Pesa 218M is a family of two-car standard-gauge diesel multiple units (DMUs) produced by Pesa between 2005 and 2015. Only one single-engine unit of the original 218M model was built, while the remaining dual-engine units were designated as subtypes 218Ma-218Md. A total of 76 units were produced, which are operated by Arriva (6 units), Lower Silesian Railways (9 units), Greater Poland Railways (13 units), Polregio (45 units), and Szybka Kolej Miejska in Tricity (3 units).
The series includes SA131, SA132, SA133, and SA134.
History
Origins Pesa had planned to build two-car and three-car diesel multiple units (DMUs) as early as 2001, following the production of its first single-car diesel vehicle, Pesa 214M. In the two-car version, the additional car could be either a trailer or a powered unit. Initially, the design envisioned connecting two cars similar to the 214M, with the driver's cabs on one side replaced by inter-car passageways. This vehicle would have a length of 49 meters. Each car was intended to run on its own two-axle bogies. The planned two-car unit was to be designated as 217M.
Ultimately, Pesa decided on a slightly different design and began production of the 218Mx family in 2005. The first member of this family was the 218M, designated as SA131-001, which was produced for the Pomeranian Voivodeship.
Series SA131-134 When assigning series designations to the 218M family, it was decided to classify these vehicles as railbuses. However, the numbering range allocated for such vehicles (SA101-SA110) in the system of designations for diesel railcars established on 1 April 1970 had already been exhausted. Therefore, the new units were given numbers starting from 131, the lowest number not covered by the existing standard. The SA131 series includes only one vehicle of the 218M type. The 218Ma and 218Mb variants were assigned the SA132 series, while the 218Mc variant was assigned the SA133 series. The first 218Md vehicle, produced for Arriva RP, was initially designated as SA132-016. However, it was later decided to create a new series, reclassifying this vehicle as SA134-001.
Orders
7 December 2004 – contract signed for the delivery of one 218M DMU for the Pomeranian Voivodeship. 10 May 2005 – contract signed for the delivery of one 218Ma DMU for the Greater Poland Voivodeship. Unknown Date – contract signed for the delivery of one 218Mb DMU for the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. 29 March 2006 – contract signed for the delivery of two 218Ma DMUs for the Greater Poland Voivodeship. 30 May 2006 – contract signed for the delivery of three 218Mb DMUs for the Pomeranian Voivodeship. 28 June 2006 – contract signed for the delivery of two 218Mc DMUs for the Podlaskie Voivodeship. 6 July 2006 – contract signed for the delivery of two 218Mc DMUs for the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. 11 September 2006 – contract signed for the delivery of four 218Mc DMUs for the Lubusz Voivodeship. 22 December 2006 – contract signed for the delivery of eight 218Ma DMUs for the Greater Poland Voivodeship. Unknown date – contract signed for the delivery of two 218Md DMUs for Arriva RP. 16 July 2007 – contract signed for the delivery of five 218Md DMUs for the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. 24 July 2008 – contract signed for the delivery of two 218Md DMUs for the Greater Poland Voivodeship. 4 March 2009 – contract signed for the delivery of four 218Mc DMUs for the Podlaskie Voivodeship. 3 December 2009 – contract signed for the delivery of five 218Md DMUs for the Lublin Voivodeship. 20 May 2010 – contract signed for the delivery of three 218Mc DMUs for the Warmian–Masurian Voivodeship. 27 May 2010 – contract signed for the delivery of three 218Md DMUs for the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. 14 October 2010 – contract signed for the delivery of two 218Md DMUs for the Lubusz Voivodeship. 19 October 2010 – contract signed for the delivery of one 218Md DMU for the Subcarpathian Voivodeship. 26 November 2010 – contract signed for the delivery of two 218Mc DMUs for the Podlaskie Voivodeship. 8 November 2011 – contract signed for the delivery of four 218Mc DMUs for Arriva RP. 9 October 2012 – contract signed for the delivery of three 218Md DMUs for the Lublin Voivodeship. 21 August 2013 – contract signed for the delivery of one 218Md DMU for the Subcarpathian Voivodeship. 24 April 2014 – contract signed for the delivery of four 218Mc DMUs for the Pomeranian Voivodeship.
Promotional presentations The prototype of the 218M family, SA131-001, made its debut in October 2005 at the in Gdańsk. Between 17 and 25 February 2006, the Lower Silesian SA132-002 embarked on a series of promotional runs during which it was showcased in cities such as Kraków, Toruń, and the Upper Silesia region. In September 2006, the Podlaskie SA133-001 was presented at the InnoTrans fair in Berlin.
Issues with the 37AN bogie
The vehicles of the 218M family are equipped with a type 37AN Jacobs bogie, designed by . This bogie underwent extensive testing at the Tabor Railway Vehicle Institute, where its 30-year operational lifespan was simulated. However, on 22 December 2015, a crack was discovered in the frame of this bogie on the SA134-011 vehicle, which belonged to the Opole Voivodeship. As a result, all SA134 units in the region were taken out of service, and a decision was made to replace the bogies with new ones. All two-car units of the 218M family began undergoing intensified inspections of their bogies every 14 days. By mid-February 2016, a total of 12 units had been withdrawn from service. During this period, operators like Lower Silesian Railways sent two vehicles (from the SA132 and SA134 series) back to the manufacturer to replace the potentially damaged bogies with new ones. On 19 February, in response to this situation, the issued a safety alert in the Safety Information System managed by the European Union Agency for Railways.
Similar issues also arose with the three-car SA136 series vehicles, which used the same bogies.
Construction The 218M family of diesel multiple units consists of two-car, single-space vehicles powered by diesel engines. This family was developed as an evolution of the single-car Pesa 214M and also built on the experience gained from constructing the 13WE series.
Propulsion
The prototype of the 218M family has a single diesel engine located in car A. The vehicle uses the same propulsion unit as the 214M type but with larger dimensions and increased capacity. Subsequent vehicles were designed with dual propulsion systems, one in each car. This configuration improved the vehicle's traction characteristics, reduced the risk of complete immobilization due to engine failure (allowing continued operation using the remaining engine), and lowered average fuel consumption. Each vehicle has two fuel tanks with capacities of 580 liters (218Ma, 218Mb, 218Md), 650 liters (218Md Mińsk-2), or 750 liters (218Mc).
Each propulsion system consists of a diesel engine and a turbo transmission. The propulsion unit is connected via a drive shaft to an intermediate axle transmission on the first wheelset of the drive bogie. Power is then transferred through another shaft from the intermediate axle transmission to the final axle transmission on the second wheelset of the drive bogie.
Multiple-unit operation is possible with up to 3 vehicles, including with vehicles from the 214M family.
Bogies and suspension Each 218Mx vehicle is equipped with three two-axle bogies. The first vehicle of the family (218M SA131-001) has end bogies identical to those used in the Pesa 214M: a drive bogie JBg 3964 and a non-driven bogie JBg 3965. Additionally, a Jacobs-type 37AN non-driven bogie is used (common to both cars). In subsequent vehicles, the non-driven JBg bogie was replaced by a second drive bogie JBg 3964. The bogie pivot distance is 17.2 meters.
The vehicles have a two-stage suspension system. The first stage uses metal-rubber elements, and the second stage uses pneumatic springs to connect the car body to the bogies.
Car body The 218Mx vehicles were produced with three different body shapes. The first shape, introduced in 2005 for the 218M, 218Mb, and 218Ma (up to SA132-007), was similar to the 214Ma and later 214M. The first change occurred in 2006 with the introduction of the SA133 (218Mc). Later, a similar body shape was also used for the SA132 series from number 008 onwards (218Mb) and SA134 (218Md). Another distinctive appearance was seen in vehicles produced by Pesa in Mińsk Mazowiecki (SA134-015 to SA134-029). Among these, the SA134-026 to SA134-029 units stand out for their lack of bogie covers and the relocation of the front destination display above the driver's cabin.
The vehicle frames of the 218M family are welded steel, while the bodywork is aluminum, bonded to the structure. The construction strength meets the PN-EN 12663 (category PIII) standard. The vehicles use sliding-accordion doors.
Passenger space The train is designed to accommodate passengers with disabilities, featuring 1,300 mm wide entrances, approximately 50% low-floor area (600 mm from the rail head), a ramp, and a suitably adapted toilet (with a closed system). Heating is provided by heat from the engine cooling system, a Webasto Thermo 350 heater, and additional electric blowers installed in the door vestibules. The detailed interior arrangement, monitoring, and air conditioning are customized according to the customer's requirements. The materials used also differ between vehicles manufactured by Pesa and those by its Mińsk Mazowiecki branch. Seats vary across vehicles purchased by different voivodeships.
Safety The 218Mx vehicles are equipped with standard train protection systems: dead man's switch, automatic train braking, , and fire alarm systems.
Characterization of subtypes TypeSeriesWheel arrangementNumber of enginesEngine typePower per engineTransmission typeService massNumber of doors per sideNumber of seatsNumber of units producedSources218MSA131B'2'2'1Iveco V8 SVQE283500 kWVoith T212 bre (hydraulic)81 t31181218MaSA132B'2'B'2MTU 6H1800R81350 kWZF 5-HP600R (hydr.-mech.)74.6 t/83 t (varies by source)2140–17511218MbSA132B'2'B'2MTU 6H1800R80/6H1800R81350 kWZF 5-HP600R (hydr.-mech.)78.5 t31644218McSA133 (001-020)B'2'B'2MAN D2876LUE623382 kWVoith T211 bre (hydraulic)82 t2134–14620SA133 (021-024)Voith R2876T3-390390 kWVoith82 t1204218MdSA134 (001-014)B'2'B'2MTU 6H1800 R83P350/360 kW (varies by source)ZF 5-HP902 (hydr.-mech.)76 t213414218Md Mińsk 2SA134 (015-025)B'2'B'2MTU 6H1800 R83P360 kWZF 5-HP90276 t2120–13411
Modernizations Lesser Poland Voivodeship
In 2015, during a revision repair, one of the SA134 units in Lesser Poland Voivodeship was equipped with USB chargers. Due to the specific electrical installation, it was not possible to install standard electrical outlets.
In 2017, one of the SA134 units in Lesser Poland, number 005, underwent a revision repair. The scope of work included the replacement of the passenger information system, new passenger seats, installation of USB chargers, and a change in exterior paint. Additionally, its body structure was covered with reflective foil.
Lublin Voivodeship
In October 2015, Lublin Voivodeship's government signed a contract with Pesa for the modernization of SA134-015 ÷ 019. This modernization was to include the upgrading of the passenger information system, replacement of laminated track guards with steel ones, modernization of vehicle monitoring, securing of buffer power supplies, and installation of oil filter covers.
Lubusz Voivodeship On 22 November 2013, Polregio placed an order with the manufacturer for the modernization of the Lubusz unit SA133-003 during its P4-level revision repair. On 11 September 2014, the Marshal's Office of the Lubusz Voivodeship awarded Pesa a contract for the modernization of SA133-007, also in conjunction with a P4-level repair.