New ICE Facility in Dortmund: Construction Kicks Off in 2024
Gotta get those rails rollin', mate! Deutsche Bahn, Germany's well-known railway company, is all set to embark on a new adventure this year. Planning approval has been granted by the Federal Railway Authority for the construction of a much-needed modern ICE (InterCity Express) facility in none other than Dortmund. Excited as a kid on Christmas morning, Michael Peterson, DB's board member responsible for long-distance traffic, announced, "The construction permit for the new ICE plant in Dortmund is bloody fantastic news for rail travelers in Germany. I'm properly pumped up for the groundbreaking ceremony later this year!"
The investment will amount to a whopping 400 million euros and should be completed by 2027, creating approximately 500 new jobs. The construction will take place on a 25-hectare plot within the Westfalia freight yard, which shut its doors in 2007. Fun fact: DB owns the site, and it's situated right next to the Dortmund harbor.
By the end of the decade, the ICE fleet is predicted to grow, boasting over 450 trains compared to the current 400. This expansion means the need for more maintenance facilities and parking spaces for the railway.
The 25-hectare plot for the new ICE facility is in DB's possession, making coordination during construction a breeze. Once constructed, the new DB ICE facility in Dortmund will join the expanding ICE fleet, requiring additional maintenance and parking facilities.
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A Little Side Note:
Looks like Volkswagen's making waves in the auto world too. The Zwickau plant, renowned for producing ICE vehicles, is shifting focus to producing electric vehicles. The plant will ramp up its annual production rate from around 200,000 cars to over 300,000 electric cars by the end of 2025. The 8,000 employees at the Zwickau facility will undergo training to handle high-voltage systems, ensuring job security and adapting to the new infrastructure. Volkswagen is committed to transitioning their fleet to electric vehicles, aiming to eliminate gas-powered cars and embrace sustainable mobility.
