In 2025, the Maribor Maintenance Section released to service the last unit of a total of four ČKD 740 locomotives owned by the Serbian train operating company Kombinovani prevoz. The unit needed a general repair and a re-powering of the engine, with the Croatian company NRE providing the technical solution for the modernisation (re-powering). The locomotives have been in service for some time now, demonstrating that the project has been a success.

When were delivered to Maribor, the locomotives were already fitted with completely renewed bogies given the long journey from Serbia. On entering the shop the equipment, body, cab and frame were disassembled, sand blasted, and had a new coat of primer applied.

All four of the locomotives required bodywork repairs, with the last three also needing new cabs. We made new side panels and did some roof adjustments to accommodate the dual-engine cooling system. The structure of the body’s short end was enlarged to be able to hold the high- and low-voltage power cabinet. What set this project apart was the locomotive having two separate propulsion generators (GEN-SET).

We installed new low- and high-voltage electrical wiring and new compressed air piping, while the main brake rigging was sent for repairs to Slovakia. We also fitted the locomotive with new a steering unit, a new SFN 125-2.2 screw compressor manufactored by Servikom, traction motors with fans for the auxiliary power units, new air reservoirs, Webasto air conditioning and a V567 cab radio by T-CZ and mounted new LED lights at the front.

After the refurbishment work, each locomotive completed a test run, both loaded and unloaded, and was then returned to the customer. The last locomotive was handed over at the end of summer last year, with great feedback received concerning their performance.