"CFR Călători announces the delivery and entry into service of the last locomotive under the contract with Softronic Craiova for the modernisation of 19 electric locomotives. These have been transformed from 5100 kW electric locomotives into locomotives with asynchronous traction motors and equipped with ETCS level 2 systems," the statement reads.

The contract was carried out under the investment programme financed through PNRR, Pillar 1 - Transition to a green economy, Component C4 - Sustainable transport, Investment I2 - Railway rolling stock for the first ten locomotives, while financing for the last nine was provided under the Transport Programme for 2021-2027. The value of the contract signed in December 2023 is €67.45 million, excluding VAT, for modernisation services, and €33.2 million, excluding VAT, for maintenance services.

"By completing this project, the 19 locomotives introduced into commercial operation contribute to the reliability and performance of passenger rail transport in Romania. The modernised locomotives are equipped with technologies that ensure better energy efficiency, increased reliability, reduced maintenance costs and improved comfort for passengers," CFR Călători said. The 19 modernised locomotives each carry the name of a personality from Romanian culture, science and history, including Mihai Eminescu, George Enescu, Constantin Brâncuși, Nicolae Iorga, King Ferdinand I and Ana Aslan.

Under the same PNRR-financed programme, CFR Călători is carrying out modernisation contracts with Reloc Craiova (19 electric locomotives, of which 18 delivered to date) and with SCRL Brașov (37 locomotives, including 17 electric and 20 diesel-hydraulic converted to plug-in battery electric units). In total, the rolling stock modernisation programme financed through PNRR comprises 75 locomotives.