The very first serious cargo traffic competitor of the state owned VR is Fenniarail, which bought from CZ Loko in the Czech republic four totally refurbished locomotives. The upper parts of the locos are all totally new, but the frame and bogies are from old Chem3 shunter logomotives of Czech/Russian origin. Fenniarail hopes to capture a significant market share of the cargo market, especially when it comes to pulp and paper transports. Picture at Oulu station 26.4.2016 by Ilkka Siissalo.

Another view of the new Czech machine. Picture 26.4.2016 at the Oulu station by Ilkka Siissalo.

Same loco from the other side. Picture 26.4.2016 at the Oulu station by Ilkka Siissalo.

For comparison: This is more or less what also the Fenniarail locomotives used to look like before thorough modernisation. As is evident from the looks, these are copies of US machines from the 1930s, based on some locomotives that USA donated to USSR during the second world war. Copy locos were built both in the USSR and in Czechoslovakia. This one is a Slovakian state railways ZSSK class 771 photographed at Skalite station 7.7.2007. Picture by Ilkka Siissalo.

This is Fenniarail's first Vectron locomotive. It is simultaneously Finland's first privately owned Vectron. As is evident from the picture, also this Vectron looks very different from the Vectrons used in southern parts of Europe. For Finland Siemens made design changes. For example the main air intakes are high up on the sides of the roof so that snow does not accumulate and block them.
Picture from Kemijärvi 4.3.2024 by Rainer Wahlsten.