The three-section PRM-400.00 train has been presented by WKD, the operator of the Polish capital’s suburban network. The vehicle is designed for inspecting the condition of the overhead line and for carrying out planned and emergency repair work.
The machine can reach speeds of up to 80 km/h and negotiate curves with a radius of 22 m. The end power section (PRM-400.00.N) is fitted with a 340 kW Caterpillar engine and an overhead line inspection system. The second, intermediate section (PRM-400.00.S) is intended to transport staff and equipment. The third (PRM-400.00.D) carries a device for aligning the contact wire, a hydraulic crane and a lifting platform supplied by Austria’s Palfinger. If required, the train can run in a two-section formation.
A 36 m-long walkway with hydraulically raised sides is mounted on the roof of the train. Its design makes it possible to repair the overhead line without isolating the adjacent track.
WKD ordered the new vehicle in November 2024 to replace the WM15P railcar in service since 1991. The purchase cost PLN 14 mln (€3.3 mln) and was partly subsidised by the Masovian Voivodeship. The operator stresses that the new, more capable train will significantly cut downtime caused by overhead line breaks, which often occur due to the large number of trees alongside the tracks.
The PRM-400.00 was designed and built by the ZPS plant in Stargard. The works was founded in 1859 as a rolling stock repair shop and now produces a range of track machines for both the domestic market and for export, including to European countries, Malaysia and Thailand.
