Electric connections NEWAG S.A

ELECTRIC CONNECTIONS

NEWAG S.A., a leading Polish manufacturer of rolling stock, has increased its focus on electric and hybrid units.

As one of the oldest railway companies in Poland, NEWAG has extensive experience in the manufacture and modernisation of rolling stock.

A modern company which successfully combines cutting-edge technology with traditions dating back to 1876, NEWAG has a stable and strong position in the Polish rolling stock market, and is ready to support the expansion of electric and hybrid vehicles in its native country and beyond.

A century of experience

NEWAG’s history goes back to the year 1876 when it was formed as the Imperial Royal Railway Workshops. At that time, and for many decades afterwards, the company focused solely on the heavy maintenance of locomotives at its headquarters in Nowy Sacz.

It was in the early 21st century that NEWAG began the process of transformation into the leading rolling stock manufacturer we recognise today. In 2003 the company was privatised, but perhaps the most significant year was 2008 when it manufactured its first rail car in-house, the 19WE electric multiple unit.

In 2013, the company was listed on the Warsaw stock exchange and began to grow its position as a major rolling stock manufacturer. Today, NEWAG designs and builds electric multiple units, hybrid multiple units, diesel multiple units, diesel locomotives, electric locomotives and trams, as well as passenger carriages. Multi-system options

In recent years, NEWAG has dominated the Polish market in the production of electric multiple units and in the production and modernisation of electric locomotives. NEWAG’s recent developments include the cutting-edge electric locomotives GRIFFIN and DRAGON.

The E4MSU GRIFFIN, which belongs to a family of 4-axle electric locomotives, is the first Polish multisystem locomotive adapted to be used both with the 3kV direct current power supply system as used in Poland, and with the 15kV or 25kV alternating current power supply systems which are used in other European countries. Its interoperability and multisystem option make this locomotive suitable for homologation in most European countries.

On the other hand, the DRAGON electric locomotive is the first completely Polish-designed locomotive produced in Poland in the last 25 years, destined to pull heavy freight trains. The mono-system DRAGON is the first traction vehicle based on a six-axle locomotive platform which is adapted to the European market. It is powerful, safe, economical, fully equipped and, most importantly, very reliable.

Innovative winner of awards

Similarly, NEWAG remains at the forefront with its electric multiple units. Its products from the IMPULS family are the most cutting-edge rail vehicles manufactured in Poland. These are low-floor, opencoach vehicles, equipped with a full interior monitoring system, air conditioning, a modern passenger information system and, optionally, with ticket dispensers and ticket punchers.

The innovative IMPULS 2 type 36WEh hybrid multiple unit is the first Polish rail vehicle which, apart from electric drive, also has diesel drive, allowing it to be operated on non-electrified railway routes. Combining innovative technologies in the new IMPULS has resulted in a much wider functionality and range of vehicle applications for train operators, while also dramatically increasing travel comfort for passengers.

The IMPULS 2 type 36WEh hybrid multiple unit won international recognition - the product was awarded the main prize in the prestigious Ernest Malinowski Contest for products and innovations applied in the railway industry, held at 13th TRAKO 2019 International Railway Fair in Gdańsk - a proud moment for NEWAG.

Demonstrating its commitment to research and development, NEWAG has also been involved in two innovative projects looking at vehicles of the future: ‘The first worldwide family of autonomous, configurable bi-modal rail vehicles for servicing cross-regional, regional and urban passenger transport compliant with the TSI Technical Specifications of Interoperability’ and “The first European 4-axle advanced dieselelectric multi-system locomotive compliant with TSI 2014.” A record year

Despite the upheavals created by the global pandemic, NEWAG has recorded excellent results, having achieved its record year with PLN 1.32 billion in revenues, as announced in 2021. This was partly the result of NEWAG signing a major contract in 2020 for the supply of IMPLUS 2 electric trains for the SKM Warszawa carrier. Another key factor in the company’s growth was the signing of contracts for the supply of an innovative hybrid locomotive that can run using an electric or internal combustion engine.

The company has also opened a new logistics centre with a modern high-bay warehouse, with installed solar panels, and has launched the first and only test site in Poland to test locomotives with the different voltage types which are used in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany and Poland.

“In spite of all the difficulties, we have performed very well over the last two years. I believe that in the coming years the projects implemented will further strengthen our position as a leader in the railway vehicle market, and as an innovator and a reliable business partner,” affirmed Zbigniew Konieczek, President of NEWAG, summarising the expectations of the company’s further development.