As the global rail industry prepares to converge in Berlin for InnoTrans 2026, scheduled for September 22–25, the spotlight will shine brightly on Romanian innovation. HIAROM Invest, a titan of domestic railway engineering, has announced it will return to the world’s most significant transport trade fair for the third time. This year, the company is set to unveil a bespoke version of its flagship HDM-21 track motor car, aptly named "Bucharest," alongside a state-of-the-art road-rail welding truck.
These exhibits, positioned at the outdoor exhibition area O/385, serve as a testament to Romania’s resurgence in heavy railway manufacturing and underscore the company’s commitment to technical precision and operational reliability.
Main Facts: The "Bucharest" Edition and the Future of Track Maintenance
The centerpiece of HIAROM’s presentation is the HDM-21 "Bucharest," a self-propelled track motor car specifically engineered for the rigors of modern railway infrastructure. While the HDM-21 is already a proven workhorse, the "Bucharest" edition features a striking, custom-designed livery that pays homage to the Romanian capital, blending industrial motifs with the silhouettes of the city’s most iconic monuments.
Technical Specifications
The "Bucharest" unit is a powerhouse of utility, designed to handle the most demanding maintenance and construction environments. Key features include:
- Powerplant: A robust 380 CP Caterpillar engine, ensuring consistent performance under heavy loads.
- Operational Capacity: A spacious cab configured for 9+1 personnel, facilitating efficient team deployment.
- Utility Integration: A 19 tm HIAB crane mounted on a versatile transport platform, allowing for rapid loading and unloading of track materials.
- Reliability Upgrades: The integration of advanced CNC pipe-bending technology for pneumatic and hydraulic circuits.
By utilizing high-precision CNC bending, HIAROM has successfully reduced the number of individual components in the vehicle’s fluid circuits. This reduction in joints and connectors minimizes the risk of leaks and vibration-induced loosening, significantly extending the mean time between maintenance (MTBM) for the operator.
Chronology: A Trajectory of Growth and National Pride
The story of the HDM-21 is one of strategic national investment and rapid industrial scaling.
- 2007: HIAROM Invest is founded as a fully Romanian-owned enterprise, beginning its journey toward becoming a global player in railway maintenance machinery.
- 2023: A milestone year for Romanian rail. The first modern heavy track motor car—the HDM-21—is delivered to the Romanian National Railway Company (CFR). This marked the first time in over three decades that a vehicle of this category had been designed and manufactured domestically.
- 2025: The momentum accelerates as HIAROM delivers six additional units to CFR, confirming the platform’s viability and success in real-world, high-intensity operations.
- 2026 (Q4 Target): HIAROM is currently in the midst of a major contract to deliver 15 units to the national rail operator, with final deliveries expected by the fourth quarter of the year.
- September 2026: The global debut of the "Bucharest" edition at InnoTrans, marking the transition of this local success story into a globally recognized export product.
Supporting Data: Infrastructure Reliability and Market Reach
The engineering philosophy at HIAROM is dictated by the realities of the modern rail sector: the need for fewer service interruptions and greater equipment uptime.
Simplifying the Complex
The adoption of a specialized CNC pipe-bending machine is not merely a production upgrade; it is a strategic shift in manufacturing philosophy. By consolidating complex metal assemblies into single, continuous pieces, HIAROM reduces the "weak points" of the vehicle. In railway operations, where constant vibration is the primary cause of hydraulic failure, this design simplification is a game-changer for maintenance crews.
Global Presence
HIAROM’s reach extends far beyond the borders of Romania. Since its inception, the company has:
- Delivered over 1,000 units of specialized equipment across various railway sectors.
- Established a presence on four continents, demonstrating that Romanian engineering is capable of adapting to diverse climate conditions and infrastructure standards.
- Maintained a specialized workforce of approximately 100 engineers and technicians at their Dragomirești-Vale facility, near Bucharest.
Official Responses: Insights from HIAROM Leadership
The vision behind the HDM-21 is deeply rooted in a culture of continuous improvement. Cătălin Dragomir, CEO of HIAROM Invest, emphasized that the product’s lifecycle does not end at the factory gate.
"For us, the HDM-21 is not a finished product simply because it has gone into production," says Dragomir. "We continue to improve both the machines and the processes we use to build them. We aim to reduce the number of components and connections that can cause operational issues while, at the same time, achieving a simpler design that is easier to maintain. InnoTrans is the ideal venue to present these developments to an international audience."
This sentiment reflects the company’s broader strategy: treating every delivered unit as a feedback loop to refine the next generation of equipment.
Implications: The Road-Rail Revolution
Beyond the HDM-21, HIAROM is pushing boundaries in the road-rail vehicle market. The second highlight at their InnoTrans stand is an 8×4 road-rail truck tailored for high-precision track welding.
Synergy with Contrail Machinery
The truck features a specialized welding container developed in partnership with Contrail Machinery. This collaboration integrates HIAROM’s new rail running gear—also manufactured using their advanced CNC technology—with cutting-edge welding apparatus.
The implications for railway infrastructure managers are significant:
- Versatility: The ability to transition seamlessly from road to rail reduces the need for heavy logistics and dedicated rail transport for maintenance crews.
- Increased Reliability: By applying the same philosophy of "fewer connections, higher reliability" to the truck’s rail running gear, HIAROM is setting a new standard for road-rail vehicle longevity.
- Efficiency: The dual-purpose nature of the truck allows for a "one-stop-shop" approach to track repair, where the vehicle transports both the welding team and the necessary heavy-duty equipment to the exact site of a track defect.
Conclusion: A Calling Card for Romanian Engineering
As HIAROM Invest prepares for the four-day exhibition in Berlin, the narrative is clear: the company is moving from a domestic provider of maintenance solutions to an international innovator. The "Bucharest" track motor car is more than just a piece of machinery; it is a symbol of a shift in the European rail market, where reliability, simplified maintenance, and high-performance design are the new currencies of success.
By showcasing the HDM-21 and their new road-rail welding truck, HIAROM is inviting international rail operators to witness the capabilities of Romanian engineering. Whether it is through the pride of the "Bucharest" livery or the cold, hard logic of their CNC-optimized hydraulic systems, the message is consistent: HIAROM is ready to meet the challenges of the next generation of global rail infrastructure.
Visitors to InnoTrans 2026 are encouraged to visit stand O/385 to engage with the engineering team, explore the technical specifications of these vehicles, and understand why, after 19 years of growth, HIAROM remains at the forefront of the industry.
