The 16 Alstom Traxx electric locomotives purchased for Romania cannot be used for passenger transport due to incompatibility with the ETCS system.

The Pro Infrastructure Association warns that the 16 Alstom Traxx electric locomotives, purchased with a contract of approximately 90 million euros, risk not being used for passenger transport due to compatibility issues with the European ETCS signaling system.

Although the locomotives continue to arrive in Romania, with five units in the reception process, the risk that they may not be able to operate is real. ETCS, designed to increase railway safety, stops the locomotive if the ground system is not functioning. Pro Infrastructure emphasizes that the removal of ETCS beacons on certain sections is not a viable solution, especially on those where ETCS Level 2 is already installed.

Criticism is also directed at the management of the ETCS implementation in Romania, where considerable sums have been invested without concrete results. The association argues that the operationalization of ETCS would bring significant benefits in terms of safety and train speed, proposing that the solution should be the activation of this system, not its removal.