A challenging year for train traffic - this is how Norske tog works to create improvement

Over the past year, there have been significant challenges with the rolling stock, leading to frustration among travelers. The CEO of Norske tog, Øystein Risan, describes it as an “annus horibilis” for everyone who works with trains and is passionate about giving train customers a good experience.

- When we go into the details, many people have their share of the responsibility, but who owns what part of the problem is not so important for travelers - for them it just has to work. Everyone in the railroad family must go the extra mile to ensure that we never have such a bad year again, says Risan.

Maintenance backlog
There is currently a backlog in both the maintenance and renewal of rolling stock. The train operators are responsible for the daily maintenance of the trains. Norske tog supports them in this work.

- All of Norske tog's trains are already leased, so there is no more available rolling stock when trains need to be taken out of service for necessary maintenance and installation of necessary new technology. Our most important contribution is therefore to buy new trains and renew the train fleet, says Risan.

As the owner of the train sets, Norske tog manages assets worth billions of kroner on behalf of society, and is responsible for ensuring that the trains are well cared for throughout their lifetime. That's why Norske tog currently takes responsibility for the major and costly modifications to the trainsets that a lessee cannot be expected to pay for, such as the installation of on-board equipment for ERTMS (European Railway Traffic Management System). In addition, Norske tog is now working to introduce condition-based maintenance on the Flirt trainsets together with Vy and the manufacturer Stadler.

- Our long-term ambition is to help halve the number of cancellations and delays due to defects in the trainsets. As a train owner, we not only want the maintenance that needs to be done, but also that what should be done is actually done. Preferably, what can be done to make the trains even better should also be done, but here the incentives are probably strongest with us as the owner, says Risan.

New trains will help the situation
The challenges are greatest with the oldest rolling stock, so the more that is renewed, the more of the challenges are solved. Today there is also a backlog in the renewal of the train fleet, but new trains have now been ordered.

- It's easy to see in the rearview mirror that more trains should have been purchased earlier. As it is now, we have too few and too old trains. Fortunately, we have now signed contracts for the delivery of both new local trains and new long-distance trains, which means that the major renewal of the train fleet that started in 2012 can continue, says Risan.

The first new local trains will arrive in Norway next year for testing. They must be thoroughly tested before they are put into operation from 2026. The contracts that have been signed can be used to procure even more new trains over time, if politicians so wish.