Fascination Hi-Tech: World Premieres and New Generations of Vehicles on the Outdoor Display of InnoTrans 2014

Sept. 8, 2014
Safe, efficient and sustainable: those are the key aspects of modern rail transport.

Safe, efficient and sustainable: those are the key aspects of modern rail transport.

From Sept. 23-26 at InnoTrans in Berlin the global rail industry is showcasing its innovative vehicles for the mobility needs of today and tomorrow more impressive than ever before. This year, for the first time, 145 vehicles from all renowned manufacturers of the global rail industry are on display on the InnoTrans rail track site, which measures a total of 3,500 metres in length.

Undoubtedly, at this year’s fair the products from global players that are making their world premieres are once again among the biggest attractions. Alstom, for example, is exhibiting its latest model from the Citadis range of trams. Bombardier is displaying its new Innovia Monorail 300 technology and Siemens is presenting the new Desiro City which will be operating on the cross-London Thameslink line. Vossloh is displaying a world debut in Berlin, its low-floor urban rail vehicle Citylink NET 2012. Other products appearing for the first time include high-performance locomotives, rail-road vehicles, shunting vehicles, metro vehicles and rail wagons. Ansaldobreda from Italy is showcasing high-speed rail transport with its ETR 1000.

Together, Deutsche Bahn and Pesa are presenting the first DB Link at InnoTrans. The framework agreement securing delivery of up to 470 Link trains by Pesa to Deutsche Bahn was signed at InnoTrans two years ago, so that developments have now come full circle. The fact that the industry is increasingly synchronising its product innovation cycles with the dates of InnoTrans and that it announces its business deals and vehicle handovers in front of the world’s media underlines how important the fair has become as a showcase and marketing platform for the global rail industry.

New: Special Gauge Display

The outdoor display is a unique aspect of InnoTrans and this year features yet another highlight. For the first time, in addition to the ten standard-gauge tracks a Special Gauge Display provides an area for showcasing wide-gauge and narrow-gauge vehicles. Eight exhibitors, including Solaris and Stadler, are presenting their latest vehicles there. With the introduction of the Special Gauge Display InnoTrans now caters for three vehicle gauges, thus offering the industry even more options for displaying its rail vehicles to international audiences in Berlin.