Battery trains in passenger service in Germany (and elsewhere)

[Nottingham59]

This article says that Alstom tested its regional BEMU in September 2021, and that

"The BEMU will enter passenger service in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria when the new timetable comes into effect in December 2021. It will be the first battery-powered train to be approved for regular passenger service in Germany since the 1960s."

Does anyone know if the trains were actually introduced on this date? And how have they performed in public service?

Battery-electric train successfully passes technical trial in Chemnitz

Alstom’s battery-electric train (BEMU) has successfully conducted a technical demonstration journey in in Chemnitz.

www.railwaypro.com

 

[Fragezeichnen]

It says here they are doing trials, some with passengers: https://www.railtech.com/infrastruc...-test-operations-with-battery-electric-train/

To take a new concept from the first ever trial run, to squadron service in 3 months would be pretty optimistic, especially given they are based on a platform so troublesome ÖBB returned theirs for a refund.

 

[Nottingham59]

It says here they are doing trials, some with passengers: https://www.railtech.com/infrastruc...-test-operations-with-battery-electric-train/

Thanks for that - most interesting. It would be good to hear of how this trial progresses.

(And any other real-life experience of battery trains in day-to-day passenger service. I've amended the thread title to include operations elsewhere)

 

[DanielB]

The hybrid Stadler WINKs operated by Arriva Netherlands in Fryslân seem to run without many issues, but I haven't heard anything anymore on the project to equip some stations with overhead lines to charge the batterries.
So these actually run on diesel most of the time instead of their batteries. Though recently they were approved to use the overhead lines at Leeuwarden station, so they are now using electric power while at the platform.

 

[U-Bahnfreund]

The entry into passenger service is planned as follows, although this is still part of a test program:
* 24 January Stuttgart to Horb (only on weekdays; I would guess route IRE6b?)
* 5 February Pleinfeld to Gunzenhausen (only on weekends; route RB62)

In December this year, erixx will also take over the RB76, RE83, RB84 and RB87 in Schleswig-Holstein, and these will be operated with Stadler Flirt Akku trains (not sure if directly from the start of the concession though).

However, it's a pitty how little research some newspapers do, as battery MUs have been used in Germany since 1895. Class 515 battery trains were in regular passenger use as late as 1995. So it's hardly the "first battery train Germany-wide". The innovation rather lies in the use of overhead lines to charge the batteries.

 

[30907]

The entry into passenger service is planned as follows, although this is still part of a test program:
* 24 January Stuttgart to Horb (only on weekdays; I would guess route IRE6b?)
* 5 February Pleinfeld to Gunzenhausen (only on weekends; route RB62)

In December this year, erixx will also take over the RB76, RE83, RB84 and RB87 in Schleswig-Holstein, and these will be operated with Stadler Flirt Akku trains (not sure if directly from the start of the concession though).

Thanks for the detail.

However, it's a pitty how little research some newspapers do, as battery MUs have been used in Germany since 1895. Class 515 battery trains were in regular passenger use as late as 1995. So it's hardly the "first battery train Germany-wide". The innovation rather lies in the use of overhead lines to charge the batteries.

Do you have a source for that quote? It's not from either of the linked articles.
Edit: it's actually the headline of the DB press release, as I discovered from a German forum - plenty of critical comment there, naturally.

 

[DanielB]

Arriva Netherlands is currently having their Stadler WINK trains adapted by Stadler, to enable them to not only store braking energy in the batteries for later use but enabling them to charge the batteries using the overhead lines.

For next month, on February 24th and 25th, trials with battery operated trains (still without passengers) are scheduled on more suitable routes than their usual routes (as none of the regional routes in Fryslân is electrified).
The plan is to try and run on batteries between Almelo and Mariënberg and then continue to Hardenberg with the pantograph up to charge the batteries. Another trial will be conducted between Arnhem and Doetinchem where the batteries will be charged on the electrified part between Arnhem and Zevenaar, followed by a trip to Doetinchem on battery power.

The provinces Overijssel and Gelderland, in which those two routes are, are also interested in partially battery powered trains on their regional lines to avoid the need for expensive electrification.
Another potential route for battery powered trains might be the Maaslijn (Nijmegen - Venlo - Roermond) which should already have been electrified by now. However that project is causing headaches due to continuously increasing costs. Partially also caused by the problematic situation in Venlo with its switchable OHLE at the platforms and 15 kV OHLE on the east side. Battery trains would be very useful there as they would be able to just pass underneath the 15 kV OHLE, avoiding the need for cargo trains change voltage whilst climbing a hill on their way to Germany.

 

[AlexNL]

Electrification of the Maaslijn is in progress and should be completed by the end of 2024. As far as I know, the short term plan is that Maaslijn trains will pass underneath the 15 kV wires coming from Germany with their pantographs down, which should be enforced by a balise (like the APCO system on the Class 80x fleet).

In the longer term, ProRail want to get rid of 15 kV in Venlo altogether as the installation is old, hard to maintain, knowledge is scarce and spare parts are hard to find. Instead, Venlo would become 1500 V DC throughout and a voltage changeover point would be erected at the border close to Kaldenkirchen. Most freight operators use multisystem locomotives these days, so the need for 15 kV in Venlo is not as big anymore as it once was.

 

[DanielB]

Electrification of the Maaslijn is in progress and should be completed by the end of 2024. As far as I know, the short term plan is that Maaslijn trains will pass underneath the 15 kV wires coming from Germany with their pantographs down, which should be enforced by a balise (like the APCO system on the Class 80x fleet).

Well, in progress... due to the ever increasing costs there's a backup plan (electrification only, doubling of the tracks in a later stage). But according to a journal for the railway industry (Spoor Pro) the completion by the end of 2024 depends on the tendering process starting early this year. Passing underneath the 15 kV section with pantographs down would be a challenge as the 15 kV starts immediately after the platforms.

In the longer term, ProRail want to get rid of 15 kV in Venlo altogether as the installation is old, hard to maintain, knowledge is scarce and spare parts are hard to find. Instead, Venlo would become 1500 V DC throughout and a voltage changeover point would be erected at the border close to Kaldenkirchen. Most freight operators use multisystem locomotives these days, so the need for 15 kV in Venlo is not as big anymore as it once was.

I know, but the challenge with the voltage changeover between Venlo and Kaldenkirchen is that Venlo is in the valley of the Meuse and Kaldenkirchen on top of a hill. That's not exactly an ideal combination with heavy freight trains.

So, battery trains might still save a lot of money here as the Maaslijn is one of the longest routes to fully electrify. And definitely the busiest one, making the savings on substations even larger.

 

[MarcVD]

In the longer term, ProRail want to get rid of 15 kV in Venlo altogether as the installation is old, hard to maintain, knowledge is scarce and spare parts are hard to find. Instead, Venlo would become 1500 V DC throughout and a voltage changeover point would be erected at the border close to Kaldenkirchen. Most freight operators use multisystem locomotives these days, so the need for 15 kV in Venlo is not as big anymore as it once was.

This is a général trend. SNCB got rid of all commutable tracks in Quevy, the commutable tracks in Jeumont are out of order ans SNCF won't repair them, and DB wants to replace the commutable tracks in Aachen by a simple 3/15 junction somewhere west of the Buschtunnel.

 

[duesselmartin]

As to Venlo 15KV, with the extension of the train from Germany, these will be multi voltage too. That does make 15kv in Venlo obselete.

 

[JonasB]

Does anyone know what the battery range of the Alstom trains is?

 

[Nottingham59]

Does anyone know what the battery range of the Alstom trains is?

This article talks about 50miles off the wires: https://www.railtech.com/infrastruc...pply-dublin-with-battery-and-electric-trains/
"This concept will enable the BEMU fleet to run more than 50 miles outside the electrified network on battery power and will be the first modern battery fleet in Ireland."

This one mentions 50 miles too:

Battery-electric train successfully passes technical trial in Chemnitz

Alstom’s battery-electric train (BEMU) has successfully conducted a technical demonstration journey in in Chemnitz.

www.railwaypro.com

"In February 2020, the transport company for central Saxony, VMS GmbH and Alstom signed a EUR 100 million contract for the supply of 11 three-car Coradia Continental battery-electric trains. To bridge the 80 km of non-electrified line between the cities of Chemnitz and Leipzig the authority requested a battery-electric (BEMU) fleet expected to enter service in 2023."

Similar to the Stadler FLIRT Akku which has 80 kilometres guaranteed by the company, according to this: https://www.railtech.com/rolling-st...kku-sets-world-record-for-battery-only-range/

 

[Kreissignal]

The Niederbarnimer Eisenbahngesellschaft, which runs a number of regional lines in eastern Brandenburg, has ordered 30-odd Siemens Mireo "battery-hybrid" (battery + pantograph) units to replace its present fleet of diesels: these should enter service in 2024.

 

[the sniper]

Just out of curiosity, what was the range of the old battery Class 515's operated in the past? Is there a list anywhere of routes that they worked?

 

[30907]

Just out of curiosity, what was the range of the old battery Class 515's operated in the past? Is there a list anywhere of routes that they worked?

Lots of info here - obviously not a primary source
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/DB_Class_ETA_150
The German original has a similar level of detail..

 

[the sniper]

Lots of info here - obviously not a primary source
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/DB_Class_ETA_150
The German original has a similar level of detail..

Yeah I'd read those, but thanks. The 300km(English article)/250Km-400Km(German article) quoted range seemed quite something! I'd be interested to know about their charging/operation and how they were diagrammed/utilised.

 

[duesselmartin]

Just out of curiosity, what was the range of the old battery Class 515's operated in the past? Is there a list anywhere of routes that they worked?

I dont have a list, but here on the Ruhr it was mainly short workings such as Bochum-Gelsenkirchen.
I guess Oberhausen to Dorsten was one of the longer routes.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Lexikon Erfinder und Erfindungen, encyclopedia of railway inventors and inventions, has a map of routes covered by battery railcars in 1968: most of Schleswig-holstein north of Hamburg, lots of routes between Helmstedt, Goslar and Wuppertal, Duisburg, Aachen, it would have been a feat to travel all of those, Limburg - Wiesbaden - Karlsruhe, many alternatives. Plus a few routes from Basel and Muenchen.

 

[U-Bahnfreund]

Lexikon Erfinder und Erfindungen, encyclopedia of railway inventors and inventions, has a map of routes covered by battery railcars in 1968: most of Schleswig-holstein north of Hamburg, lots of routes between Helmstedt, Goslar and Wuppertal, Duisburg, Aachen, it would have been a feat to travel all of those, Limburg - Wiesbaden - Karlsruhe, many alternatives. Plus a few routes from Basel and Muenchen.

Do you think you'd be able to upload that map? Or link to a digitisation?

 

[Nottingham59]

I see that the Alstom BEMU has had a favourable write-up here:

Deutsche Bahn and Alstom with positive feedback for the first battery train - Urban Transport Magazine

“A good train for the environment”: with this slogan, Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Alstom drew up an interim balance of the trial operation of the battery-powered multiple unit in passenger transport in Germany last 14 April. Since 24 January 2022, Deutsche Bahn (DB) has been running the first fully...

www.urban-transport-magazine.com

"The train already has more than two months of practical experience and 20,000 kilometres covered. Initial findings show: The train is reliable, the battery is stable and the electric driving experience is convincing for both drivers and passengers."

EDIT: And Hitachi have announced their tri-mode Blues Train.

Hitachi Rail unveils ‘tri-mode’ battery hybrid train - Rail UK

Hitachi Rail unveils ‘tri-mode’ battery hybrid train - InnoTrans

railuk.com

"Hitachi Rail has unveiled its new ‘Blues Train’ at InnoTrans 2022. Built for Trenitalia, the cutting-edge battery hybrid train will reduce carbon emissions and fuel consumption by 50% and has the ability to arrive at and depart from stations completely under battery power. The train will be the first ever ‘tri-mode’ (using battery, electric, and diesel power) to enter passenger service in Europe."