Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and Bombardier are making progress on resolving technical problems with passenger trains the Swiss have ordered and could put five more of them into service within weeks, the partners told Reuters.
SBB said in February that new Bombardier FV-Dosto trains had yet to live up to expectations and that the companies were working to correct issues, including improving software and fixing problematic doors.
“The new long-distance double-decker trains are more stable than at the end of 2018 thanks to various improvements. If developments remain positive, the SBB will add more Bombardier trains to operations over the next few weeks,” they said in a joint statement on Wednesday.
SBB awarded Bombardier a 59-train contract in 2010, worth 1.9 billion Swiss franc ($1.86 billion), but the first deliveries were made only in 2018. Amid problems, Bombardier agreed to add three more trains free of charge as compensation.
Toni Haene, SBB’s head of passenger transport, said on Wednesday that the plan was to put five more trains into service in addition to the 12 that have already been delivered.
The Swiss contract for the trains calls for undisclosed penalty payments in the event of delays, but the SBB has not given any details so far.
Financial terms were still under discussion, Haene told Reuters on the sidelines of a news conference held aboard one of the new trains as it traveled between Zurich and Basel, but declined to give more details.
(Reuters)
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