InnoTrans 2024 report (25)

Siemens Mobility also presented the Mireo Smart EMU, a new standardised regional train platform, the development of which was announced in 2020. The virtual rollout of the Mireo Smart took place at the Krefeld plant on 22 November 2023. The Mireo Smart platform is expected to enable fast deliveries within a maximum of 18 months after ordering and an attractive fixed price (quoted at 6.8 million EUR in 2023).

After the Smartron locomotives, this is the second unified type in the Siemens portfolio, which is designed to meet the needs of customers who prefer fast delivery of an already approved vehicle type at the expense, they do not have choice of customisation.

The technical description

In addition to the PZB 90, which is the basic ATP equipment required for German railways, the train is also equipped with ETCS. At present, the traction equipment is only offered for the 15 kV 16.7 Hz power supply, however, the manufacturer also offers the Mireo Smart with alternative drives, namely BEMU and HEMU, i. e. electric with traction batteries and electric with hydrogen fuel cell propulsion; these are only two-car units, as opposed to the three-car EMU, which was represented in Berlin by unit 3464 004.

An axle arrangement is Bo' 2' 2' Bo', the non-powered bogies between the cars are of the Jakobs type. The top speed is 160 km/h, the traction power of 2,600 kW allows an initial acceleration of up to 0.96 m/s². The braking power of the electrodynamic brake is 4,000 kW. The length of the unit over the couplings is 69,860 mm. The bodyshells are of aluminium and the vehicle complies with TSI and EN 15227 in terms of strength and crashworthiness. The fire resistance for tunnel operation is in accordance with EN 45545 and TSI-SRT (Category A).

The Mireo Smart EMU weights 107 t tare and have entrance door thresholds at 610 mm above the TOR. The passenger entrance doors are double leaf - one per side of the end cars and a couple per side of the intermediate car. The air-conditioned interior offers 214 seats, including 12 in first class. In addition, up to 21 bicycles and 2 wheelchairs can be transported, a wheelchair accessible toilet is present as well. Up to four Mireo Smarts can be operated in multiple, including HEMU and BEMU variants.

The Mireo Smart EMU was approved just prior to InnoTrans. So far, Siemens Mobility is producing six of these trains, five are already completed and ready for service, with the sixth one expected to be available by September 2025. In addition, six two-car BEMUs are in production, and testing and approval of this version will begin once the first of these are completed. The two variants mentioned are being gradually included in a new pool called Smart Train Lease (STL). All mentioned Mireos should be available in STL pool during 2026.

Smart Train Lease

Smart Train Lease is an independent business entity based in München, established as a subsidiary of Siemens in early 2024, and aims to make leasing Mireo Smart vehicles easy. While the interested customer (in the spirit of a unified design) cannot request changes to the vehicle, apart from minor details like exterior livery or seat upholstery, they can choose from three support packages.

These range from the "Basic Package" level, where maintenance management and spare parts supply is offered by STL, but is performed by the operator, who can use its own facilities and staff. The "Extended Package" adds to this the possibility of obtaining the assistance of the mobile service team and fault analysis or assistance with troubleshooting. The "Full Package" then offers vehicles including full service.

The First Mireo Smart STL contract

The first officially announced contract of the Smart Train Lease is dated on 2 December 2024 and relates to the delivery of three BEMUs Mireo Plus B to Regiobahn Fahrbetriebsgesellschaft (RFG) in North Rhine-Westphalia. The battery-electric trains will be leased to the operator for a period of 5.5 years with a start of service in summer 2026.

They will be the first battery-powered trains in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and will be deployed on the 42 km long RE 47 Düsseldorf Hbf - Remscheid-Lennep service, where they will replace the Integral DMUs. These were originally manufactured for the Bayerische Oberlandbahn (BOB) since 1998 by the Austrian company Integral Verkehrstechnik Jenbach, which ceased to exist in 2001.

These vehicles have been replaced by other units by BOB and since 2020 Integral DMUs have been used by RFG, but not without troubles. Their maintenance is so complicated that the operator has not been able to ensure the full extent of the service of the RE 47 and has therefore negotiated with the contractor (Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr, VRR) in April 2024 on a bustitution, currently until the end of 2025!

Passengers can at least use the S-Bahn Lines S1 Dortmund Hbf - Solingen Hbf and S7 Solingen Hbf - Wuppertal Hbf on the given route, it means with a transfer in Solingen (while on the RE 47 regional express service this transfer has been eliminated).

Mireo Plus B for Regiobahn Fahrbetriebsgesellschaft

The two-car Mireo Plus B for RFG will have a maximum speed of 140 km/h and a working range of up to 120 km. It will offer a total of 122 seats, multi-purpose areas and a separate first class with eight seats. The trains will be maintained by Siemens Mobility in Dortmund. No charging infrastructure will be required for this so-called Düssel-Wupper-Express, as it runs under the catenary in the Düsseldorf Hbf - Solingen Hbf section, i. e. almost halfway along the route.

An interesting feature of the line is that between Remscheid and Solingen it crosses the Müngstener Brücke over the Wupper river, which, at 107 m high, is the highest railway bridge in Germany (it is 465 m long and was built between 1894 and 1897, shortening the route between the two cities from 44 km to just 8 km).