Budapest metros are in serious trouble because of the war in Ukraine!
Budapest metro lines 2 and 4 are certainly in trouble, but even metro line 3 could be in serious trouble due to the lack of parts caused by the war in Ukraine.
Production was suspended
As borsonline.hu writes, the supply of spare parts for Alstom trains has become uncertain due to the war in Ukraine. Alstom trains run on the Budapest Red (M2) and Green (M4) lines, and their wheel disks were manufactured in Dnipro, Ukraine, until the Russian invasion. Now, the industrial centre is under constant attack and may no longer even exist as it may have been bombed. In any case,
production was suspended at the end of February.
The problem
According to VG.hu, the war in Ukraine has made the replacement of the wheels of metro lines 2 and 4 uncertain, which could ultimately affect the timetable. The background to the problem is that the treads of Alstom trains running on the lines wear out from time to time.
BKV will first turn the tyres, but when this is no longer possible, they will have to be replaced.
The necessary monoblock wheels are purchased from a supplier in the capital.
No bolts delivered since the end of February
According to the news site, however, the replacement of monoblock wheels could have much more serious consequences for metro lines 2 and 4 than the problems with the supply of parts for metro line 3. Since the start of the war, no bolts have been delivered to the blue metro (M3) trains, and it is not known whether the manufacturer is currently addressing the problem. According to BKK, however, this has not yet affected maintenance, but according to press reports, stocks will only last for a few months, as Népszava reported.
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Poor quality
As borsonline.hu writes, the 2020 independent expert report identified 18 serial defects on otherwise poor-quality Russian vehicles and concluded that
Russian vehicles are particularly high maintenance for new vehicles.
The faulty parts are taken from wagons that are not currently in use, thus mitigating possible schedule disruptions. The repair of the two trains damaged at Kőbánya-Kispest station would also have been partly carried out by the Russian company.
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Source: borsonline.hu, vg.hu, nepszava.hu
5 Comments
What a Futuristic OPPORTUNITY – for Hungary.
Hopefully – we can in the short term, maintain operational Metro Lines 2 & 4 – in ALL the required Safety Standards and that the situation, on the dependency of the Ukraine, presently under a war, mounted by Russia on that country – can facilitate us – with our requirements.
The question I pose, and CHALLENGE to those on the Government of Hungarys payroll, those who are paid from the taxes paid by the Citizens of Hungary – return – bring back to Hungary – this type of manufacturing railway industry.
Reading the history of Ganz located in the massive workshops in Kobanyai utca – these days known as Chinatown – where East meets the West – in its Helcyon days – Ganz Works – at this plant – which employed 3000 workers – and “others” across the Budapest landscape – and wider Hungary – they “in house” – for the needs of the Hungarian Railway and Trams – made/produced – what we could be – Strangulated – not being able to receive from the Ukraine – enabling US – to maintain operation of our Metro Line Trains on Lines 2 & 4.
Post 2020 – the changing FACE of Europe of the World – we Hungary a war taking place across our boader – this AGAIN – is an EXAMPLE – that Governments elected to SERVE its PEOPLE – have to re-think and ADAPT to the changed Face of Europe and the Wider World.
Job creativity – through INVESTMENT – if in the case of the subject of this article is FACT – investigate it – do the economic evaluation of it.
Investment – this could be an OPPORTUNITY – to “bring it home” to Hungary – this manufacturing industry.
REMEMBER – our Metro Lines are planed to GROW – Line 5 – and NEEDS – Demands on-going – will be there.
Hungarian jobs we could CREATE and possible see us – being a manufacturer – that is sort after and become an EXPORTER of our Manufactured Hungarian – Wheels & Tyres – for Metro Trains,Trams and Rail “broadsheet ” requirements.
Opportunities – looking at the BIG Picture and taking calculated risk – that in the case of Hungary – its present Government – don’t throw it in the “to hard basket ” – but look at and EVALUATE – its possibilities and its Long Term WORTH to Hungary – and its Citizens.
What is peculiar in a sense is that Alstom, as mentioned in the article, is a French company and makes trains for many other places (see the link): Are those other countries going to be affected? Or were their trains and train parts better quality (and more expensive) and not made in Ukraine? Answers on a postcard……https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alstom
Caritas – great idea instead of constantly complaining about the quail of the product – someone should contact Elon Musk who had built 4 of the latest manufacturing plants in the world in a few short years and the richest man in world in half most peoples life time.
Things like electric vehicles – battery’s – tunnel boring equipment – rockets – just to mention a few and does it for much less and faster – he has done space and rockets for a fraction the US government. Yes he gets government contracts – the tax payers are the big winners. Metro line 4 is one of favorites in the world. The Jubilee line in London’s is the best I’ve been to, but had to cost 100 times more per station. The beauty of metro 4 is has similar feel at fraction of the cost.
Tm – not the case of Governments not receiving getting “Free” external ideas and recomendations – history knows that better than I – but manufacturing that I have seen absolutely stripped away – eradicated from a countrys vocabulary – is perplexing or quite mindboggling.
Australia – that rich, resourceful, young country, it’s land & plains – full of “Needs” of the World – but look at the Manufacturing Statistics in it’s CV – mindboggling.
Australia – over the course of the past 50 years has gone from being a Manufacturing based economy, to in the 21st century – an IMPORTER.
Have you riden the Doha Metro ?
Wow – amazing and the seating in 1st Class – yes there are classes of travel – better than 1st Class on an ICE.
Happy Easter – to You & ALL.
@TM, comparing the M4 and the Jubilee line is like comparing chalk and cheese. The technical challenges of boring through London clay and fitting a line in with other the much Greater London infrastructure are but two reasons that a comparison of costs is not appropriate.