České dráhy Took over This Year’s Ninth and Tenth Vectron Locomotive, They Went to West Bohemia and Moravia

Last week, České dráhy took over the delivery of two more Siemens Vectron locomotives from the RSL leasing company. This year, the last two planned locomotives remain to be delivered. Their handover is planned for December. In 2024, RSL will provide České dráhy with another 22 Siemens Vectron locomotives, thus fulfilling the Framework Agreement for 50 locomotives.

The locomotives forming the last delivery were deployed on such lines as R 18 “Slovácký expres”, R 15 “Krušnohor” and Ex 6 “Západní expres”. The 193.572 locomotive made its first journey on 7 November on the R 897 “Zlínský expres” train from Prague to Otrokovice and the 193.573 machine was for the first time at the head of the Ex 566 “Západní expres” train from Prague to Cheb a day later (8 November).

The Siemens Vectron locomotives have a maximum speed of 200 km/h and a power output of 6.4 MW. They are designed for operation on the railway lines with a traction system of 3 kV DC, 25 kV 50 Hz AC and 15 kV 16.7 Hz AC. They are equipped with the ETCS train control system and GSM-R radio communication system. České dráhy operates them on national lines and on connections to Germany, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. In addition to the locomotives leased from the leasing companies “ELL” (10 items) and “RSL” (50 items), České dráhy owns one locomotive and has ordered another 50 locomotives in the 230 km/h travel speed version from the Siemens company.