CZ LOKO wins recognition in Latvia

CZ LOKO and LDz ritošā sastāva serviss, a company ensuring all rolling stock repairs for state-owned railways Latvijas dzelzceļš (LDz), have signed a contract for modernisation of 13 ČME3 locos to be delivered to LDz and commissioned in 2013 at the latest. With this contract, CZ LOKO continues its successful project started with the modernisation of the first Latvian loco ČME3M 4644. The ČME3 - six-axle diesel and electric locos are primarily designed for heavy shunting. With the modernisation when only the repaired bogie and the main frame remain of the original vehicle, the companies get a state-of-the-art locomotive full of electronic equipment. The Latvian alternative of the ČME3 modernisation has the Caterpillar 3512C HD engine with an output of 1550 kW that meets the Stage IIIA emission limits. Compared to the previous ČME3 facelifts in eastern markets, the Latvian loco is fully constructed and manufactured in compliance with the technical standards valid in the EU countries. The first modernised ČME3M 4644 loco went down the lines of the Riga manufacturing plant in August 2011 (the picture shows the loco in the Shķirotava marshalling yard in Riga on 23 August 2011; photo: Maksims Shlikovs).