RAILPOOL inaugurated new electric locomotive workshop in Hamburg

On 11 September 2024, RAILPOOL Group opened Europe's most modern locomotive workshop in Hamburg Billbrook. It is operated by RAILPOOL Lokservice, part of the RAILPOOL Group. The company has invested more than 20 million EUR in this major project, with the aim of strengthening Hamburg's rail freight hub. RAILPOOL Lokservice is currently the only private company in the Hamburg metropolitan area that offers and carries out maintenance work on electric locomotives. 

Up to seven locomotives can be worked on at the same time. The wide range of services includes both operational maintenance work and overhauls. At the heart of the new site is the reprofiling facility. The expansion will create up to 40 new jobs. At the same time, RAILPOOL Lokservice is taking responsibility for the qualification of young talent and has been an apprenticeship training company since the beginning of September. With perfected workshop processes, spacious workshop halls, extensive storage areas, state-of-the-art work equipment and future-proof office and training areas, the aim is to set new standards in terms of quality and efficiency.

Christoph Engel, Managing Director of RAILPOOL Lokservice: “We wanted a workshop of superlatives and we built it. Right from the start, the aim of the construction project was to provide our customers with the best possible maintenance quality. Planning the workshop on a greenfield site enabled us to plan the space in such a way that work processes were massively accelerated and simplified. Not least for the benefit of our competent employees.”

The new building with a floor space of around 4,000 m² was constructed in an energy-efficient manner and with the aim of achieving the greatest possible sustainability: the building complex is connected to the city's district heating network and the entire roof area is covered in greenery. A photovoltaic system with an output of over 60 kW will supply the workshop with self-sufficient electricity on a seasonal basis. Charging points for the company's own electric vehicles are also planned.

After a record construction time of just nine months, a section of the hall for carrying out overhauls on locomotives was partially put into operation in April 2024. The total construction time until the opening for full operation was just 14 months. The total area of the workshop site is 15,000 m². The complete electrification of the track section up to the workshop hall is currently being planned and will complete the sustainability efforts as part of the new construction project with the resulting independence from diesel shunting locomotives.

The project was also made possible by the municipal funding program “Hamburg Green Roof Funding” of the Hamburg Investment and Development Bank (IFB Hamburg). A funding commitment from the “Companies for Resource Protection” program for the electrification of the section to the workshop hall has been received.