Krefeld · In 2029, new battery-powered trains from the Siemens Mobility plant in Krefeld, in northern Westphalia, are set to begin passenger service. A British investor and the Rock Group are funding the 800-million-euro investment.
The construction and sale of climate-friendly regional trains is a pillar of success for the more than 2,000 employees at the Siemens Mobility plant in Krefeld, located on Duisburger Straße in Uerdingen. The second pillar—maintenance and service—is what makes the offering complete for many customers. Siemens is supplying 61 Mireo Plus B battery-powered trains to Rock Rail, supplemented by a full-service contract with a term of up to 30 years, according to a Siemens spokesperson.
The customer, Rock Rail, is relying on Siemens Mobility’s comprehensive Railigent X operations and maintenance concept in collaboration with the Westfalen-Lippe Regional Public Transport Association (NWL) to further develop regional rail transport on the Northern Westphalia (NNW) network. As part of this long-term service package, Siemens Mobility will assume full responsibility for fleet maintenance, thereby ensuring nearly 100 percent availability. The goal is to achieve particularly reliable, efficient, and sustainable operations on the Northern Westphalia network, where the modern battery-powered trains built in Krefeld will enter service starting in December 2029, according to the spokesperson.
“Long-term service contracts are a key success factor for reliable and sustainable rail transport. This contract underscores precisely that importance. In doing so, we are laying the foundation for efficient, cost-effective operations while also making an important contribution to the decarbonization of rail transport in Westphalia,” emphasized Elmar Zeiler, CEO of Customer Service at Siemens Mobility:
The project demonstrates how innovative financing structures, expertise in rail vehicles, and long-term private capital from British investor John Laing can help bring cleaner and more efficient transportation solutions to life. “Rock Rail is proud to be working with Siemens Mobility, Laing, and NWL to put this important fleet into service for passengers throughout the region,” explained Mike Kean, Chief Operating Officer of Rock Rail.
The investment, costing approximately 800 million euros, is 89 percent owned by the international investment firm John Laing and 11 percent by Rock Rail, an investor specializing in rail infrastructure, Laing announced on LinkedIn.
Siemens Mobility combines preventive, corrective, and predictive maintenance with digital analysis using Railigent X to enable condition-based maintenance even before a train enters the shop. This reduces downtime, optimizes maintenance processes, and sustainably lowers operating costs, the company spokesperson reported.
(sti ped)
