Less
diesel, less CO
2, even greener: DB Cargo is renewing its fleet of shunting and
mainline locomotives and is procuring new Vectron Dual Mode dual-power
locomotives from Siemens Mobility. The framework agreement comprises up to 400
vehicles and investment volume corresponds to well over one billion Euros.
The locomotives
of the type Vectron Dual Mode will be delivered with specific adaptations for
the range of applications planned by DB Cargo. The locomotives can be operated
both with diesel and electric power.
In September 2020, DB Cargo ordered 100 locomotives, followed by a second call for another 50 locomotives in January 2022.
The German operator
Bremer Straßenbahn AG (BSAG) has ordered a new tram fleet for the Free
Hanseatic City. The order is for 77 Avenio trams. The four-section trains are
to be delivered step by step for service in Bremen's tram network beginning in
the summer of 2020. On August 30, the "Nordlicht" was presented online.
The breath-taking rise of Bangkok to become a leading business center in Asia created a basic challenge for the city to ensure the mobility of millions of people. Before 1999, people used to take a bus, motorcycle or taxi for almost 80 per cent of their daily travel needs. This created congestion in large parts of Bangkok's infrastructure, making traffic jams a daily occurrence. The travel speed in downtown Bangkok was usually less than ten kilometers per hour. This not only affected the mobility of the commuters but had also an impact on the quality of life. Without a working rapid transit and mainline traffic concept, Thailand's capital was bound to grind to a standstill.
Bane NOR, the state-owned agency responsible for the Norwegian national railway infrastructure, has contracted Siemens to upgrade the signaling equipment of the entire Norwegian rail network to the European Train Control System (ETCS). Commissioning of the rollout lines is scheduled to be completed by 2034. The contract also includes services for 25 years and is worth around 800 million euros in total.
The VAG Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft Nuremberg has ordered 27 type G1 four-car metro trains from Siemens Mobility. The contract also includes an option for a total of a further 7 trains. These trains are earmarked for service on Nuremberg's U1 line. The trains will be built in the Siemens Mobility plant in Vienna. Core components of the G1 will be manufactured in the Nuremberg metropolitan area and include such products as the drive converters, traction motors, auxiliary converter units and control equipment. The project management, development and service support will be provided from Erlangen.
Let the good times roll: Starting September 21, about six million people from all around the world will be enjoying themselves at the Oktoberfest in Munich for two weeks. Traditionally, Siemens supplies drives and control systems as well as energy distribution for the festival's rides. Automation solutions from Siemens also control special beer pipelines – the only ones of its kind worldwide –that supply the Hacker, Winzerer Faehndl and Braeurosl festival tents with their tasty Oktoberfest brews. Because many breweries use Siemens technologies within their brewing process, Siemens doesn't only ensure fresh beer at the Oktoberfest.
Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) has ordered a total of 189 Desiro ML regional trains from Siemens. The trains will operate under the name "Cityjet".
The trains will be produced at the Siemens Mobility plants in Krefeld, Germany, and Graz, Austria, and final assembly will take place at ÖBB's Technical Services factory in Jedlersdorf, Austria.
Two design alternatives of the Desiro ML are built: the urban train design for large metropolitan areas such as Vienna and the regional train design. The ÖBB cityjet also offers a variable, low-floor seating arrangement as well as spacious entrance and intercar gangway areas, an attractive, innovative design and maximum riding comfort, and barrier-free entrance to all 550-mm station platforms in Austria.
Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and Siemens Mobility are jointly investing in the future of passenger transport and are developing an electro-hybrid battery drive for trains. Operating as a battery-powered train, the Cityjet eco is an alternative for non-electrified rail lines primarily served at present with diesel-powered passenger trains. Battery operation can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 50 percent compared to diesels. Following extensive testing of the prototype train, it is expected to first be used in passenger service in the second half of 2019.
On August 26, the joint project reached its next milestone: The battery driven EMU got the homologation and is starting passenger service beginning of September 2019, bringing more sustainability to non-electrified tracks in Austria.