Since 2007 Hector Rail provides traction for passenger trains in Sweden. Hector Rail has in recent years invested in seven locomotives approved for up to 230 km/h. More and more service providers are exploring opportunities in the fully liberalized Swedish rail passenger market. Hector Rail has decided to extend its offering from traction only to whole train sets approved for 200 km/h. Used coaches purchased in Holland can be upgraded according to a service provider’s requirements.
Hector Rail will not enter the rail passenger market themselves. The intention is to offer a complete train system to a service provider who is interested in not only creating a cost-effective, but also a fast and comfortable travel market offering. The technical standard and interior can be adapted on the targeted passenger market segments.
The concept of locomotive and coaches means lower overhead costs compared to multiple units that increasingly have become the standard for passenger trains. Locomotives and coaches also offer more opportunities to vary the train size according to demand. Maintenance costs and complexity can also be reduced.
The purchased coaches were originally built in Germany, where they were used for long-distance traffic at 200 km/h. During the last ten years, the coaches have been used for traffic in the Netherlands. Hector Rail’s locomotives for passenger traffic have an effect of more than six million watts, which is almost twice as much as existing passenger locomotives or X2000 trains. This means faster acceleration and ability to maintain a higher average speed.
