China’s Locomotives Blossoming in Europe
The world's first super capacitor and battery shunting locomotive co-manufactured by China and Austria has put into use. (Photographed by the reporter Guan Jiangjiang)
In Austrian countryside, green grassbrims everywhere. A drizzling rain cleanedbright blue locomotiveglitteringly. Whistle blew, and it pull a yellow locomotive slowly out of the yard through the field, and then converged into the main line--- the world's first super capacitor and battery hybrid shunting locomotive added a touch of bright color for the scientific field of the “Belt and Road Initiative”.
“The 'Blue locomotive' participated in the Berlin International Rail Transit Technology Exhibition, and it was named the Best New Energy Locomotive."
In the driver’s cab, Willy Bardie Meyer, chief executive officer of Austrian T Ekosol Company, operated the instrument effectively. "Just now, it wasin the capacitor model, and now we were going to enter the trunk railway on condition that it switched to the power mode." With this, Mayr twisted a knob, consequently, the number on the control screen popped up.
Shunt locomotives refers to small railway locomotives that perform shunting tasks at the station, usually driven by electricity. What should we do when there is no electricity?
In 2014, the Austrian government and the Austrian Federal Railway decided to carry out scientific research cooperation globally for the solutionof Austrian main line to solve driving problemof the electric tram locomotive when in the no power area. Although Tycosol company won the bid, it was troubled finding the ideal partner until metthe CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as ZELC). Proposed by ZELC, the original power mode has been upgraded. In May 2016, the cooperation project started. In just two months, they successfullyfinished the conversion on the basis of the Austrian Federal Railroad 1063 electric shunting locomotive, and were field tested.
Recalled the test scenes, Meyer could not conceal his expressions: "We loaded the 'blue locomotive' more than 1,500 tons of weight, and it run in the mode of super capacitor with speed of 80 kilometers per hour. The Measured effect was better than the expected!" Long Yuan, a senior engineer of CRRC ZELC, full participated in theformulation andimplementation oftransformation program. He said the company invested a lot of resources, in a very short period of time to prepare the partsfor the "world first". Meyer then took the words: If you use custom parts, I believe the test results can be increased by 30%.
Austrian Federal Railways European and international affairs Chief Mark • Toba -Gokcelik wrote a reply to the reporter's question, said the super capacitor and battery hybrid shunting locomotive will be a future-oriented technology. "The supercapacitor offers the necessary acceleration capability, and the battery is required for the shunting reserve. This flexibility plus zero emissions provides a sustainable solution for green shunting." In September 2016, the "Blue Locomotive" participated Berlin International Rail Transit Technology Exhibition, in which it was named the Best New Energy Locomotive. Longyuan said that the European rail transit technology is more developed and mature, ZELC would take a differentiated strategy to gradually openthe market through the demonstration project. In fact, the "blue locomotive" soon played a demonstration role. Deutsche Railroad companyvisited and investigated ZELC at the end of the year, and ultimately gave ZELC the highest supplier qualification.
"Austrian Federal Railways opened the Vienna Railway freight South Station at the end of last year, hoping it can become an important hub along the way."
With the advancement of "One Road and Belt" cooperation and the “going global” for China’s EMU, ZELC’s rail transit products are increasingly welcome. In 2014, Macedonia purchasedsix sets of EMU from ZELC, which was the first time that China’s EMU were exported to Europe; in December 2016,Rio Fast Speed RailwayCompany, the Czech private railway operator,signed theprocurement contract of 3 sets of EMUwith ZELC, which was the first time the China’s EMU access to the EU market. China's supplies range from 3 sets of EMU, initial spare parts, special tools, testing equipment to training services; at the beginning of this year, Macedonia purchased four electric locomotives a second time. These vehicles will be operated on the European electrified railway line –pan-European Line 10 (In Macedonia).
Chen Qiang, the deputy general manager of ZELC(Europe), said that products featuring the independent property rights, fine-manufacturing, cost-effectiveness has become the business card of "Made in China". At the same time, capital-intensive, technology-intensive industries are becoming the core driver ofimpact of China's manufacturing on the globe. ZELC’s going global does not meansoutputtingthe traditional product, but giving full play to the comprehensive advantages, actively promoting technological innovation and business model innovation, and forming a systematic program outputtingfrom a single product to the "product + service + technology + investment", thus achievingadvancement of quality improvement and cost advantage.
Just a few years, China’s locomotivewere blossoming in Europe, which wasnot only the reflection ofZELC’s comprehensive strength,demonstration of China's high-end manufacturing in Europe more and more recognized, but also the enthusiastic responseof European countries to the “One Belt and Road”, interconnectivity and other cooperation and initiatives. Czech Rio Fast Speed Railway had long-term procurement of Swiss-made trains, the company's chief executive Peter Cole told the Swiss media that they eventually decided to China’s programnot only for its quality but also the unparalleled integrated advantage. For instance,the size of the whole group and its ability to build a new model can’t be underestimated.In addition, its financing capacity also played a certainrole.
Toba -Gokcelikonce said, the "One Belt and Road" initiative covers a number of maritime and terrestrial access from Europe to Europe, and Austria is particularly interested in participating in cooperation in South-Eastern Europe. At the end of the year, the Austrian Railways opened the Vienna Railway Freight South Station, hoping it would become an important hub on the "Belt and Road."
Chinese ambassador to Austria Li Xiaosi said that Austria is interested in participating in the "One Belt and Road" initiative. Austrian Prime Minister Kern paid special attention to China-EU cooperation in the field of railway construction and made concrete proposals and suggestions on EU-China infrastructurecooperation. At present, "16 +1 cooperation" mechanismbetween China and the Central and Eastern European countries is becoming mature.The construction of Hungary-to-Serbia railway, Adriatic-Baltic sea-black sea harbor district and a number of interconnection demonstration projectsare landing, giving birth to a large number of production capacity cooperation and trade and investment opportunities. China and Austria in the Central and Eastern Europe have enormous potential in tripartite cooperation.