Rail operator RMV will reportedly return to diesel trains until the end of 2025 after Alstom recalled its largest hydrogen train fleet in Germany, citing component reliability issues.
The fleet, which operates in the mountainous Taunus region, will be replaced by 16 leased diesel units from Alstom’s Lint 41 series to run on route RB15 between Bad Homburg and Brandoberndorf.
The French train manufacturer has recalled its iLint hydrogen units after two years of unreliable operations. H2 View understands that Alstom will cover all the contract costs of the diesel train leases, which will run until the end of 2025.
RMV has reiterated its commitment to hydrogen technology as its priority, and hydrogen-powered trains will continue to operate on route RB12 between Königstein im Taunus and Frankfurt.
It’s expected that Alstom will use the next year to upgrade critical components of the Coradia iLinit solutions to enhance long-term reliability, and it will address technical challenges associated with operating in the Taunus terrain.
This is not the first disruption Alstom and a German rail operator has faced with hydrogen-powered travel this year.
Last September, EVB reverted to diesel trains due to a hydrogen supply disruption that rendered its hydrogen-powered fleet inoperable.
Read more:Hydrogen supply disruption forces German rail operator back onto diesel
Having deployed 14 Alstom Coradia iLint trains to replace 15 diesel units operating on its route between Cuxhaven and Buxtehude in 2022, EVB announced it will use its “emergency fleet” of five diesel railcars and cancelling some journeys, after Linde informed the operator of delivery problems.
