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.
Labeled as the project of the century for the German metropolitan region, the Rhine-Ruhr express (RRX) will help alleviate the continuously worsening transportation issues along the Rhine and Ruhr from 2018. The municipalities involved in the new RRX rail transport concept commissioned Siemens to supply 82 electric multiple units, type Desiro HC, and to provide maintenance services for a period of 32 years. With a total volume of more than 1.7 billion euros, this is the largest regional rail service order in Germany so far for Siemens.The region is one of the largest conurbations in Europe, with a population of approximately ten million and numerous transit routes. On the main section between Cologne and Dortmund in particular, mobility has been heavily restricted for years now by overstretched public transport networks and train connections. Through a targeted extension of the railway network and the shift of traffic from road to rail this enables, the RRX is expected to replace roughly 31,000 individual car trips every working day. The first RRX trains will begin operating punctually with the change of the rail system's timetable on December 9, 2018. Commercial operation will begin on Line RE 11 that connects Düsseldorf, Essen, Dortmund, Hamm, Paderborn and Kassel. During rush hours the eventual target is one train every 15 minutes.
Siemens Mobility, Inc., a fully owned subsidiary of Siemens AG, is a leading international provider of intelligent mobility solutions that offer guaranteed availability, optimized capacity and enhanced passenger experience. The company’s business includes rail rolling stock, rail automation, intelligent traffic systems, traffic telematics systems as well as rail electrification. The portfolio also covers turnkey mobility projects and tailored financing solutions.Siemens Mobility, Inc. draws on more than 160 years of expertise and experience in transportation. The company combines innovations with comprehensive industry know-how, a global network of recognized experts in over 40 countries, and the solid financial base of Siemens AG.
South-west Germany is counting on Siemens: from 2020 onward, DB Regio AG will be operating its Rhine Valley rail network exclusively with new trains from Siemens. The German Railways order covers 15 Desiro HC and 24 Mireo trains in total, and goes hand in hand with a restructuring of the rail transport services in the Rhine Valley. There is a clear separation between a rapid train system for fast cross-regional services and a regional suburban rail system (S-Bahn) with stops at all stations. The Mireo will be deployed as a regional train (RB) service along the line section from Offenburg via Freiburg to Basel/Neuenburg (Switzerland) as well as in the Kaiserstuhl area on Sundays between Freiburg and Endingen/Breisach. The line section from Karlsruhe via Offenburg and Freiburg to Basel (Switzerland) will be operated with the Desiro HC as a regional express service.
Connected and self-driving vehicles are on the horizon. Autonomous taxis and minibuses could cover the last mile between homes and public mass transit and long-distance transport hubs, helping make private cars superfluous in cities and relieving congestion. In rail transport as well, fully automated systems and connectivity can help satisfy the rapidly growing demand for mobility. Making vehicles and infrastructure more intelligent can ensure better availability and make mobility safer. All this adds up to vastly improved urban environments.Siemens is working with municipalities, public transit authorities and research institutes to develop these transport concepts.