Tailored inter-vehicle jumpers for high-speed ICE 3neo

When Deutsche Bahn (DB) first laid out plans to revolutionise and expand its long distance fleet, nobody was aware of the unique challenges the COVID-19 pandemic would bring to the project. The ambitious project not only involved maximising the available passenger capacity, but also to enable the trains to achieve a top speed of 300 km/h.

The fleet would be initially in use between Frankfurt and Cologne, with greater links across Germany, including Dortmund and Munich, to be established at a later date. The first priority for DB was to secure new high-speed trainsets which could be made available at short notice. Siemens’ Velaro solution was chosen, but they needed to find a partner who could help with a re-design of the existing Velaro D inter-vehicle jumper system - and its production process - to best suit the project requirements. This partner would also be responsible for handling logistics in order to keep everything on time. This would prove challenging with the unprecedented pressures of the pandemic.

Given the scale of the project - which required a high number of components - establishing a regular contact between the HUBER+SUHNER and Siemens project management teams would be essential to successfully navigate the challenging period. Regular communication would hold the key for consistent updates and to promptly address any delivery and quality concerns. This would prove vital, as project requirements meant Siemens often needed alternative options to be delivered within a tight timeframe.

For the technical aspects of the project, HUBER+SUHNER supplied tailored inter-vehicle jumper systems critical for the success of Siemens’ Velaro system. Responsible for electric connections vital for the train's operation, the inter-vehicle jumpers form the backbone of the entire fleet of trains. In the Siemens supply chain this component has a very high attention, which was crucial for the coupling and testing of the train prior to the hand-over to DB. Normally visible between individual train carriages, the HUBER+SUHNER jumper systems were designed to be hidden from view from commuters, something which is unique to the Velaro system. This means the carriages themselves look more appealing, without compromising on performance.

Over the course of the project, HUBER+SUHNER and Siemens faced a number of challenges with 3^rd party products, exasperated by the pandemic. The demonstrable competence displayed by our team also helped to secure the supply chain, and the team provided essential support on a number of tasks involving cabling to metal work.