Deutsche Bahn (DB) is putting an XXL ICE on the tracks in June. Information on places and speed was already known in advance.
- In the middle of the Corona * pandemic, Deutsche Bahn ( DB ) has announced a major innovation.
- A superlative ICE is coming onto the tracks and will also stop at Frankfurt Central Station *.
- There was a lot of criticism of the smaller ICE 4 – what about space, speed and the like with the new train variant?
Frankfurt – There was already a lot of criticism when the ICE 4 was introduced. Some DB customers were not at all satisfied with the equipment and the power of the train. In the middle of the corona pandemic , Deutsche Bahn then presented an innovation for the criticized ICE. But does the new ICE variant have what it takes to withstand criticism from the past?
The first XXL trains of the DB are definitely an eye-catcher. With their 375 meters in length, they are the giants of the trains. No train in the history of the railway comes close to it. Thanks to the construction by Siemens, a particularly large number of travelers can be accommodated, as reported by Deutsche Bahn. In the XXL version with 13 parts there is a whopping 918 seats. It should also approach the main train station in Frankfurt.
Deutsche Bahn (DB) with innovation in XXL format – What is actually possible
Fans of the DB may be suspicious of the weight. Because it’s lower than the size suggests. If you take the twelve-part variant of the ICE 4 for comparison and compare it with the ICE 1 with twelve intermediate cars, the giant is around 120 tons lighter. According to the Deutsche Bahn, this is due, among other things, to the fact that the running bogies have undergone significant further development. This is a bogie in which the train’s wheelsets are stored. They are lighter and offer less air resistance. This also has an impact on the energy balance. Because according to information from Deutsche Bahn , the energy consumption of the ICE 4 per seat is 22 percent lower than that of the ICE 1.
| ICE 1 | ICE 4 (13-part) |
|---|---|
| Length: 358 meters | Length: 375 meters |
| Seats: 703 | Seats: 918 |
| Empty weight for the (12 parts): approx. 790 tons | Empty weight at (12 parts): 670 tons |
| Top speed: 280 kilometers per hour | Top speed: 250 km / h (will be increased to 265) |
| Source: deutschebahn.de |
Deutsche Bahn (DB) with XXL train: There was criticism of the ICE 4 in advance
But there are not only fans of the new ICE format . And that has above all to do with the speed of the ICE-4 * giant operated by Deutsche Bahn. Because: Even the XXL version of the ICE 4 cannot keep up with the top speed of the ICE 1. He currently manages 250 kilometers per hour. A full 30 kilometers per hour slower than its slightly shorter colleague.
That made users angry. A user confronted Deutsche Bahn during the introduction of the shorter ICE 4 at the same top speed in the comment area of the DB website. He asked: “Why not developed like ICE 3 for 300 km / h? (sic) “. Deutsche Bahn responded to the criticism and replied that at higher high speeds, the procurement costs and the maintenance of the train would increase sharply. In addition, the journey is not significantly shortened by driving faster, since the stopping distances in Germany are mostly very short. But other users also vented their anger.
New at DB: XXL-ICE: “Bad train” or “World champion of usable space”?
Because the use of the ICE 4 meant that other trains had to give way. Including those that had higher top speeds up their sleeves. “Why does this unsuccessful train necessarily have to be used on a route that can travel up to 300km / h faster?” Asked a user. “What use are routes for 270 to 300km / h if the train cannot move out?” Asks another. According to the user, the timetable on a high-speed line such as between Frankfurt Central Station and Cologne should only be adhered to if intermediate stops are canceled.
Another accused the railway of having “a board in front of your head” when designing the ICE 4. Because the seating arrangement is just too tight. The DB team did not respond to this in the comment area. It remains to be seen whether these problems will be resolved in the XXL version of the ICE 4. In your press release, Deutsche Bahn speaks of a “world champion of usable space ” with the 13-part giant ICE, where the individual wagons are two meters longer and legroom is the same. How customers will perceive legroom and compliance remains to be seen.
In addition, the top speed of the twelve- and 13-car ICE 4 is to be increased from the current 250 kilometers per hour to 265 kilometers per hour in order to improve punctuality. That is what Deutsche Bahn wrote in its press release. This means that the XXL ICE travels a little faster than the previous ICE variant, but even with this increase it does not come close to the speed of the ICE 1.
Deutsche Bahn (DB): ICE 4 has another disadvantage
However, the giant version of the ICE 4 definitely has one disadvantage. Because, according to “Focus Online”, the train can only stop at platforms that are at least 410 meters long. Many stations can therefore not be approached. According to the news portal, the longest train in railway history is to be used regularly for the first time on June 13, 2021 – on the Hamburg to Chur route in Switzerland. On the way, the XXL-ICE also stops at Frankfurt Central Station, among other places.
In September 2021, the XXL version of the ICE will then also be used regularly on the North Rhine-Westphalia to Munich route. (Sophia Lother) * fnp.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editorial network.
Finally, “after the long Corona drought, I get the feeling of club music back,” a Facebook user cheers with a helping of sarcasm. The resident is angry with Deutsche Bahn (DB). *
List of rubric lists: © Andreas Arnold / dpa
