Almost-New Trains – At a Fraction of the Cost

When the Regina trains had reached just over half of their expected service life, the lessees and Transitio faced a dilemma familiar to many in the industry: refurbish them or start planning for replacement? The answer turned out to be neither – it was something entirely different.

Popular Trains Get a New Lease on Life

Jan Eriksson is responsible for the Regina fleet at Transitio and has followed the project from day one. He describes how it all took shape.

– The lessees have long been satisfied with the Regina fleet. The trains are reliable in service, maintain a high level of quality and perform well in operation. We had planned a standard refurbishment, but when we sat down and listened to their needs, we started to rethink our approach.

– In discussions with the lessees involved, we identified new needs and requests, many of them related to increased comfort and a more modern feel. These included, for example, modernised interiors, the replacement of existing lighting with LED lighting, and upgraded onboard technology.

– Combined with the vehicles’ high underlying quality, this led us to consider a more comprehensive approach. We decided to take a holistic approach and create a package that we called the Mid-Life Refurbishment, says Jan Eriksson.

A Comprehensive Approach Delivers Results

During the project, two major sub-projects were also integrated into the Mid-Life package. One concerns PIS (the Passenger Information System), which manages communication with passengers on board. The other is ETCS – the train’s signalling system, which handles communication between the vehicle and traffic control and, in practice, determines whether the trains are permitted to operate.

– Bringing together so many refurbishment needs under one umbrella has produced very good results, with minimal downtime. Once a train is brought in for servicing, we carry out all the measures at the same time. It takes a little longer per vehicle, but that is nothing compared with the downtime it would have required if the work had been carried out separately, says Jan Eriksson.

Almost-New Trains – for Both Passengers and Drivers

The result is more comprehensive than the term “refurbishment” might suggest. When a Regina train leaves the workshop after the Mid-Life project, it looks different – and feels different.

Externally, the vehicles receive a new paint finish. Inside, passengers are welcomed by more comfortable lighting, improved internet connectivity and a fresher environment. In the driver’s cab, the driver’s seat is replaced, new microphones are installed, and modernised systems make everyday work easier for drivers and enhance safety in service.

– För dig som resenär handlar det om att kliva på ett tåg som känns nytt. Och för hyrestagarna handlar det om fordon med högre tillförlitlighet och driftsäkerhet, säger Jan Eriksson.

Långsiktighet ger vinster

Men det finns också ett perspektiv som sträcker sig längre än resan i sig. Reginatågens beräknade livslängd är 30 år och 9 miljoner kilometer. De första fordonen når den gränsen runt 2030 – men nu pekar allt på att de kommer att rulla betydligt längre än så.

– Att köpa nya tåg är extremt tidskrävande, kostsamt och komplext. Det tar lång tid, och när nya fordon ska integreras i befintliga system uppstår alltid en period av osäkerhet och potentiella driftstörningar. Kan vi istället förlänga livslängden på fordon som redan fungerar väl, är det en vinst på alla plan, inte minst ur ett klimatperspektiv säger Jan Eriksson.

Det första fordonet rullade in för ”Midlife-upprustning” år 2021. Idag har 28 av flottans 59 fordon genomgått upprustningen och rullar nu i trafiken – som nästan nya tåg. Samtliga ska vara rustade senast 2029.

Vill du veta mer om hur Transitio arbetar med förvaltning av spårfordon? Kontakta oss så berättar vi mer.

Resultat

Punktlighet och tillförlitlighet
Punktligheten ökade med 23% tack vare modernare teknik och färre driftstopp. Resenärerna kan nu lita på att tåget kommer när det ska.

Miljövinst
CO2-utsläppen minskade med 35% genom smart kombination av eldrift och förnybar diesel. Krösatågen kör på el där det finns kontaktledning och HVO-diesel på resterande sträckor.

Ökad attraktivitet
Resandet växte med 18% efter lanseringen. Modern utrustning som wifi och realtidsinformation lockade tillbaka resenärer, särskilt yngre målgrupper som tidigare valt bort tåget.

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