1970s “bespectacled” rail veterans to get new lease on life
They are veterans from the 1970’s and because of their characteristic front windows resembling glasses, they were nicknamed “Brejlovec”. They may be old-fashioned, but these diesel engines are not ready to retire. Czech Railways has announced it is giving them a new lease on life.
Czechia is investing millions of crowns into high-speed rail lines that will enable modern trains to travel at higher speeds across the country in the years to come. But that does not mean that the country’s rail veterans have been entirely sidelined. Steam powered trains are still brought out for train enthusiasts on special occasions and special steam train rides for children are regularly organized in the regions over the summer holidays.
Now, Czech railways has announced that it is planning to repair up to 30 diesel engines from the late 1970s. They will run on non-electrified lines or in emergency situations. The repair of one engine will cost about CZK 105 million and train driver Jiří Novák who is familiar with them, says it will be worth every haler.
"It's such a cult series and they were at the start of motorized rail transport at Czech Railways. These engines once served on the main routes, running from Děčín to Prague or from Beroun to Plzeň. They have been in service for 40 years" .
The Brejlovec’s hey-day is long past. Today the diesel engine runs mainly on non-electrified lines. Its placement is therefore very limited. In the vicinity of Prague, the Brejlovec veterans take passengers to Čerčany or on weekends to Blatná, in south Bohemia, some 100 km from the capital.
Some might argue they are ready for the scrapyard. However, Czech Railways spokesman Filip Medelský says the CZK 3 billion investment into modernizing these engines will pay off.
"We did a market survey and it turned out that in terms of time and economic cost it is advantageous for us to reconstruct and fundamentally modernise the 754 series. This is also in view that in the future some sections of the Czech railway will remain non-electrified. Also, we need to have diesel engines in sufficient numbers in case of power failures. That is why we have decided to issue a public tender for the modernisation of this series," he added.
The cost of repair work on one machine is calculated at around CZK 100 million. Pricey as that may seem, Medelský says it would have been less advantageous to acquire new diesel or dual-fuel machines to serve that purpose.
"I should point out that the engines will undergo a complete overhaul. A huge number of parts and components will be replaced. Basically, only the frame will remain the same. And the price corresponds to the extent of the work that will be carried out."
The Brejlovec trains will also get a new ETCS signaling system and will therefore be able to use the country’s main lines and corridors should the need arise.
