The Moldovan Railway has put into circulation, for the first time, a freight train operated by a single locomotive mechanic. According to the company, this measure will contribute to the efficiency of locomotive operation and the optimization of the transport process, reports IPN.

The first train runs on the Chișinău – Basarabeasca – Etulia route and transports wheat intended for export. The train consists of 56 wagons, with a total weight of approximately five thousand tons. It is pulled by two locomotives, each driven by a single mechanic, without the assistance of another mechanic.

The company mentions that the implementation of the new model was made possible due to staff training, compliance with safety requirements, the technical condition of the locomotives, and the commissioning of a Monitoring Center, which allows real-time video surveillance of the route.

According to CFM, the operation of locomotives by a single mechanic is a practice used for several years in Japan and in countries such as Germany, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Norway.