High Speed ​​Train Europe

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The High Speed ​​Train Europe ( HTE ) was a planned high-speed train of the Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF) and the Deutsche Bahn AG (DB). The HTE was to replace the Intercity-Express (ICE) in Germany and the Train à grande vitesse (TGV) in France and operate across borders in Central and Southern Europe.

history

Back in July 1995, agreed Siemens and GEC-Alsthom basically a marketing - joint venture . Working groups should clarify what a common high-speed train could look like. Politicians and railway managers had long called for such a collaboration to improve the international sales opportunities for European high-speed trains. Other reasons were seen in the concentration in the rail technology sector and the drastically reduced profit margins.

From 1999 the railways of Germany and France began to develop a joint specification sheet . The different philosophies of the two countries as well as new technical developments flowed into the concepts for one and two-story high - speed trains with and without tilting technology . Cooperation should reduce costs, bundle know-how and use synergy effects . From the end of 2000 Italy was also involved, along with other European railway companies informally . It was assumed that if all activities were bundled from 2010/2015, there would be an annual need for new purchases of 30 to 35 vehicles amounting to 1 to 1.5 billion euros. By reducing the variety of types, standardization, larger quantities and optimizing the usable space, the procurement costs should be reduced by 30 percent. The maintenance costs should be reduced by further measures by 20 percent, the operating costs by 10 percent. The HTE should have a modular structure and can easily be tailored to specific areas of application. In addition to single-story trains, double-decker versions were also planned.

Eighteen trinational working groups were set up to develop the technical details. The trains should be designed for long distances from 600 km and have a maximum speed of 320 km / h.

The project lost momentum from the end of 2002. At the beginning of 2003 it was planned to conclude the talks in the summer of 2003. On the basis of a specification, a first tender should be made at the end of 2003, whereby initially only individual pre-series trains should be procured. Their testing was planned from 2007. Series trains in larger numbers should be used from 2010.

In autumn 2004, Deutsche Bahn announced that the preparatory phase for the project had been completed. The national conception had not been completely overcome; further work would only be started when a new acquisition was due and an adaptation to future standards could take place. The project was therefore considered to have failed for the time being. A common foundation is laid with the joint specifications that have been drawn up. The project was canceled.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Manufacturers of ICE and TGV want to work together . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung , No. 169, 1995, ISSN  0174-4917 , p. 21.
  2. ↑ Two rivals together in the driver's cab . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung , No. 171, 1995, ISSN  0174-4917 , p. 26.
  3. ^ A b c Heinz Kurz : InterCityExpress: The development of high-speed traffic in Germany . EK-Verlag, Freiburg 2009, ISBN 978-3-88255-228-7 , p. 282 f.
  4. ↑ a b c The technology strategy of Deutsche Bahn AG . In: Eisenbahn-Revue International , issue 4/2003, ISSN  1421-2811 , pp. 186-189.
  5. ↑ Timetable perspectives . In: Eisenbahn-Revue International , issue 4/2001, ISSN  1421-2811 , p. 186 f.
  6. ↑ Report "European train" failed . In: Eisenbahn-Revue International , issue 11/2004, ISSN  1421-2811 , p. 504.