VR FleetCare has successfully demonstrated specially-developed transfer bogies on an X40 double-deck EMU operated by Swedish operator SJ, which is enabling the standard-gauge fleet to transfer seamlessly to 1524mm gauge in Finland.
VR FleetCare is currently refurbishing 27 of the trains at its site in Oulu in Finland under a contract signed in 2023. Rather than continuing to move individual cars by road to Oulu, VR FleetCare developed the special bogies, which are fitted to the trains at Tornio on the border between Finland and Sweden, from where they continue directly by rail to Oulu. The first train arrived on January 9.
VR FleetCare has invested €10m to improve facilities at Oulu, including in a new paint shop, ahead of the project with SJ. The overhaul is set to increase the fleet’s lifespan by 15-20 years, and is due be completed by early 2028.
The company says the new transfer bogie technology strengthens its position in the wider maintenance and overhaul market, potentially opening its services up to operators of rolling stock across the Nordic region.
“The innovation reduces the environmental impact of transport and supports the sustainability transition in rail traffic,” says Peter Guldbrand, head of sales and project management at VR FleetCare.
