DANISH state Railways (DSB) took delivery of the first rake of Talgo 230 loco-hauled coaches from the Spanish manufacturer in Copenhagen on January 25.
Originally ordered in 2020, the new trains, designated EuroCity (EC) by DSB, will be hauled by Siemens Vectron type EB electric locomotives, which are already in service with DSB, and will replace ageing diesel-powered trains.
DSB currently has 16 sets of coaches (each made up of 15 articulated vehicles), plus 16 driving trailers on order. The trains, each with a capacity of 492 passengers, will operate at up to 200km/h on key cross-border routes, including Copenhagen – Hamburg and Aarhus – Hamburg.
DSB originally signed a framework agreement with Talgo in 2020 valued at €500m, with an initial order for eight locomotive-hauled sets costed at €134m. This was followed by further orders for the driving trailers and another batch of eight locomotive-hauled sets.
All eight sets from the initial 2020 order are expected to arrive in Denmark this year, while the remaining vehicles are due to be delivered in 2026-27. The first set will be tested on the DSB network this year while Talgo seeks type approval. It is then expected to enter commercial service this autumn.
“It has been important for us to acquire a train type that is also supplied to other top operators in order to minimise the need for adjustments,” says DSB CEO, Mr Flemming Jensen. “It is an advantage that we at DSB can also make use of their experiences.”
DSB’s EC coaches are similar to the ICE L vehicles currently being tested by German Rail (DB). Up to 100 17-vehicle trains were specified in a framework agreement, with 79 already drawn down. The first 23 sets are likely to enter service on routes including Berlin – Amsterdam this autumn.
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