REFLECTING progress made with electrification at 25 kV 50Hz of its 503 km Athens - Thessaloniki trunk line, Hellenic Railways Organisation has placed orders worth DM600m with Siemens of Germany for a fleet of main-line electric rolling stock. Announced on March 10, the contracts are for 20 five-car inter-city EMUs, 24 Eurosprinter locomotives and 106 loco-hauled coaches.
The aluminium-bodied EMUs valued at DM230m will be built in conjunction with local supplier Hellenic Shipyards. They will be able to run at 160 km/h. OSE’s 200 km/h locos worth DM160m will be delivered from late 2000 onwards and will be based on six locos ordered from Siemens and Krauss Maffei in 1996. This contract is with a Siemens-led consortium.
The DM215m coach order covers four types able to run at 200 km/h: dining cars and first and second class cars in different versions with large and small compartments.
