Stadler To Supply Rescue Trains To ÖBB

In late December 2020, Stadler and ÖBB Infrastruktur signed a framework agreement for the development, construction, delivery, approval and commissioning of up to 20 new fire-fighting and rescue trains. ÖBB has already placed a first fix order for the five trains worth around 60 million EUR. The complete contract is valued at approx. 240 million EUR. The announcement of an international tender on the EU platforms took place in early May 2020.

The new trains based on the FLIRT family are designed as the three-car units and are around 66.5 m long. They each consist of a powered end car, a powered low-floor end car and an intermediate trailer which can carry up to 45,000 litres of water. A total of 300 seats and standing places will be available per train, which can be used for persons in need of rescue. The „tank car“ will also be accessible for persons and will provide up to 56 seats.

The 160 km/h rescue FLIRTs will be suitable for trimodal operation, i. e. electrically (15 kV with an option for 25 kV, a maximum power of 3,000 kW), diesel-electrically (760 kW) and by battery (1,100 kW). The first vehicles are scheduled to enter into service by mid-2024 at the latest. They are intended for interventions in the three new base tunnels of Koralmbahn, Semmeringbahn and Brennerbahn, and will replace ÖBB’s first generation of fire-fighting and rescue trains. They will be also able to run on ÖBB’s entire network.

The trains will be built at the Bussnang works. Up to two units will be able to run in multiple. Dr. Ansgar Brockmeyer, Sales Manager at Stadler, says: „We are very pleased about this order. Our many years of experience with tailor-made vehicles involving a wide variety of drive concepts will help us to produce these technically demanding trains.“