

This step is part of Ferotrans TFI’s strategy to modernize and expand its rolling stock fleet, which should significantly improve the quality of railway transportation in Romania.

Using second-hand but technically sound trains allows the company to optimize costs and reduce the time required to update the passenger fleet.

Plans for integrating the IC3 trains into the Romanian railway network include adapting them to local operating conditions and providing technical maintenance, ensuring passenger safety and comfort.

Thus, Romanian passengers will soon be able to appreciate the advantages of these trains, designed with the best European technologies in mind.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

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