Rail technology leader Bombardier Transportation and emerging transport company vlexx GmbH have signed a contract to provide 21 three-car BOMBARDIER TALENT 3 electric multiple units. The new trains are scheduled to begin operation on the Saar region’s electric rail network in December 2019.
"With the expansion of our railway network and our fleet to a total of 84 vehicles, we are ensuring long-term business growth," explains Frank Höhler, Managing Director of vlexx GmbH. "With the new trains, our passengers will experience much more comfortable rides. Passengers will benefit from many extras, like large panorama windows and a modern passenger information system," Höhler continued.
This order is a great success for Bombardier and underlines the appeal of the latest generation of our TALENT product family. The new TALENT 3 trains combine the quality and reliability of their predecessors with new elements such as WLAN," says Michael Fohrer, managing director of Bombardier Transportation Germany. "We are proud to support our new customer vlexx’s expanding mobility offering with these innovative trains. We also see this contract as a prelude to a long-term, partnership-based cooperation."
The new low-noise trains will not only improve the travel experience for passengers, but residents will also benefit from its reduced noise emissions. In addition, the three-car trains feature 160 seats, of which eight are in the first class, room for two wheelchairs and nine bicycles. Furthermore for the first time, trains on this route will also be equipped with sliding steps to bridge the gap between the platform and the train while boarding and alighting for a comfortable and safe passenger exchange, especially for passengers with mobility restrictions.
The new generation of TALENT 3 electric multiple units offer modern operational flexibility, low energy consumption and significantly reduced life cycle costs. With the widest carbody in its class, the TALENT 3 train has a strong passenger-focus with a maximum comfort during travel and space that enables swift and easy passenger exchange. In total, about 1,400 TALENT family trains are in service in Europe and Canada.
In Germany, about 400 TALENT 2 trains are running with various operators and Bombardier has signed agreements to provide up to 364 of the latest-generation TALENT 3 trains to Austria and Germany. Since 2001, Bombardier has delivered more than 6,500 trains to Germany and also provides comprehensive services to customer fleets for the duration of their life cycles. With a total German supplier volume of €1.3bn per year, Bombardier is strongly committed to the German supply industry.