DB PLANS FUTURE GENERATIONS OF ICE

This article reports on recent progress and future plans for the InterCity Express (ICE) railway services in Germany. ICE has steadily expanded since its introduction in 1991; as a result, rail's market share has increased in Germany. 60 first-generation ICE trains are now operating on four routes, and ICE income from its passengers is growing rapidly. Despite this, ICE services are not yet profitable, because they need 60% occupancy to make a profit, and at present have just over 50% occupancy. German Federal Railway (DB) is broadly satisfied with ICE's technical progress, although there have been a few teething problems. DB has ordered 60 second-generation ICE-2 trains, which will be delivered from 1996 on. Several of them will be designed as multi-system trains to run between Paris and southern Germany. ICE-2 has a power car, six passenger coaches, and a driving trailer with an automatic coupler, so that it can act as a half-train or be linked with another ICE-2 to form a whole train. Each ICE-2 coach is about 5t lighter than an ICE-1 coach, and has new air-sprung bogies to reduce noise and vibration. Progress with the ICE-M multi- system for international services has hitherto been slow; it is now viewed as a train for dedicated international links. ICE-3 is also planned as a national version of ICE-M.