Will rebuild MTU PowerPacks for German rail transport operator, will supply additional units and services to U.K. intercity train service
Rolls-Royce announced one of the largest remanufacturing contracts in its history, signing a contract with the Transdev Group for the remanufacturing of approximately around 400 MTUPowerPacks. Transdev GmbH (formerly Veolia Verkehr) is the largest private local transport operator in the German rail and bus network. The PowerPacks are used in regional trains run by Transdev Group across Germany.
The Reman PowerPacks are due for remanufacturing from the beginning of 2017 until 2021. Transdev Group has been using MTU’s Reman service since taking up its activities in Germany in 2005.
“Our Reman products offer operators a whole host of benefits,” said Denise Kurtulus, director of Sales Services at MTU. “The remanufactured PowerPacks are not just more affordable than new ones. The ability to get fast delivery of exchange PowerPacks also means we can keep our customers’ vehicle downtime extremely low. The fact that Reman PowerPacks are kitted out with the latest technology also helps save operating costs.”
After the reman process, MTU said the PowerPacks are in an as-new condition, capable of 18,000 hours (roughly 720,000 km) of operation. For some series, MTU is able to provide exchange PowerPacks (so-called swing units) before the drive systems are removed, thereby enabling the railcars to go back into service more quickly.
Transdev Group uses the MTU Series 183 and 1800 PowerPacks in its Alstom Lint and Bombardier Talent vehicles. So far, MTU has overhauled more than 1100 rail PowerPacks as part of its Reman program.
Rolls-Royce also said it has entered into a long-term partnership with Hitachi Rail Europe to supply additional Series 1600 MTU PowerPacks to Hitachi and will assume responsibility for their maintenance from 2017. The length of the maintenance contract runs for the 27.5-year lifetime of Hitachi’s service and maintenance contract for the Intercity Express Programme (IEP) in the U.K. Hitachi Rail Europe selected MTU to supply 250 PowerPacks for the Class 800 and 801 IEP trains in 2012.
MTU is to guarantee the availability of its drive systems through the lifetime of Hitachi’s contract for IEP. The full-service maintenance agreement covers both preventive maintenance and any repairs and major overhauls.
“Operating the IEP trains calls for maximum operational availability and reliability,” said Kurtulus. “So we’re especially delighted to have succeeded in winning Hitachi over with our all-round proposition and our many years of experience in rail maintenance contracts in the U.K.”
MTU had already supplied the engines for the current generation of the UK’s Class 43 High Speed Trains, also assuming full preventive and corrective maintenance work under a major all-round service arrangement.
