Siemens has temporarily halted deliveries of its new ICE high-speed trains to rail operator Deutsche Bahn after discovering defects in some components, the German conglomerate said on Thursday, according to Reuters.
“Siemens Mobility is in close dialogue with Deutsche Bahn and the subcontractor and is working hard to resolve the issue,” a spokesman told Reuters.
The 21 out of 90 Siemens ICE trains that have been delivered to Deutsche Bahn so far are not affected and can be used safely, the spokesman added.
During quality assurance tests, Siemens had discovered defects in the welding seams of the components and is now working with Deutsche Bahn to establish a time frame for the issue to be resolved.
“Siemens Mobility does not compromise on the quality and safety of its trains,” the spokesperson said.
The daily newspaper Bild first reported on the stoppage of deliveries. Deutsche Bahn is under pressure to modernise its aging rail network so Germany can meet its climate goals, with the government aiming to double the number of rail passengers and increase the market share of rail freight traffic by 2030.
Since 2016, Siemens Mobility has delivered the ICE 4 train fleet in three different variants totalling over 1,500 railcars with around 105,000 seats.
DB now has the most modern and, with over 400 trains, the largest ICE fleet of all time. DB was scheduled to be taking delivery of another ICE train every three weeks in 2024.
The modernisation of the DB’s rolling stock is a priority for the German government which by 2030 will invest EUR 12 billion for long-distance trains, increasing ICE fleet to 450 trainsets.
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