Romanian passenger rail carrier modernizes train car to show need for investment

The National Commercial Wagons Railways Federation (FNFMCV) and the Romanian passenger rail company CFR Calatori have started a campaign to raise awareness on the need of investment in the local railway infrastructure and rolling stock. As part of the campaign, called #SEPOATE (It’s doable), a 120-seat train car was modernized to provide internet and was equipped with air conditioning and cameras. The modernized car is currently running on various national routes to show it to the public. Octav Rusu, the vice president of the Commercial Section Union Alliance with CFR Timisoara, told Mediafaxthat the campaign wants to show that it is not that hard to modernize the existing rolling stock in Romania. All the modernization work took place at the Grivita shop CFR owns in Bucharest. Rusu also said he did not know how much the work cost. “We have tried to make the political decision makers aware, to show that travelers in Romania also deserve to be first-class ones, just as those in the European Union and that it is in our power to make these upgrades,” Rusu said. With the #SEPOATE campaign, FNFMCV and CFR Calatori plan to gather 2 million signatures to support the granting of multi-annual funds for investments, which would be included in the project of the Romania 2018 Centennial, Mediafax reported. This year, private Romanian rail car manufacturer Astra Vagoane Calatori Arad launched a new train model, called Transcarpatic, that the company said offers conditions better than those of its competitors. Private operator Softrans also runs the electric train Hyperion, manufactured in Craiova. The train offers amenities such as free internet or coffee and food machines. Romania’s CFR awards EUR 573 mln contract for railway segment modernization editor@romania-insider.com (Photo source: Federația Națională Feroviară Mișcare Comercial Vagoane Facebook Page)