The order includes 20 Gama 304E locomotives from PESA in Bydgoszcz and 20 Dragon 2 locomotives from Newag. The new units are intended to increase the logistics capabilities of ORLEN Kolej, allowing the company to transport even 7.2 million tons of goods per year at a distance 5.5 million kilometers.
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Record investment and Polish producers
“We promised the largest investment program in history and we are implementing it now.” – said the president of ORLEN, Ireneusz Fąfara. He emphasized that cooperation with Polish companies covers all areas of the concern's operations. “This order will increase the potential of ORLEN Kolej and at the same time support the development of the Polish economy” — he added.
The locomotives will be delivered to the carrier in the years 2027–2028. Production will take place in plants employing a total of over 5.5 thousand people.
The new machines are expected to consume approx 30 percent less energy than older models, and the access module will also allow them to work on lines without electric traction. Both designs are units equipped with engines with a power of 5.6 MW and 5 MW, respectively.
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Modernization of logistics and project financing
The contract is supported by PKO Leasing, which will finance the purchase under the operational leasing formula. “This is the largest transaction of this type in the history of the Polish market,” says the company's president, Tomasz Bogus.
The new rolling stock will replace some of the diesel locomotives and will allow ORLEN Kolej to carry out transport entirely with its own resources, reducing the costs of vehicle leasing. The machines will be compliant with the latest safety systems, including: GSM-R and ETCS.
The head of ORLEN Kolej, Krzysztof Duszczyk, emphasizes that the purchase of new rolling stock is another step towards building a “strong and modern railway company ready to compete on the market”.
Manufacturers' representatives also emphasize the importance of the contract.
“Gama 3.0 is a new era in the development of rolling stock in Poland” – noted the president of PESA, Krzysztof Zdziarski.
In turn, Newag's president, Zbigniew Konieczek, estimated that Dragon 2 “will significantly increase the operational efficiency of ORLEN Kolej”.
