DSB has presented Denmark’s Ministry of Transport with its proposed rolling stock procurement strategy in response to the ongoing issues it has faced with its intercity IC4 trains.
The report, which sets out several possible strategies for train procurement between now and 203o, estimates that DSB will need to invest DKK 20 – 22 billion (€2.7 – 3 billion) on around 275 new trains over the next 15 years.
DSB will need to procure more electric rolling stock to support Denmark’s electrification programme, which will be funded by Togfonden – a new rail infrastructure funding model based on the taxation of North Sea oil extraction.
DSB’s report also providers procurement guidelines. Anders Egehus, director of operations at DSB, said the company did not want to have a repeat of the IC4 saga.
Originally due to be delivered from 2003, completion of the IC4 order was delayed by eight years, with the last of the 82 trainsets only arriving in Denmark in October last year.
Future rolling stock should be based on proven products and there must be a thorough pre-qualification process for potential suppliers, DSB has stated. The company also wants to reduce the number of different train types to just two or three.
