History of Mass Transportation: The Class 87 Diesel Shunter of the Romanian Railways

 

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By Catalin Ghita, tramclub.org, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8459457

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_stock_of_the_Romanian_Railways#/media/File:Locomotiva_CFR_clasa_87.jpg

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History of Mass Transportation: The Class 88 Diesel Shunter of Romanian Railways

 

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By Stefan Puscasu - http://cfr.stfp.net/?sta=1&class=88&ppr=5, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8459468

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_stock_of_the_Romanian_Railways#/media/File:Locomotiva_CFR_clasa_88.jpg

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History of Mass Transportation: The Diesel Shunter Class 89 of the Romanian Railways in Pitesti

 

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By Dr2005 - Wk Ro, http://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imagine:89-0585-3-Pitesti-002.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3553605

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_stock_of_the_Romanian_Railways

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History of Mass Transportation: A Czech class 560 electric multiple unit in Brno

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By User:Harold17 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4243027

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Czech_locomotive_classes

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History of Mass Transportation: The Romanian Railways Class 95 Diesel Mechanical Shunter

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By Stefan Puscasu - http://cfr.stfp.net/?class=95&veh=10&all=Y&ppr=5, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8459518

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_stock_of_the_Romanian_Railways

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History of Mass Transportation: Electric Multiple Unit 58 of Romanian Railways in Cluj-Napoca station

 

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By Dr 2005 - Wk Ro, http://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imagine:58-0001-6-P4105-Cluj-001.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2246047

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_stock_of_the_Romanian_Railways

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History of Mass Transportation: Transferoviar Multiple Unit, formerly DB class 624 seen at București Nord on 4 November 2014

 

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By Phil Richards from London, UK - 04.11.14 București Nord 76.2406, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37108856

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_stock_of_the_Romanian_Railways

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History of Mass Transportation: The Czech Studénka Class 843 Diesel Autorail

 

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By Rainerhaufe - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16304601

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Czech_locomotive_classes

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History of Mass Transportation: The MAN Class 76 Diesel Multiple Unit of Romania railways

 

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By Phil Richards from London, UK - 07.11.14 Carei 76.1417, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50614122

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_stock_of_the_Romanian_Railways

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History of Mass Transportation: The Diesel Multiple Unit 844.001 ČD in Cerhenice

 

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By PetrS. - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19896613

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Czech_locomotive_classes

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History of Mass Transportation: The Romanian CFR 77-0913-2 Autorail at Pitești Station

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By Ștefan Pușcașu - http://cfr.stfp.net/?op=C&class=77, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25390809

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_stock_of_the_Romanian_Railways

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History of Mass Transportation: The ''Crocodile of the Drinc'' Electric Locomotive in Cogne Museum

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Di Patafisik - Opera propria, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=175713586

Source: 

Link: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrovia_Cogne-Acque_Fredde

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History of Mass Transportation: The Romanian Diesel Automotor Class 78-750

 

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By Mirceacool at Romanian Wikipedia - Transferred from ro.wikipedia to Commons., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8459557

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_stock_of_the_Romanian_Railways

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History of Mass Transportation: The Skoda 242260-8 Electric locomotive class 242

 

By Rainerhaufe - http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bild:242.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4340624

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%8CD_Class_242

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History of Mass Transportation: The Vagónka Studénka Krokodýl (Crocodile) Autorail (1962–68)

By Vít Javůrek - http://www.mujweb.cz/www/mhd_jama/vlaky3/Krasa10/olrepc1.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6311434

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Czech_locomotive_classes

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Easily Scalable, Rapidly Deployable Mechanical Ventilator for Pandemic Health Crises in Resource-Limited Areas

 

Abstract

Background: 

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical shortages of mechanical ventilators, particularly in low-resource settings. Disruptions in global supply chains and dependence on specialized components highlighted the need for scalable, locally manufacturing alternatives for emergency respiratory support. 

Aim: 

To describe and evaluate a simplified, supply-chain-independent mechanical ventilator assembled from widely available automotive and simple hardware components, and intended as a last-resort solution. 

Methods: 

The ventilator is based on a reciprocating air pump driven by an automotive windshield wiper motor coupled to parallel shaft bellows and readily assembled passive membrane valves, only requiring materials available from standard hardware retailers, minimal tools, and basic manual skills. Ventilator performance was assessed through bench testing using a patient model simulating severe lung disease in an adult (R=20 cmH2O*s/L, C=15 mL/cmH2O) and pediatric (R=50 cmH2O*s/L, C=10 mL/cmH2O) patients. Realistic proof of concept was performed in four mechanically ventilated 50-kg pigs. 

Results: 

The device delivered tidal volumes up to 600 mL and respiratory rates up to 45 breaths/min with PEEP up to 10 cmH₂O, covering pediatric and adult ventilation ranges. In vivo testing showed that the ventilator maintained arterial blood gases within the targeted range. Technical details for ventilator construction are provided in an open-source video tutorial. 

Discussion: 

This low-cost ventilator demonstrated adequate performance under demanding conditions. Although not a substitute for commercial intensive care ventilators, its simplicity, autonomy, and independence from fragile supply chains provide a potentially life-saving option in resource-constrained emergency scenarios.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Funding Statement

This work was partially supported by Sociedad Espanola de Neumologia y Cirugia Toracica (SEPAR) (grant 1381-2022). SEPAR had no involvement other than providing funding for the independently submitted research project.

Source: 

Link: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.04.08.26350386v1

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History of Mass Transportation: The CD/CZ ''Hydra'' Diesel Autorail (1968–70) by Vagónka Studénka

 

By Vít Javůrek - http://www.mujweb.cz/www/mhd_jama/vlaky3/Krasa8/libun18.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6584716

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Czech_locomotive_classes

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History of Mass Transportation: A Diesel multiple unit 854.206, Brno main station, Czech Republic

 

By Harold - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10217313

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Czech_locomotive_classes

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History of Mass Transportation: The CZ/CD Diesel Railcar class 680 (1974)

 

By Václav Vyskočil (Upload: Jagro) - www.vlaky.net: [1], CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5776155

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Czech_locomotive_classes

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History of Mass Transportation: The California Western Railroad #45 Steam Locomotive

 

By Baldwinlocomotiveworks - R.A. Sallinen III - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18159992

Source: 

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldwin_Locomotive_Works

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