Deutsche Bahn rejects 25 Bombardier trains over ‘manufacturing defects’

Photo Caption : One of Deutsche Bahn’s high speed ICE train near Hamburg

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German state-owned rail operator Deutsche Bahn refused delivery of 25 double-deck trains built by the Canadian group Bombardier owing to ‘manufacturing defects’, a spokesman told AFP.

“We have refused to take on 25 Intercity 2 trains from the manufacturer, but expect them to quickly rectify the faults,” he said.

Citing internal DB documents, the daily Süddeutsche Zeitung reported that the main problems were with the on-board computers’ operating system, which was said to ‘crash regularly’.

The rail operator had ordered 42 Intercity 2 trains from Bombardier, which makes them at sites around Germany, to replace ageing rolling stock on several lines.

Their double-deck carriages are designed to improve capacity, and said to make trips more comfortable for passengers.

Germany plans to pump €62 billion of taxpayer cash and €24 billion of DB money into revamping the railways this decade.

Slashing carbon emissions in the transport sector, including with electric-powered trains, is a priority for Berlin as it ups its climate protection ambitions.

Transport is the only area where no improvement has been achieved in the
past 30 years.

Overall, Germany aims by 2030 to have reduced greenhouse emissions by 55
percent compared with 1990 levels.

Bombardier did not immediately comment on Deutsche Bahn turning down the latest train delivery.

French national rail operator SNCF also rejected a delivery early last year of Bombardier regional trains, saying they were of ‘unacceptably low quality’.

Source: thelocal.de
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