BERLIN — German national rail operator Deutsche Bahn formally launched its new Siemens-made “ICE3 neo” 200-mph high speed trainset on Tuesday at its Berlin Rummelsburg shop.
Along with presenting the first of 30 Class 408 trains, which will enter service in December, DB CEO Richard Lutz announced an order for a further 43 trains, to be delivered over the next seven years. The new order is worth around $1.7 billion, with the trains to be largely built in Germany; Siemens’ Krefeld plant in the Ruhr will undertake the assembly work. The first batch of 30 Class 408 ICE trains is due to be completed by 2026, with additional 43 trainsets due by 2029.
DB ordered the first batch of 30 trains in July 2020, in a deal valued at about $1 billion. These are branded as Velaro MS (Multi-System, equipped to operate on four voltages, for use in Germany and most neighbouring countries). The first of these, an improved version of the previous Velaro D [D-Deutschland] / DB Class 407, was built and ready for testing in just 12 months. Trial operation on the German national high speed network started in January.
The new, 439-seat, eight-car Class 408 features several innovations compared to earlier ICE designs, with an area assigned for bicycles including space for eight bikes. When first introduced, DB banned bikes from ICE trains, but this led to ongoing complaints from politicians, passengers, and cycling advocates. At Tuesday’s event, new German Transport Minister Volker Wissing, part of the coalition government that replaced Angela Merkel’s government in December 2021, highlighted the provision of bike space, making the point that most passengers live beyond walking distance of stations.
The new trains also have more external doors (12 for eight cars, up from 10) to speed passenger boarding and reduce station wait times. Siemens has also equipped the trains with its new radio-reception window coating technology already deployed on some German regional train fleets. This is intended to improve mobile data signals for passengers, although outside major cities German cell phone networks rarely offer good service — something the new government is determined to improve.
The new trains are slated to enter service on the route between Dortmund and Munich via Cologne. Lutz, the DB CEO, explained Tuesday that the new trains will be used mostly on longer routes to take maximum advantage of their top speed. The new 157-mph ICE4 fleet, also currently being delivered by Siemens, will be used on routes where line speeds are slower or station stops more frequent.
Siemens is marketing the Velaro trainsets for export customers. In addition to examples elsewhere in Europe and in Russia, the company has signed contracts to supply them to a new high speed network in Egypt. The equipment has also been suggested as a likely choice for California’s high speed line, given Siemens’ manufacturing plant in Sacramento.
The new fleet will increase the number of hig- speed seats available daily by up to 32,000 while reducing the average age of the ICE fleet from its current 22 years to 14 years by 2027. By 2029, the ICE fleet will number 450 trains, as earlier versions, including the original ICE1 equipment (one of which was tested by Amtrak in 1993), are being refurbished rather than replaced.
ICE1’s “…are being refurbished rather then replaced”. Now if only Amtrak could figure out how to do that and actually increase our car/ train set inventory. But no we’re going to sell or scrap our old cars.
DB ICE1 trains built in 1989-93 are a much different rebuild than the ancient Amfleet I & II cars done by Budd in the 70’s.