Swedish State Railways to overhaul high-speed train fleet

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Swedish State Railways (SJ) has said it plans to spend SEK 3.5 billion (€400 million) overhauling its fleet of high-speed SJ 2000 trains.

The operator will upgrade all 36 of its SJ 2000 trains, which entered service in the late 1980s.

ABB has been awarded a contract worth around €145 million to manage the installation of power conversion and control systems for the programme, which will also see each of the trains fitted with a new modern interior.

SJ chief executive Crister Fritzson said the refurbishment has been driven by a massive increase in passenger numbers over the past 15 to 20 years.

He explained: “The need and demand for environmentally friendly and comfortable travel will keep increasing. Passenger train journeys went up by 59 per cent from 1997 to 2010.

“All signs point to a further strong increase, not least in terms of business travel as companies live up to their sustainability commitments.”

ABB will deliver the first upgraded vehicle in 2015, with the final train then expected to return to service in 2019, subject to successful testing and evaluation.

The SJ 2000, or X2, was built by Swedish manufacturer ASEA, later Adtranz, in the late 1980s and is the only tilting train in Sweden.

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