On September 25, 2013, during the second day of the TRAKO International Railway Fair, Newag S.A. signed a contract with PKP Intercity for modernising twenty SM42 diesel locomotives. The Nowy Sącz company will earn more than PLN 76 million for delivering the locomotives under the contract. The carrier will obtain part of the funds needed to implement this project from the EU Infrastructure and Environment Programme.
In the scope of the modernisation, the loco’s power will be boosted to 800 — 1000 kW, and its maximum speed will be increased at east to 90 km/h. Half of the locos to be modernised, apart from having their old diesel engines replaced with the new ones, will be fitted with the systems enabling trains to be powered by electricity.
As a result of the modernisation, locomotives will make less noise and produce less exhaust fumes. The modernised rolling stock will have certificates of conformity with current valid environmental, safety and interoperability standards (compliant with the EU Technical Specifications for Interoperability – TSI) as well as the Directive No 2004/26 specifying the requirements concerning exhaust-gas emissions by diesel engines of rail vehicles.
Modernised locomotives will be used in holiday seasons to drive trains to tourist destinations for example operating on such routes as Gdynia — Hel, Kłodzko — Kudowa Zdrój, Olsztyn — Braniewo, which presently are not electrified. They will also be used for shunting operations of PKP Intercity trains performed at the hub stations of Warszawa Grochów, Wrocław Główny, Kraków Prokocim, Gdynia Grabówek, Olsztyn and Szczecin.
The deadline for the order delivery is not later than 18 months since signing the contract.