Škoda Transportation

Count Waldstein established a metallurgical factory in Plzeň in 1859. Starting with 100 employees, the factory made products for breweries, sugar mills, mines, as well as steam engines and railway products. The factory was bought by its chief engineer Emil Škoda in 1869. By the end of the century, Škoda Works became one of the largest enterprises in Europe, focusing mainly on the production of heavy arms and heavy ship components.

Apart from military production, the Works were also producing a number of rolling stock components by the end of the 19th century: wheels, axles, hoops and steam engines. During the first world war the company started refurbishing locomotives. By 1918, the company had 35.000 employees and a debilitating debt accrued due to unpaid military deliveries to the Central Powers as well as unpaid pre-war loan that the company provided to China.[5]

As a part of its shift towards non-military production, the Works earmarked a portion of its facilities for manufacturing of locomotives.[6] The production started following an order for 30 locomotives for Czechoslovakia. The first Škoda locomotive left the factory on 11 June 1920. Meanwhile, Škoda gained a major contract for production of 80 and refurbishment of 500 locomotives for Romania. Due to the Romanian order Škoda regained banks' confidence which provided the company with financing to survive through the immediate post-war years. The locomotive factory became one of the company's main pillars.[6]

• Škoda rolling stock products
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  1930s Škoda locomotive
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  1930s locomotive exported to China
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  1938 Class 19D in South Africa
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  Škoda pre-WWII tram of Belgrade, Serbia, now in museum
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  1941 Škoda 3Tr trolleybus
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  1949 Кч4 in Russia

The company produced its 100th locomotive on 13 September 1921. In 1927 Škoda produced its first express electric locomotive which was followed by the introduction of electric freight locomotives. While electric locomotives were used on electrified lines within Prague, the company further produced electric locomotives with batteries for use within factory areas. Also in 1927, Škoda started production of diesel locomotives and diesel express trains. In the 1930s, the locomotive factory was producing on average 3 locomotives a month with third of the production for export.[7]

Meanwhile, in another factory building situated in Plzeň, Škoda started producing electrical propulsion units for trams in the early 1920s. In 1936 the company started producing the model 3Tr, 6Tr, 7Tr, 8Tr, 9Tr trolleybuses.[7]

Production of locomotives as well as trolleybuses continued during the company's period of nationalization after the WW2. After fall of communism in 1989, Škoda Works were transformed into a joint stock company, the assets of which were later diversified into several separate entities, among them also Škoda Dopravní Technika s. r. o. which included the rolling stock factory in Plzeň and which was renamed to Škoda Transportation in 2004.[7]

In the early 1990s, the company started working also on refurbishment of trams, which was followed by introduction of its first own tram design in 1997, the low-floor Škoda 03 T.[7]

The Czech Republic sold Škoda Transportation to private owners in 2002. While in private hands, the company extended its reach by purchasing stock in other companies that are active in production and R&D of rolling stock in Europe. Today, Škoda Transportation group of companies is one of the world's largest manufacturers of trams and propulsion units for trolleybuses as well as a significant regional producer of locomotives and electric trains.

• Škoda rolling stock products
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  14TrSF - San Francisco Trolleybus
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  Portland Streetcar
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  Škoda 15 T tram in Riga
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  LG Class 575 in Lithuania
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  VR Class Dm12 diesel unit in Finland