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Rhein Ruhr Express

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Rhein Ruhr Express
Two coupled trains used on the RRX
Overview
Area served
LocaleNorth-Rhine Westphalia
Transit typeRegional rail
Number of lines7
Websitewww.rrx.de
Operation
Began operation9th December 2018; 6 years ago (9th December 2018)
Operator(s)National Express Germany
CharacterMainline rail
Number of vehicles84
HeadwayEvery 15 minutes on the main section
Technical
Track gauge1435 mm (normal gauge)
Top speed160 km/h (99 mph)

The Rhein-Ruhr-Express (RRX) is a currently under construction regional rail system in the German Rhine-Ruhr area connecting the Ruhr Valley and the central Rhineland. The main goal is to provide a fast connection on its most important section from Dortmund via the Ruhr Valley to Cologne every quarter of an hour. Like the previous Regional-Express-lines the new ones will continue onward from the central section to other cities and states. As part of the project new Siemens Desiro HC trains, that already increased punctuality because of the higher capacity and acceleration,[1][2] were bought and the region's infrastructure is being upgraded and expanded. Operation on the first line started in December of 2018, while four out of seven planned lines operate now in 2023. The construction is planned to be finished by 2030[1] and the project is expected to replace 24,000 drives per day when finished.[3]

Planned routes

Currently in 2023 there are seven planned lines that will all operate once per hour each,[4] but the planning is not finished as some passenger estimates from 2006 were already exceeded in 2015[5]. On the central section from Dortmund via Bochum, Essen, Mülheim a.d. Ruhr and Düsseldorf to Cologne four of the lines will provide an interlined service every quarter of an hour[6] and continue on from there to the following cities:

  • RRX 2 Dortmund – Hamm – Paderborn – Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe
  • RRX 4 Dortmund – Hamm – Bielefeld
  • RRX 6 Dortmund – Hamm – Bielefeld – Minden
  • RRX 1/RRX 2 Köln – Aachen (half-hourly)
  • RRX 4/RRX 6 Köln – Bonn – Koblenz (half-hourly)

The other three lines serve part of the central section, but either use parallel routes or branch off to serve the wider region. All the lines continue outwards from the central section to connect to more cities or even neighboring states. The full planned lines are:[7][8]

  • RRX 1 Dortmund – Bochum – Bochum-Wattenscheid – Essen – Duisburg – Düsseldorf-Flughafen – Düsseldorf – Düsseldorf-Benrath – Leverkusen – Köln-Messe/Deutz – Köln – Köln-Ehrenfeld – Horrem – Düren – Langerwehe – Eschweiler – Stolberg – Aachen-Rothe Erde – Aachen
  • RRX 2 Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe – Hofgeismar – Warburg – Willebadessen – Altenbeken – Paderborn – Lippstadt – Soest – Hamm – Kamen – Dortmund – Bochum – Bochum-Wattenscheid – Essen – Duisburg – Düsseldorf-Flughafen – Düsseldorf – Düsseldorf-Benrath – Leverkusen – Köln-Mülheim – Köln-Messe/Deutz – Köln – Köln-Ehrenfeld – Horrem – Düren – Langerwehe – Eschweiler – Stolberg – Aachen-Rothe Erde – Aachen
  • RRX 3 Münster – Dortmund – Dortmund-Mengede – Castrop-Rauxel – Herne – Herne-Wanne-Eickel – Gelsenkirchen – Essen-Altenessen – Oberhausen – Duisburg – Düsseldorf-Flughafen – Düsseldorf – Neuss – Dormagen – Köln – Köln-Messe/Deutz – Köln/Bonn Flughafen
  • RRX 4 Bielefeld – Bielefeld-Brackwede – Isselhorst-Avenwedde – Gütersloh – Rheda-Wiedenbrück – Oelde – Neubeckum – Ahlen – Hamm-Heessen – Hamm – Kamen – Dortmund – Bochum – Essen – Mülheim – Duisburg – Düsseldorf-Flughafen – Düsseldorf – Düsseldorf-Benrath – Leverkusen – Köln-Mülheim – Köln-Messe/Deutz – Köln – Köln Süd – Brühl – Sechtem – Roisdorf – Bonn – Bonn UN Campus – Bonn-Bad Godesberg – Bonn-Mehlem – Oberwinter – Remagen – Sinzig – Bad Breisig – Brohl – Namedy – Andernach – Weißenthurm – Mülheim-Kärlich – Koblenz-Lützel – Koblenz-Stadtmitte – Koblenz
  • RRX 5 Wesel – Dinslaken – Oberhausen-Sterkrade – Oberhausen – Duisburg – Düsseldorf-Flughafen – Düsseldorf
  • RRX 6 Minden – Porta Westfalica – Bad Oeynhausen – Löhne – Herford – Bielefeld – Gütersloh – Rheda-Wiedenbrück – Oelde – Neubeckum – Ahlen – Hamm-Heessen –Hamm – Kamen – Dortmund – Bochum – Essen – Mülheim – Duisburg – Düsseldorf-Flughafen – Düsseldorf – Düsseldorf-Benrath – Leverkusen – Köln-Mülheim – Köln Messe/Deutz – Köln – Köln Süd – Brühl – Bonn – Bonn UN Campus – Bonn-Bad Godesberg – Remagen – Sinzig – Bad Breisig – Andernach – Koblenz-Stadtmitte – Koblenz
  • RRX 7 Osnabrück – Lengerich – Münster – Dülmen – Haltern – Recklinghausen – Herne-Wanne-Eickel – Gelsenkirchen – Essen – Mülheim – Duisburg – Düsseldorf-Flughafen – Düsseldorf

Rolling stock

In contrast to most regional rail systems in Germany, the state of NRW tendered the trains to be used separately from the operator. The vehicles were then leased for 15 years to the chosen operator. This enabled more competition, as the different operators didn't need to invest into the rolling stock on their own.[9] After a study conducted in 2011 showed that double deck trains were suitable to be used and even preferable to single deck variants due to their higher capacity and being shorter, these were selected for operation on the network.[10] The other requirements were a top speed of at least 160 km/h (99 mph), a minimum acceleration of 1.0 m/s², multiple-unit support, being bi-directional, the standard door height of 76 cm (30 in) and an existing license by the regulators.[10] There were three bidders for the contract, which the Siemens Desiro HC won.[9] Subsequently, 84 trains of the type were manufactured and delivered from 2018[11] to 2020[2] for 800 million Euro.[9] While earlier sources mention 82 trains being built,[11][12][13][14] more recent ones state 84.[2][15] The contract also includes maintenance of the trains for 32 years raising the total volume to 1.7 billion Euro.[13]

Additionally to the mentioned requirements of the tender the trains feature free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, power outlets, reading lamps and folding tables at the seats and new windows that allow internet signals to pass through uninterrupted leading to a much better experience when using the internet during the train ride. This is the first time this technology has been used in a series-production train according to Siemens.[11] As two trains are always used in a pair they have a total of 800 seats per train set, and the door areas and doors itself are large to accommodate the many passengers. The trains have a low noise-level inside and in addition to level boarding have wheelchair accessible areas that can also be used for bicycles and an accessible toilet. Each train is 105 m (344 ft) long, forming train sets 210 m (690 ft) long, with a powered single-deck car on each ends and two non-powered double-deck cars in the middle. The trains have triple-unit traction capabilities, but these are not planned to be used.[1][2][15]

Maintenance of the trains is done in a new fully digital maintenance facility in Dortmund-Eving that was opened in September of 2018, and both the trains and the service facilities are equipped to enable preventative maintenance. According to the manufacturer the vehicles achieve an availability rate of over 99%. The maintenance facility also features exterior and interior cleaning facilities.[12][15]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Probleme zum Start des RRX erwartet" [Problems during the start of the RRX expected]. Rheinische Post (in German). 14 April 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ a b c d "RRX-Flotte komplett: Siemens Mobility liefert 84. und finalen Zug fristgerecht aus" [RRX-Fleet complete: Siemens Mobility delivers 84th and final train on time]. Siemens (in German). 18 December 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ "Düsseldorf: 25 Jahre bis zum RRX" [Düsseldorf: 25 years until the RRX operates]. Rheinische Post (in German). 31 October 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ "Linien auf rrx.de" [Lines on rrx.de]. Rhein Ruhr Express (in German). Retrieved 12 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "Verkehrsentwicklung im SPNV NRW bis 2030" [Rail travel traffic development in NRW until 2030] (PDF). Landtag Nordrhein-Westfalen (in German). 6 February 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 August 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Ziele & Vorteile - Rhein-Ruhr-Express" [Goals & benefits - Rhein-Ruhr-Express]. Bahnprojekt Rhein-Ruhr-Express (in German). Retrieved 12 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ "Zielnetz auf rrx.de" [Planned network on rrx.de]. Rhein Ruhr Express (in German). Retrieved 12 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ "Linien und Außenäste - Rhein-Ruhr-Express" [Lines and branches - Rhein-Ruhr-Express]. Bahnprojekt Rhein-Ruhr-Express (in German). Retrieved 12 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ a b c Eisenring, Christoph (19 June 2015). "Höchste Eisenbahn für Wettbewerb". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 14 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ a b "Auswirkungen des Einsatzes von Doppelstocktriebwagen auf die Fahrplankonzeption und den Fahrzeugbedarf des RRX" [Consequences of the use of double-deck trains on the timetable and amount of vehicles required for the RRX] (PDF). Landtag Nordrhein-Westfalen (in German). 13 October 2010. Retrieved 14 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ a b c "Duisburg: Erste RRX-Züge nehmen Betrieb auf" [Duisburg: First RRX-trains start operation]. Rheinische Post (in German). 7 December 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ a b "Siemens officially opens RRX maintenance depot". Siemens. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ a b "Billion-euro order: Siemens to build Rhine-Ruhr Express". Siemens. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ "Dormagen: Der neue RRX soll mehr Komfort bieten" [Dormagen: The new RRX will be more comfortable]. Neuß-Grevenbroicher Zeitung (in German). 6 January 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ a b c "Datenblatt Desiro HC RRX - EN" (PDF). Siemens Mobility. Retrieved 14 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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