Nordbahn chaos: A quarter of the battery brackets in Schleswig-Holstein defective!

Nordbahn chaos: A quarter of the battery brackets in Schleswig-Holstein defective!

Eckernförde, Deutschland - in Schleswig-Holstein there are currently massive failures in the north rail's battery drafts. According to information from NDR are around a quarter of the battery brackets defective. The repair is becoming increasingly difficult because spare parts are missing and the reorder times are lengthy.

On January 7, 2025, trains between Husum and St. Peter-Ording fell completely on this day. Likewise, travelers between Kiel and Eckernförde have to expect a reduced frequency because every second connection is not served. In order to fill the gaps created, replacement traffic was set up by bus. Already on New Year's Day, battery brackets were on the routes between Schleibrücke-Nord and Flensburg as well as Kiel and Rendsburg.

repair problems and other failures

Currently there are seven of a total of 27 battery drafts in repair, two of which have been for a long time due to a storm and five. This means that around 25 percent of the fleet are not operational. Further failures on the affected routes will be expected for the coming days. The full repair of all vehicles will be promised in spring 2025.

While the Erixx connection between Kiel and Lübeck runs smoothly, since only one train is damaged, the long repair times in the Rendsburg workshop give rise to concern. A battery train that was driven against a tree in October 2024 is still not operational. According to the responsible company Stadler, the procurement of special spare parts is as problematic, since they are often not in stock and need long production times. Bodies and damaged powerkeepers are particularly affected.

Another point is that the trains of the Stadler fleet in Schleswig-Holstein are involved three times more often in accidents than in the rest of Germany. While almost 70 percent of the railway lines in Schleswig-Holstein are operated electrically, this value is only 62 percent nationwide. In addition, a test operation on the route between Husum and St. Peter-Ording was started.

With regard to future improvements, the Nordbahn and the state of Schleswig-Holstein are already planting new, battery-operated railcars into operation. From 2024, these modern vehicles will be used in the battery networks, as reported nordbahn.de . The new flirt battery railcars offer modern comfort, including barrier-free entrances and generous multi-purpose areas, and should replace the lint diesel railcar.

-transmitted by West-Ost-Medien