Closer and Closer to the Integration in the Pan-European Railway Network

Interview with Mr. Mihai Necolaiciuc The general director of CFR SA

As there is already known, the railways in Romania are organized in a regular network, harmoniously distributed on the entire territory of the country. They provide the link with all the railway networks of the neighbor countries and, further more, with the ones of the European and Asian countries. They are circularly disposed, on two almost concentric rings, traversed by eight main lines that start from Bucharest (the rest of them being the usual cobweb of railway sections, main or secondary).
Having in administration the public railway infrastructure, as well as the private one, through the development strategy that the National Railway Company "CFR" SA promotes has aimed as main present and future task, the development and the modernization of the infrastructure. These processes will be accomplished according to the current international standards, in order to provide the compatibility and, on this basis, the interoperability of the Romanian Railways with the European railway transport system.
Referring to the major issues encountered presently by CNCF "CFR" SA, and also to the stage of the enforcement of the objectives expressed in its own development strategy, we have spoken recently with Mr. Mihai Necolaiciuc, the General Director of the company.

Railway Journal: Sir, for the beginning we would be interested to know how would you characterize the current state of the railway infrastructure in our country.
Mihai Necolaiciuc: As it is quite difficult for us, we have to admit that in the last years the insufficiency of the budgetary transfers has led to the impossibility to cover from our own sources the necessary financial funds. Thus, the technical state of the infrastructure has gradually damaged. It finally reached to a high degree of deterioration, due to the remnants registered in the general overhaul works for the tracks and the works of art - bridges, viaducts, tunnels, through the lack of execution in time of the works that were required. Yet, we have to notice the fact that, in spite of these "obstacles", our company however has managed to develop a profitable activity, reflected in the maintenance of the stable balance between the incomes and expenses, this last category being diminished as much as possible. In fact, I would like to specify the fact that the maintenance works, which were accomplished during the last years, have been executed mostly on the basis of the funds obtained from the infrastructure utilization tax that we are collecting from our railway users. Naturally, there have been also added other sources, yet, less serious.
R.J.: It is already known the fact that for CFR SA year 2001 has meant the moment of the starting off of the projects included in the development strategy of the railway infrastructure elaborated by the MLPTL within the current governing program. How are standing presently the works that have already started off?
M.N.: Referring to the above-mentioned strategy I can tell you that is heading on several directions, materialized in three major programs: the maintenance of the tracks and the works of art, the maintenance of SCB equipment and the electrification and the general overhauls and modernization works.
Besides other objectives, the main actions on medium and short term stipulated for the current year in the maintenance of tracks and the works of art program are aiming two processes. Thus, we are trying hard to minimize the length of the railway section in which currently are registered speed restrictions and to reduce the deterioration degree of the railway infrastructure and superstructure, mostly stressing the prevention measures.
With regard to the signaling equipment and the electrification, the maintenance program for 2001-2010 aims, in the first stage, stopping the deterioration and also the maintenance at technical parameters that will provide an optimal operation, and in an ulterior stage, their modernization. In this respect, there are also taken into consideration the reconstruction of the spare parts and materials stocks necessary for this interventions, stocks that have been diminished drastically pursuant to the frequent and already well-known vandalism actions, which were registered by the railways lately. In point of the signaling equipment chapter there are stipulated: the replacement of the electro-mechanisms EM-4 type with switch points electro-mechanisms EM-5R type, much more efficient; the repairing and the replacement, where necessary, of the accumulation stationary batteries, which have the exploitation deadline exceeded; the repairing and the replacement of the electrical supply cables and those from certain signaling equipment, as well as the repairing and the replacement of the traffic lights inductors. With regard to the electrification equipment, the program "attacks" the following objectives: the maintenance of the contact line and the transformers with 16 MWA power; the maintenance and the repairing of the equipment in the electrical hauling substations, of the display-mechanization equipment, and also their replacement with more performant command and control modules and, not at last, the repairing of the electrogenic groups in the railway stations.
The general overhauls and modernization program represents the most important chapter of the strategy, because the integration in the European Union supposes, among other objectives, the alignment of our railway infrastructure at the European standards. This is the reason why we have been forced to stress mainly the resuming of the big investment and modernization programs, ceased for a while due to the lack of funds. We have also started off new other programs, which will lead to a faster rehabilitation of the railway infrastructure and superstructure. Yet, due to the fact that it is compulsory to reconsider the status hold by the railway system in the current society, we try to intensify the concerns aiming the increase of the confidence of the beneficiaries and the concerns how to attract to the railway the clients. We are also trying to extend its importance on the transport market, due to the fact that the imperative of these processes is spread around with more acuteness at the European Community level.
Reverting to our field of development, we have to mention that presently the rehabilitation and the modernization of the railway infrastructure on the pan-European corridors IV and IX represent the priority objective of CFR SA Company. Consequently, our attention was headed starting with the current year towards the modernization actions for the Corridor IV (Curtici - Arad - Simeria - Brasov - Bucharest - Constanta). They will provide the railway transit link on the Romanian territory in the relationship of the Central and Western Europe with the Southeastern Europe and Middle East - through Constanta harbor.
Referring to the stage of the works that are in development phase on railway section Bucharest - Campina, component of the trans-European Corridor IV, we have to say that the last year there have been finalized the works on the 1st operational line on Bucharest Nord - Chitila, Buda - Floresti and Buftea - Peris railway sections. These sections are going to be put into operation again, in order to be started the modernization works on other sections of the 2nd line, that will be closed on this purpose. In spite of the inconvenience the company has experienced, which is represented by the delays registered by certain trains, however, there has been managed the maintenance in operation of 90 train sets daily, and we can consider it a real achievement. The delays are implied by the imposed speed restrictions on the sections where the works are performed in order to provide a complete safety operation.
R.J.: Which are the advantages of the Railways after the finalization of this program?
M.N.: The program that CFR SA has proposed for the rehabilitation and the modernization of the railway infrastructure takes into consideration its alignment to the European technical parameters, so that it will be able to provide the interoperability of the Romanian railways with the European railway networks. The strategic major objective of our program on long term is the provision of the passenger train circulation with a maximal speed of 200 km/h and of the freight trains with the maximal speed of 120 km/h, on the railway sections that require big investments on the existing lines. In a first stage, in the near future, the modernization actions will lead to the provision of the passengers trains operation with a maximal speed of 160 km/h, in order to be faster harmonized with the parameters stipulated by AGC (the European Agreement for the Main Transport Lines).
R.J.: The last year there has been signed a memorandum between Romania, Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine for the development of the railway corridor Gdansk - Constanta. Tell us, Sir, what strategic objectives are meant in this respect?
M.N.: We consider that this project is extremely important for the European railway transport, as well as for the Romanian transport, because Gdansk - Constanta route represents an extremely advantageous position for linking Europe with Central Asia. The achievement of this project is also important due to the fact that it opens the perspective for a route that links the North Sea and the Black Sea to be integrated in the pane-European transport network. In fact, deciding to achieve the project known under the name of TRACECA, the European Union enhances the development of Gdansk - Constanta corridor. As for the objectives aimed through this project, we have to tell that they are aiming mainly the increase of the operation speed and the reduction of the travel duration between the two harbor-cities.
Also, the improvements that will be obvious at the railway infrastructure pursuant to the modernization actions will be decisive also in point of the increased level of comfort and safety operation. This will lead, naturally, to the increase of the demands for transport on the railway - those for passengers covering a well-defined segment of the railway transports, while the freight transport services will have the chance to regain the lost market.
From the economical point of view, it is very important for us the fact that the achievement of the rehabilitation works will also lead to the reduction of infrastructure maintenance expenses. Additionally, I can say that the modernization of the railway corridor Gdansk - Constanta will stress the investments achieved on corridor IV. This corridor crosses Romania, connecting the north part of the Europe with the Middle East, through Constanta harbor, and through a railway network provides a high-speed operation and a high degree of safety and comfort.
Presently, the negotiation for the enforcement of this important project has reached in a quite advanced stage.
R.J.: As a conclusion on the measures taken, how would you appreciate year 2001 for the Romanian Railways?
M.N.: Besides the concrete achievements, which I have already mentioned, I have to tell you that CFR has taken important steps regarding the relationships with European Union countries, which have experienced a major transformation themselves. This transformation was made also including the legislation specific to the railway transports - in their attempt to reorganize the continental railway activity based on the market economy principles.
R.J.: In the end, we would like you to tell us what other priority objectives you are aiming the current year.
M.N.: We are aiming to continue the reformation process, started off four years ago, through the enforcement of the European Union provisions referring to the railway transport and the development of a sustained activity within the international organizations where CFR is an active member. On the other hand, we are aiming the development of the collaboration with other railway administrations from the countries that are already part o EU, and not only. Also, we are aiming as well the co-operation with various companies and firms in the European railway industry and with various international financial institutions in order to identify the optimal technical and financial solutions in order to develop our own infrastructure.
As a conclusion, I would like to show you that, through these programs, CFR SA has proposed to fructify as much as possible the geographical position, which is extremely advantageous to the Romanian railway network, being placed on the direction of the pan-European corridors IV and IX. Also, we proposed to maintain in force all the measures aiming the increase of the railway interoperability at continental level in order to integrate as soon as possible the Romanian Railways in the pan-European railway transport network.
R.J.: We would like to thank you and to wish you the desiderata expressed today to become completely the achievement of tomorrow. A "tomorrow" which we all want to be as soon as possible…

Oana Bran