The state-owned enterprise "Moldovan Railways" has put into service, for the first time, a freight train operated by a locomotive crew consisting of a single engineer
As noted in a statement by the state-owned enterprise "Moldovan Railways", this is an important step toward improving the operational efficiency of the locomotive fleet and optimizing the organization of the transportation process. The train consists of 56 cars with a total weight of about 5,000 metric tons and runs on the Chisinau–Basarabeasca–Etulia route, transporting wheat intended for export. The train is hauled by two locomotives, each operated by a single engineer without an assistant. The implementation of this model was made possible by the high level of professional training among the engineers, strict adherence to traffic safety requirements, the proper technical condition of the rolling stock, and the commissioning of a Monitoring Center that enables real-time video surveillance along the entire route of the train. The practice of operating locomotives with a single engineer has been successfully used for many years on the railways of Japan and many European countries, including Germany, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Norway. International experience shows that, when modern control and monitoring systems are used and safety regulations are strictly followed, this operational model is both effective and safe. The launch of the first freight train operating under this model marks an important step in the modernization of Moldovan Railways’ operational activities. // 23.07.2026 – InfoMarket.
