The ICE 4 – in the finest tradition

ICE international

The Series 407 ICE 3, which began operation in 2013, is a Velaro D train developed by Siemens, with a top speed of 320 km/h. Its sister models had already been deployed as Velaro E in Spain (since 2007), Velaro RUS in Russia (2008) and Velaro CN in China (2009). Today there are over 800 high-speed trains from the Velaro family operating in China, France, Germany, Russia, Spain, Turkey and the UK, and between them they have covered over 1.5 billion kilometers.

The ICE 4 is coming: trial operation for the youngest member of the ICE family begins in autumn 2016 © Siemens AG

In September 2016 the ICE 4 will begin trial operation and thereby mark a new era in high-speed transport – in time for its milestone anniversary, because the ICE is turning 25 years old. Since its first scheduled journey in 1991, Germany’s fastest trains have covered over 1.8 billion kilometers.

The ICE 4 is coming: trial operation for the youngest member of the ICE family, which is to become the backbone of tomorrow's intercity travel in Germany, begins in autumn 2016. Though immediately recognizable as an ICE, the 250 km/h train is clearly distinguishable from previous ICE series in its design. Its modular drive concept uses independent powercars equipped with identical traction technology. A large number of reliable systems with a high level of redundancy ensures maximum availability. And the flexible options for varying the train length mean the ICE 4 can adapt to the specific requirements of different transport tasks.

The first trains will commence regular operation for Deutsche Bahn from 2017 onward. From this point, the newcomer will complement and replace the ICE 1 and ICE 2 fleets, set new standards in fast, comfortable intercity journeys – while following in the finest tradition.

Though immediately recognizable as an ICE, the 250 km/h train is clearly distinguishable from previous ICE series in its design © Siemens AG

The ICE 4 will set new standards for rail transport in Germany. It possesses the combined power and energy of our engineers.

Dr. Roland Busch, member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG

A true racer from the beginning: the ICE/V

New train lines were planned in Germany back in the 1970s, and the development of a new high-speed train began in 1982. Under the direction of Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB) and with funding from the Federal Ministry for Research and Technology, as it was then known, Germany's rail vehicle industry initially developed a five-car train consisting of two power cars and three intermediate cars. The first experimental train, named the InterCityExperimental (ICE/V), began testing in 1985. To help reach the desired speed of at least 350 km/h, new pantographs and aerodynamic power cars were developed. For the first time, the cars were equipped with wear-free eddy current brakes, and the power cars featured the innovative three-phase drive technology of the day, with asynchronous traction motors. It was also the first time a vehicle had its own diagnostic system installed, the data from which was sent over fiber-optic cables. The ICE/V turned out to be a true racer: in 1988 it reached a record speed of 406.9 km/h and retained the title of world's fastest wheeled rail vehicle up to December 1989.

ICE 1 and ICE 2: block trains and half trains

The opening of the new Hannover–Würzburg and Mannheim–Stuttgart lines marked the beginning of high-speed rail transport in Germany. The ICE 1 trains deployed on these routes from 1991 were designed as classic passenger trains, though the power cars (as the locomotives were now known) were entirely adapted to match the look of the trainset. The ICE 1 reaches up to 280 km/h in regular operation, for which it requires two of these power cars. Up to 14 non-powered intermediate cars can run between them, which makes room for up to 763 seats. The intermediate cars have a pressure-tight design due to the long tunnels on the new lines. DB ordered 60 ICE 1 trains, which were manufactured by the German rail vehicle industry up to 1993.

While ICE 1 trainsets, as so-called block trains, can neither be divided nor coupled together, the largely identical trains of the ICE 2 fleet consist of only one power car, six intermediate cars and one cab car. Their automatic Scharfenberg coupling makes it possible to quickly combine two ICE 2 half trains into one block train with almost the same seat capacity as an ICE 1 if necessary, and to decouple the two parts just as easily. For example, two ICE 2 trains traveling from Berlin in double traction can be separated in Hamm before continuing to Düsseldorf and Cologne, respectively. For the first time, DB commissioned a consortium led by Siemens to develop and manufacture the ICE 2 trains, 44 of which were delivered between 1995 and 1997.

ICE 3: faster, stronger, more flexible

The ICE is in demand. Rising passenger numbers, the completion of the new lines Cologne–Frankfurt and Nuremberg–Ingolstadt and the merging of European high-speed routes meant that more high-speed trains were required. Therefore, as early as 1994 DB and the rail vehicle industry decided to build upon their experiences to date and develop the ICE into a multiple-unit trainset with distributed traction. With the ICE 3 the technical modules for traction and auxiliary systems are no longer centrally located in a power car. Instead, they are distributed beneath the cars along the whole length of the train – and half of the train's bogies are driven. This results in greater traction and, aside from improving acceleration, significantly increases the electric braking power, which means a larger proportion of electrical energy can be recovered through regenerative braking. With power cars out of the equation, roughly 20 percent more train length is available to accommodate passengers, so a 400-meter ICE 3 double unit now offers 916 seats. The ICE 3 went into operation in time for Expo 2000.

Four generations of ICE (ICE 1 far left, the new ICE 4 far right) © Siemens AG

A comfortable ride into the future with the ICE 4

This brings us to the ICE 4, whose design differs from the earlier ICE series: trains made up of 5 to 14 cars are driven by 2 to 6 power cars, each of which are equipped with a fully independent drive unit underneath the car floor. This results in a particularly flexible train concept, allowing the capacity and power of the train to be tailored to its field of deployment.

Designed for a top speed of 250 km/h, the ICE 4 has a length of 346 meters when made up of 12 cars, offering a total of 830 seats, which is considerably more than an ICE 1. Aside from the underfloor concept, the higher capacity is made possible by the increased car length of 28 meters. Over a train length of 200 meters this eliminates the need for one whole car, so the space normally used for two additional car couplings is available for extra seating. And these passengers can really travel in comfort: all seats are ergonomically designed and equipped with reservation displays and power outlets. As well as wheelchair spaces, the trains have storage areas for bicycles and luggage. The modern passenger information system updates travelers on the progress of their journey and services available on board; GSM mobile communications and mobile internet are of course standard.

Whereas 25 ICE trains were in use in the early days of high-speed rail, today the DB fleet is made of up around 250 trains, which carried almost 80 million passengers in 2015 alone. What is more, over the last 25 years the design of these rapid white trains with the striking red stripe and black window bands has not aged in the slightest. As the future backbone of DB intercity rail, the ICE 4 will continue to set new standards.