In order to make room for new trains, Czech Railways (České dráhy – ČD) is scrapping old carriages at an average rate of one carriage per day.
Last year, ČD sent 279 vehicles to be scrapped, and another 43 vehicles were sold to new owners. The process of disposing of hundreds of decommissioned vehicles is still ongoing.
This year, Czech Railways is completing the most extensive train modernization process in the country’s history, which has been ongoing for four years. As a result, the company has put into service 110 two- and three-car RegioPanter electric multiple units (manufactured by the Škoda Group), 106 RegioFox diesel multiple units (manufactured by Pesa), 20 ComfortJet trains, and 150 Siemens Vectron locomotives, of which 50 have been delivered and and 100 leased.
“If we report on the individual number of carriages or units, the figure is much higher. We are talking about 822 new vehicles with almost 45,000 seats in air-conditioned spaces. For such a large number of new trains, we had to free up space in depots and parking stations and scrap the old carriages,” said Michal Krapinec, CEO of ČD.
Scrapped carriages
Last year, ČD sent 279 old carriages for scrapping, with one carriage or locomotive being taken out of service and sent for scrap every working day.
The physical dismantling concerns both withdrawn traction vehicles and passenger carriages. Dozens of units are disappearing, in particular the so-called “koženky” – various types of carriages for long-distance and regional transport, mainly of Czech and German manufacture.
“Among traction vehicles, last year mainly retired electric multiple units from the 460 series and multiple units from the 810 series were sent for scrapping, as well as, of course, their trailer carriages from the 063, 010, 012, or 015 series. Among passenger cars, the most frequently removed from the rails were the famous “koženky,” i.e., the classic car of our fast trains of the past, with compartments for eight people, originally with imitation leather benches,” said Jiří Ješeta, deputy director for passenger transport at ČD.
He also said that 54 B249 carriages and 70 Bdt units (with saloon-type layout) had been scrapped. The scrapping of other old carriages included Bdmtee and BDs types.
In addition to scrapping old carriages, vehicles were also sold to other owners, who purchased a total of 43 vehicles. The sale included, for example, 810 series multiple units and other units, various types of UIC-Y/B 70 express train carriages, in particular the B249 series, as well as several historic carriages. The buyers of these vehicles are from the Czech Republic, but also from Germany and Poland.
This year, Czech Railways scrapped another 500 carriages and locomotives, as they will be taken out of service. In addition, the company is also expecting buyers interested in vehicles.
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