INNOTRANS: In the first of many product launches lined up for InnoTrans 2008, Bombardier Transportation unveiled a Talent 2 EMU for Nürnberg commuter services shortly after the opening of the show on September 23.
Deutsche Bahn and Bombardier signed a €1·2bn framework agreement covering up to 321 of the trains in February 2007. DB Regio is deploying the first 61 units on the Moselbahn between Koblenz and Trier, with Leipzig - Cottbus the next to receive the trains, and the commuter network in Nürnberg to follow from December 2010.
Built at Hennigsdorf, the four-car train for Nürnberg has electronic passenger information, six wide doors on each side and an accessible toilet.
Talent 2 is a modular design concept, with train lengths from two to six cars and a top speed of 160 km/h. Bombardier says the modularity will allow vehicles to be reconfigured during their operational life, with easy changes to the interior layout and the number of doors. It should be possible to calculate conversion costs accurately, giving a high resale value.
The design is also suitable for use outside Germany, including by operators looking to expand beyond their local market. 'The Talent 2 vehicle is a product which is really geared to the future,' said André Navarri, President of Bombardier Transportation.
'For customers like DB Regio, its flexibility is a decisive argument in the face of growing international competition. The train is not just flexible, it's also very comfortable, energy-efficient and cost-effective.'
