Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Siemens Mobility have
developed the world’s first train that operates by itself in rail traffic. Dr.
Richard Lutz, CEO of DB, and Dr. Roland Busch, CEO of Siemens AG, together with
Dr. Peter Tschentscher, Mayor of Hamburg, presented the train on the 11th
October 2021 as it made its premiere run as part of the Digital S-Bahn Hamburg
project.
Siemens Mobility will install a comprehensive rail system that will
feature the first ever high-speed, electrified main and freight rail line that
will transform transportation in Egypt. The initial 660 km line will connect the
port cities of Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea to
Marsa Matrouh and Alexandria on the Mediterranean and will provide efficient, safe, and
affordable transportation for all Egyptians, as well as goods across the
country. The Egyptian government has an ambitious plan to invest heavily in a
reliable and sustainable 1800 km state-of-the-art rail network that will
establish Egypt as a regional leader for transportation and provide an
additional boost to the economy.
Since
October 2019, Siemens Mobility and ViP (Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam GmbH) have been
jointly researching a fully automated tram depot. One year before, the
cooperation partners presented a test vehicle of an autonomous tram at
InnoTrans 2018. On this basis, the consortium started further research together
with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the Institute for Climate
Protection, Energy and Mobility (IKEM) and Codewerk GmbH. The market readiness
of the autonomous tram in the depot is planned for 2026.
The three-year project called “AStriD” (Autonomous Tram in Depot) is funded by the Federal Ministry for Transportation and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) as part of its “Modernity Fund” (mFUND) research initiative.
- Siemens Mobility and the State of Bavaria reach an agreement on the deployment of a hydrogen train
- Order as part of a technology partnership for the further development of the Mireo Plus H platform
Siemens Mobility and the State of Bavaria sign a Memorandum of Understanding for the provision of a hydrogen train. The agreement is made within the framework of a technology partnership for the further development of the Mireo Plus H platform. The hydrogen-powered two-car train can run on non-electrified rail lines and has a range of up to 800 kilometers. The well-known Mireo Plus H platform is being used but is being equipped with a new generation of batteries to further improve both performance and passenger comfort. The vehicle will be presented to the public in spring 2022. First test runs in Bavaria are planned for 2023, before the train officially enters passenger service in January 2024.
Turkish State Railways (TCDD) has ordered Velaro high-speed trains from Siemens Mobility.The first Velaro Turkey was ordered in 2013 and went into passenger service between Ankara and Konya in May 2015. At the same time, TCDD signed a second contract with Siemens for six eight-car high-speed trains. The last twelve eight-car Velaro TR trains were ordered in 2018 and 2019. The contract included maintenance, repair, and cleaning of the trains for a period of three years. With the delivery well ahead of schedule, a record time for the start of passenger operation could be achieved. On average, the time between the contract signing and passenger operation amounts to 24 months.
S-Bahn Berlin GmbH has signed a framework contract with the consortium of Stadler Pankow GmbH and Siemens for the delivery of up to 1,380 vehicles. A firm order was placed for the first 106 trains. The 85 four-section and 21 two-section trains have a high triple-digit million-euro order volume. S-Bahn Berlin, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn, plans to use the new trains on the Ringbahn lines (S 41 and S 42) as well as on the system's southeastern feeder lines S 47, S 46 and S 8. These lines comprise roughly one-third of the entire S-Bahn network in Berlin. The first ten vehicles will be ready to enter service as of 2020. Subsequently, all remaining vehicles will be delivered continuously to the Berlin system up to 2023. The vehicles will be manufactured and assembled at the Berlin plant operated by Stadler Pankow GmbH.
Shifting freight transport to rail has its limitations. Therefore, a share of this transport will need to be carried out by trucks that combine reliable service with minimum environmental impact. The eHighway system is twice as efficient as conventional internal combustion engines. This Siemens Mobility innovation supplies trucks with power from an overhead contact line. This reduces local air pollution and contributes significantly to the decarbonization of the transport sector.
The national carrier Czech Railways (České dráhy – ČD) continues to modernize its fleet serving long-distance domestic and international lines. The consortium of Siemens Mobility and Škoda Transportation has won the tender for 20 Viaggio Comfort nine-car non-traction units including control cars, designed for a maximum operating speed of 230 km/h. The cars will be delivered from 2024 to 2026 and the order is valued at around half a billion EUR.