Tesmec‘s new APLA vehicles

On 5 December 2023, a special vehicle for overhead line maintenance of a Type APLA100-e arrived at the VUZ Velim test centre; it was transported here on a road trailer. The manufacturer is Tesmec Rail, the same Italian company from which the Czech company Elektrizace železnic Praha ordered four four-axle Type OCPD001 diesel railcars for overhead line maintenance and construction in October 2019, whose deliveries started in March 2020, and then four more cars in early 2022, which were delivered before the end of the same year.

Tesmec Rail has developed a new eco-friendly compact modular and multipurpose two-axle wagon, designated APLA100-e, which has the following main features:
- electric power transmission, with full battery or dieselelectric version,
- self-propelled in working mode,
- no noise or pollutant emissions, suitable for the operations in restricted working areas, such as tunnels, urbanized centres and stations,
- high efficiency and superior operational performance (in respect to similar vehicles).

APLA is an abbreviation derived from Tesmec's rolling stock codification as follows: A = Ancillary units, PLA = Unit with PLAtform. 100-e indicates the energy of the battery pack below 100 kWh (here a lithium-ion battery of 70 kWh has been installed).

The APLA100-e wagon can be towed up to the max speed of 100 km/h, and it can move self-propelled in work mode between 0 and 9 km/h. It is equipped with a full-battery traction system with a nominal battery capacity of 105 Ah. However, a back-up 24 kW diesel genset is also included in case of emergency due to a low level of traction battery. APLA100-e has a one wheelset powered, using the 150 kW traction motor, which is so dimensioned for future applications.

APLA100-e is equipped with a crane (that can be pulled sideways) and a lifting swivel platform. The crane can be used in combination with the platform also with a funtion as a positioner of catenary wires. The vehicle can be fitted with various working equipment and its maximum dimensions (length over buffers of 10,240 mm, width of 2,860 mm) have been chosen to allow for road transport.

The wheelbase is 6,000 mm, the wheel diameter is 920 mm when new and 840 mm at maximum wear, and the minimum curve radius is 150 m. The height of the car is 4,070 mm above TOR, the working platform can reach up to 7,000 mm above TOR and can be rolled up to a distance of 3,310 mm from the track axis. The maximum vehicle’s weight in full load is 26,9 t.

The APLA100-e was present at Velim until early January 2024, and the tests necessary for the homologation of the vehicle were carried out, specifically relating to running behaviour and braking characteristics, EMC and weight measurement. The car then returned to the Tesmec Monopoli facility to complete the homologation process. Approval from ERA is expected to be awarded in the fourth quarter of 2024.