České dráhy cancels plans to modernize class Bdmtee cars
New replacements won't be supplied before 2025.
České dráhy has canceled its plans to modernize dozens of class Bdmtee passenger cars for regional transport. Tratec-CS, the company contracted to carry out the remodeling, has gone bankrupt. The modernized cars were to be used mainly on the Kolín – Česká Třebová line. České dráhy will now have to make do with the old cars until 2025 when they will be replaced with electric units.
Three wagons have been modernized and two are still in progress, ČD says. However, the modernized cars have several defects and break down frequently. České dráhy would like to complete the modernization of the two cars. This is complicated by the insolvency proceedings with Tratec, with assets partially blocked.
Last year, České dráhy tried unsuccessfully to find a supplier other than Tratec-CS. Either the price was too high or the work would take longer. Tratec-CS was awarded the ČD framework contract for the modernization of up to 52 cars in November 2020. The contract price for one car was CZK 13.5 million. The class Bdmtee series cars were produced in Bautzen, Germany between 1989 and 1991.
Edited and translated by Lucie Trávníčková