Deutsche Bahn will have to wait longer for new ICE trains of the 3neo type. Siemens has held up the delivery due to defects in the welds. According to the company, the parts in question are from a subcontractor. “All trains that have already been delivered are not affected and can be used safely,” a Siemens spokesman said on Thursday. A spokesman for Deutsche Bahn also stressed that the 21 trains of this type that are already in use are not affected. “They are operating without any problems.” The “Bild” newspaper had previously reported on the problems.
“Siemens Mobility’s quality assurance measures currently have no impact on our timetable,” the railway spokesman said. He stressed: “We only accept trains that are in perfect condition.” In total, the railway has ordered 90 ICE 3neo trains, and delivery will take place over several years.
Siemens said it had discovered the quality defects in the welds during a routine internal inspection. “Siemens Mobility is in close contact with Deutsche Bahn and the subcontractor and is working hard to resolve the issue,” a spokesperson said.
How long it will take to fix the problems and whether trains that have already been partially built will have to be dismantled remains unclear. This is not the first time that problems with welds have led to delays at ICE. In the case of the ICE 4 model, deliveries of the trains built by Siemens and Bombardier at the time were stopped for months in 2019.
