The Reception of the First Desiro

The first motorcar has arrived! Siemens Transportation Systems (TS) has delivered, in a festive cadre, on December 19, 2002, the first motorcar of SR 20 D - Desiro type from the 120 motorcars that are stipulated to be delivered to the Romanian Railways, "CFR Calatori "SA.

On this occasion, dr. Dietrich G. Moller, the director of the Rains Division, has declared: "Today for Siemens continues the series of successes registered by the "Desiro" train in the railway transport sector for short distances, in its history VT 642 providing a stable place". Mr. Moller has emphasized that this delivery represents for Siemens AG the largest order placed by Romania up to the present time. On behalf of the Romanian part a delegation from the Ministry of Public Works, Transports and Housing and of the National Railway Company for the Passengers Transport "CFR Calatori" SA, among whom there was Mr. Traian Panait, state secretary in MLPTL, Mr. Ioan Orbescu, general secretary in MLPTL, Mr. Valentin Bota, the general director of SNTFC "CFR Calatori" SA, other specialists and representatives of mass-media.
Mr. Valentin Bota has declared on this occasion: " It is a dream come true, of CFR to have motorcars in its endowment. We also have 100 old motorcars, from which 60 of them are in operation. We are harassing with them because we have no spare parts. Maybe that's why it has been hurried up a little bit the delivery of the first trains. In 2001 has been concluded the frame-contract, and on July 2002 we have signed the contract for the new motorcars. We are decided to also make other projects in the future". The basis of the delivery for the vehicles is represented by the frame-contract signed at Berlin on July 4, 2001. The so-called contract, with an overall value of over 300 million Euro, has been signed, on April 2002. Besides the delivery of the vehicles, the contract also stipulates the integration of the production in Romania, support granted for putting into operation and a package of spare parts. The contract stipulates that 63 trains and certain components will be gradually transferred in Romania. In this respect there are also added the option for other 104 trains and the extension for the maintenance of the vehicles.
The commercial name Desiro defines a concept of motorcars produced by SIEMENS, which combines the economic with the comfort. The motorcars from the Desiro family will be used for the interregional transport, as well as for the short distance sections. The modular conception opens the exemplary creative horizon in the field of the inside design, of the safety of the vehicle and of the propulsion system. The standardized parts and also tested in exploitation, daily used in Germany, Denmark and Slovenia provide an increased availability to the vehicles and decreased expenses in exploitation.
The motorcars delivered from Krefeld - Uerdingen are built similarly with Desiro motorcars used on the German Railways, under the name of VT 642. This version of vehicles is propelled mechanically-Diesel. Desiro offers an increased comfort for the passengers due to the low floor, inside endowments and the information system on board, with digital and acoustic information of the stations. There is also stipulated with a space meant for parking the bicycles and the carriages. There is also a lot to gain from the spacious and bright inside, large, panoramic windows, the air conditioning equipment and the ecological toilet system, that can be also used by the handicapped persons. At a pleasant comfort also contribute the pneumatic suspension of the bogies, on pneumatic cushion.
The Desiro motorcar totally offers 123 seats, among which 12 at the first class and 111 at the second class. The two Diesel motorcars with six cylinders, turbo-feeding, generates each a 275 kW power, through the automatic gearbox with five stages. Important for the environment protection is the fact that both aggregates respect the limit values stipulated by the norms regarding the emissions of evacuation gases, Euro II. The maximal speed of operation of the motorcar is of 120 km/h. the vehicle measures 41.7 meters and has an almost 70 tones weight.
The Desiro motorcars Diesel propelled are in exploitation in Germany, especially at the German Railways (DB AG), which, after a first order of 150 pieces, has also required other 84 Desiro trains, as well from other private operators, among which Kahgrundbahn and Lausitzbahn in Saxonia, respectively Brandenbahn. Other orders have been placed by Hungary (13 trains) and by the Danish Railways (12 trains). The electrically propelled Desiro trains also had a great success. The Railways in Slovenia are exploiting 30 trains with two and three electrically propelled sections, for the regional transport from Ljubliana town. The Greek Railways have also ordered 20 Desiro trains with five sections electrically propelled, especially for Athens - Tesalonic section. SIEMENS has also delivered 12 Desiro trains in Malaysia, within the project executed on time, which make the link between Kuala Lumpur and the new airport. The largest offer of Desiro up to now, of over 1200 trains, has come from the British railway companies Stagecoach and First Group.