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Wins major contract to supply over 1,000 transition units for Germany-Austria tram train project

Berlin – German rail components supplier Huebner Group has landed a deal to provide transition systems to Swiss rail vehicle manufacturer Stadler for a major European project.

In a statement 30 Sept, the Kassel-based group said it signed a deal with Stadler to supply up to 1,008 rubber gangway systems to the VDV-Tram-Train project, in addition to a maintenance contract for 32 years. 

In January, Stadler won a €4-billion international tender held jointly by six transport companies from Germany and Austria to deliver up to 504 vehicles over a ten-year period for the ‘VDV tram-train’ project.

As part of the supply deal, Huebner will provide transition systems for Stadler's Citylink vehicles – known as tram-train vehicles – which can also be used as intercity trains if configured appropriately.

The vehicles are designed according to customer needs and differ, for example, in length and the number of doors.

Therefore, Huebner said it would be supplying three transition variants for the six operators of the project between 2023 and 2031.

The systems each consist of a double corrugated bellows, a turntable with floor covering and a new radial spherical plain bearing specially developed by Huebner for the requirements of the Citylink.

"We are very pleased that our long-standing customer Stadler has decided in favour of our products and services for the largest order in its company history," said Kai Mentel, head of the mobility rail business unit.

The service contract of that size is a “first” for Huebner, according to Timm Kohberger, key account manager sales mobility rail.

Huebner, he went on to say, will start manufacturing the first transitional systems for the vehicles at the beginning of 2023.