Elron hopes to prevent trouble Latvia has been having with Skoda trains
Latvia has taken delivery of new Skoda trains the likes of which should also reach Estonia later in the year. But half the new fleet has been grounded in Latvia due to numerous faults with the trains. Estonian passenger carrier Elron hopes it can prevent these problems from occurring.
Last week, Latvia's public broadcaster LSM wrote that only eight out of seventeen new Skoda trains in Latvia are carrying passengers. Many of the trains have encountered electronics and sensor failures, requiring additional tests to fix the errors. In January, Latvian Transport Minister Kaspars Briškens said that if 95 percent of the trains are not operational by the beginning of March, Latvia could demand Skoda pay a fine.
This year, Estonia will start receiving Skoda trains of the same base model. Therefore, Elron has been keeping an eye on the new trains' arrival in Latvia. Elron board member Märt Ehrenpreis emphasized that buying new trains is not like buying a new car from a showroom.
"A train is comparable to commissioning a block of a power plant. There are over 50 mandatory tests and an additional 15 dynamic tests to follow," Ehrenpreis explained.
Therefore, it is normal for some issues to arise at the beginning. The defects that have occurred in Latvia could be fixed before the trains arrive in Estonia.
"Skoda has also given us an overview of what the issues have been in Latvia and how they plan to prevent them. In our opinion, these measures have been effective. As a good example, the automation system is sensitive to a certain range of voltage. If this voltage range is configured wider, then the sensitivity issue disappears. Such issues have been resolved and are being resolved," Ehrenpreis clarified.
Estonia is set to take delivery of the first two Skoda trains in late April or early May.
"With the first two [trains], we plan to conduct extensive testing to identify the adjustments required due to the Estonian infrastructure and conditions."
A total of six trains will arrive in Estonia, which will start carrying passengers from the beginning of next year.
"Unlike the example of Latvia, where a lot of trains were put into operation all at once, we have planned to start using [the new and old trains] with a mixed schedule from the beginning of 2025. We do not plan to increase traffic volume in the first quarter," Ehrenpreis added.
This year, all train systems will be tested in Estonia: how they receive electricity from the overhead lines, how the heating works, whether the passenger information system functions well, and whether safety systems, such as the sanding device, operate as they should.
"The trains use a system where sand is sprinkled between the wheel and the rail in the event of sudden braking and also when starting to move in complex conditions," explained the representative of Elron. The tests also ensure that the trains are ready to travel at a speed faster than currently, up to 160 kilometers per hour.
"Testing is conducted at 176 kilometers per hour on an Estonian internal test section."
Planned test runs will also take place, where the weight of passengers is replaced by sandbags.
"April, May, and onwards is a busy period for test runs. During the summer, it's possible to spot [the new trains] on platforms and otherwise on the infrastructure."
Elron is not deeply worried about the example of Latvia, Ehrenpreis added. However, he mentioned that the client must always be demanding. Hence all the tests and the involvement of external experts.
"I believe that everything will go well and the trains will be successfully launched into service."
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Editor: Mirjam Mäekivi, Marcus Turovski